Private vs. State: The Inmate's View
E-Mail  by Aquarius Alford  Bio/Address

A note from the Publisher: The following commentary was submitted by someone who claims that they are an inmate in the Georgia prison system.  However, the writer failed to include his prison #.  Anyone familiar with DOC in any state knows that an inmate prison # is essential for receiving any written communication from the free world.  This could be an innocent omission, but we have never experienced it before. Since we could not verify the fact that this is an actual inmate in a Georgia prison, we caution the reader as to the legitimacy of authorship. However, we decided to include this commentary because the topic of Private vs State run prisons is a legitimate subject - one that needs discussion.  Hopefully, we will hear from some inmates who have actually been in both types of prisons and can give us statistics and anecdotal accounts to back up their opinions on this topic. Furthermore, we hope that Mr Alford will contact us again and fill us in on the missing information.

    The choice to privatize prisons is one of the most important decisions that the state government faces. From a financial aspect, it is less costly and places the burden of supervision on private corporations contracted to oversee the prison population. It is undoubtedly a less expensive way to provide the necessary supervision of convicted prisoners. In contrast to state procedures, the private industry is given a substantial amount of discretion to run their operation as they deem appropriate. Simply speaking, they can operate their prisons as they please as long as they are in accordance with the states "standard operating procedure". Such liberty allows private industry to maintain above average educational facilities, superior dining accommodations, advanced recreational activities, as well as a variety of programs to encourage the inmates successful release. In an overall comparison, the conclusion is quite clear: the inmates like it better at the private prisons. As in all situations, private is better! Private schools, private clubs, and even private prisons provide better for the accmmadation of whomever they cater to. Inmates at one of the recently built prison in Alamo, GA say they love it, and here's why. Included in the dining facility is a state of the art buffet line offering the prisoners all they can eat. Yes, all they can eat. With everything from grits in the morning to mashed potatoes in the evening, the prison in Alamo sure knows how to feed a brother. Not only that, it is not foreign that warden orders prison staff to prepare large meals consisting of ribs, baked and fried chicken, ham and ice cream, as well as other treats considered to be "top notch". Think that's something? Their education department almost operates like a technical school. We've all heard of prisons training inmates in a trade of their choice and giving them a certificate of completion upon their successful completion of the prescribed study. However, the prison at Alamo goes a step further. O.K. here's the deal.
    Corrections Corporation of America, the company Georgia contracts to oversee approximately 3500 inmates ,contracts a private company to provide all of their construction trade training. A private industry contracting a private industry! Also, the prison in Alamo train its students in the use of software applications. What that means is that the inmates restricted to Wheeler will probably have your job upon their release. Why? Because they have training in computers equivalent to that of a two year technical student, he got a membership with the local gym? Well guess what? You'd better cancel it and come on down to Wheeler. What you'll get is an outside gym equipped with six separate basketball courts, a softball field almost the size of a football field, a barber shop and multiple games to pass your leisure time. What was once considered punishment is now considered a place of reformation. Sounds like utopia to me. Now do you agree, that private is better?

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