Parker County Is Making A Mistake

Published: August 15, 2007, 1:01 am

Tags: privatization, parker county, county jails

Parker county commissioners voted on Monday to let a private company take over the operation of their county jail. They then awarded the contract to the second largest prison management company in the country -- CiviGenics.Commissioners said it cost them $56 dollars a day per prisoner to currently run the county jail. They have contracted to pay CiviGenics only $39 a day per prisoner. The sheriff and the commissioners are not only celebrating the money they will save, but say it will allow them to put more deputies on the street, because jailers will no longer be employees of the sheriff's department. The jailers will now be private guards working for CiviGenics.On the surface, it looks like a good deal for the city. But I have to wonder if they've really thought this thing through. They may well be opening themselves up to very expensive future problems.How exactly is CiviGenics going to operate the jail on $17 dollars per day per prisoner less than the county was able to do, and

[ Full article ]

Blog link

Comments