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Private prison operators waiting to cash in on Harper policies National Union VIA The Filter \|\| April 10, 2006 Tory law and order platform may produce a 'spike' in demand for prison space and add billions to the Canadian corrections budget Private security companies are in a buoyant mood as the first session of the new Conservative Parliament opens in Canada. They are counting on new justice measures promised by the Tories to increase the federal prison population and open a new era of private for-profit prisons across the country. "Imagine superjails run for profit by private companies eager to cash in on Conservative plans to get tougher on crime," began a national news report published this week. "Leading criminologists say the prospect is a definite possibility should the Tories pass even part of their law-order platform. They're watching for details as Parliament resumes ... on how the new government would pay for one of its top priorities: a justice strategy that experts agree would dramatically spike demand for costly prison space." 'Serious crime, serious time' Prime Minister Stephen Harper underscored his intentions to act decisively when he spoke Monday (the very day Parliament opened) to the Canadian Professional Police Association. "If we are to protect our Canadian way of life, we need to crack down on gun, gang and drug crime.... If you do a serious crime, you're going to do serious time," he declared. Harper reiterated promises made during the election campaign to impose mandatory minimum prison sentences for drug crimes, weapons offences and crimes committed while on parole. He also spoke of his government's plan to end conditional sentences for crimes such as weapons offences and to scrap leftover draft legislation introduced by the previous Liberal government to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana. Article Posted at www.KnowledgeDrivenRevolution.com Experts say Conservatives are unlikely to spend the money up front required to build the prisons they will need to house the many new inmates their polices will generate. Tory privatization agenda Instead, they are expected to argue (despite a growing body of evidence to the contrary) that private prisons are cheaper and then to call on their private sector friends to build and operate them. This approach fits with the strong pro-privatization ideology of the Harper government and the likelihood that it will try wherever it can to turn over a growing range of public services to private operators. But the cost to taxpayers will likely be steep in the long run. In the case of prisons, privatization may spare Ottawa the need to make large capital investments in new prisons. However, if the U.S. experience is any guide, the ultimate cost will be great. Private prison operators eventually get back all the money they spend initially, plus profits that are paid for in perpetuity by the public treasury. Moreover, private prisons have no incentive to rehabilitate prisoners because they make the most money when cell blocks are full. Private institutions also feature higher rates of recidivism, incidents among inmates and higher staff turnover. Laws to boost the prison population Canada's Criminal Code already contains 29 minimum mandatory sentences, including 20 imposed in 1995 legislation boosting punishment for crimes with firearms. Automatic jail terms for firearms crimes range from one to four years. Critics say the Conservatives are heading down a road already followed (with disastrous financial implications) in the United States. U.S. public spending on prisons - many of them now private - has soared to $58 billion a year from $9 billion in 1982. The United States adult prison population now exceeds two million inmates, an average of 724 citizens per 100,000 members of the American population. (The figures combine those being held in jails and prisons.) In Canada the rate is 102 prisoners per 100,000 population (one seventh that of the United States). Comparable rates in other countries are 98 in Germany, 92 in Italy, 80 in France, 64 in Sweden, 61 in Denmark and 69 in Iceland. Private prisons were introduced to Canada by the former Ontario premier Mike Harris, who built Canada's first superjail at Penetaguishene, Ont. It is run by Management and Training Corporation (MTC) of Centreville, Utah. The Harper government now includes two of the most influential and right-wing of Harris' former cabinet ministers. Jim Flaherty is now federal finance minister and John Baird is treasury board president. NUPGE About KDR \| \| Home \| \| Weekly Features Archive	Weekly Weekly Features Archive
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Private prison operators waiting to cash in on Harper policies

National Union VIA The Filter || April 10, 2006

Tory law and order platform may produce a 'spike' in demand for prison space and add billions to the Canadian corrections budget

Private security companies are in a buoyant mood as the first session of the new Conservative Parliament opens in Canada.

They are counting on new justice measures promised by the Tories to increase the federal prison population and open a new era of private for-profit prisons across the country.

"Imagine superjails run for profit by private companies eager to cash in on Conservative plans to get tougher on crime," began a national news report published this week.

"Leading criminologists say the prospect is a definite possibility should the Tories pass even part of their law-order platform. They're watching for details as Parliament resumes ... on how the new government would pay for one of its top priorities: a justice strategy that experts agree would dramatically spike demand for costly prison space."

'Serious crime, serious time'

Prime Minister Stephen Harper underscored his intentions to act decisively when he spoke Monday (the very day Parliament opened) to the Canadian Professional Police Association.

"If we are to protect our Canadian way of life, we need to crack down on gun, gang and drug crime.... If you do a serious crime, you're going to do serious time," he declared.

Harper reiterated promises made during the election campaign to impose mandatory minimum prison sentences for drug crimes, weapons offences and crimes committed while on parole.

He also spoke of his government's plan to end conditional sentences for crimes such as weapons offences and to scrap leftover draft legislation introduced by the previous Liberal government to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana.

Article Posted at www.KnowledgeDrivenRevolution.com

Experts say Conservatives are unlikely to spend the money up front required to build the prisons they will need to house the many new inmates their polices will generate.

Tory privatization agenda

Instead, they are expected to argue (despite a growing body of evidence to the contrary) that private prisons are cheaper and then to call on their private sector friends to build and operate them.

This approach fits with the strong pro-privatization ideology of the Harper government and the likelihood that it will try wherever it can to turn over a growing range of public services to private operators.

But the cost to taxpayers will likely be steep in the long run.

In the case of prisons, privatization may spare Ottawa the need to make large capital investments in new prisons. However, if the U.S. experience is any guide, the ultimate cost will be great. Private prison operators eventually get back all the money they spend initially, plus profits that are paid for in perpetuity by the public treasury.

Moreover, private prisons have no incentive to rehabilitate prisoners because they make the most money when cell blocks are full. Private institutions also feature higher rates of recidivism, incidents among inmates and higher staff turnover.

Laws to boost the prison population

Canada's Criminal Code already contains 29 minimum mandatory sentences, including 20 imposed in 1995 legislation boosting punishment for crimes with firearms. Automatic jail terms for firearms crimes range from one to four years.

Critics say the Conservatives are heading down a road already followed (with disastrous financial implications) in the United States. U.S. public spending on prisons - many of them now private - has soared to $58 billion a year from $9 billion in 1982.

The United States adult prison population now exceeds two million inmates, an average of 724 citizens per 100,000 members of the American population. (The figures combine those being held in jails and prisons.)

In Canada the rate is 102 prisoners per 100,000 population (one seventh that of the United States). Comparable rates in other countries are 98 in Germany, 92 in Italy, 80 in France, 64 in Sweden, 61 in Denmark and 69 in Iceland.

Private prisons were introduced to Canada by the former Ontario premier Mike Harris, who built Canada's first superjail at Penetaguishene, Ont. It is run by Management and Training Corporation (MTC) of Centreville, Utah. The Harper government now includes two of the most influential and right-wing of Harris' former cabinet ministers. Jim Flaherty is now federal finance minister and John Baird is treasury board president. NUPGE