21/02/2013

Report Claims Private Companies Better At Running Prisons

Reform, a centre-right think tank, has said that private companies are better than the public sector at running the UK's prisons.

10 out of 12 privately-run prisons had lower reoffending rates among those serving 12 months or more than comparable public jails, according to the report.

The think tank say there is no evidence to support the governments decision last year to move away from wholesale privatisation of the prison service in England and Wales.

Justice Minister Jeremy Wright however said the report was a "simplistic analysis".

Privately-managed prisons were first introduced in the UK in the 1990s and there are currently 14 private prisons in England and Wales, all managed by one of three firms - G4S, Serco and Sodexo Justice Services (formerly Kalyx).

(H)


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