Persistent puzzles: the philosophy and ethics of private corrections in the context of contemporary penality

In our article, we attend to the implied outlooks (“philosophies” in the sense of operative practical discourses and assumptions) and the competing ethical concerns that animate differing views on privatizing corrections. We consider some normative arguments and empirical observations that have been...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: Sparks, Richard F. -1988 (Author) ; Gacek, James (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Published: 2019
In: Criminology & public policy
Year: 2019, Volume: 18, Issue: 2, Pages: 379-399
Online Access: Presumably Free Access
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Summary:In our article, we attend to the implied outlooks (“philosophies” in the sense of operative practical discourses and assumptions) and the competing ethical concerns that animate differing views on privatizing corrections. We consider some normative arguments and empirical observations that have been mobilized for and against privatization since the inception of the modern version of this debate in the late 1980s, and we seek to place these in the context of accounts of penal problems over that contentious period. We argue that a multidimensional approach to understanding the sociology of punishment and in particular how certain forms of punishment persist, survive, and thrive is required when considering the privatization of corrections. In using such an approach, we raise quizzical questions regarding the pairing together of punishment and privatization, and as a result, we seek to sharpen the discussion about future prospects.
ISSN:1745-9133
DOI:10.1111/1745-9133.12445