RT Article T1 Prison Privatization: An Empirical Literature Review and Path Forward JF International criminal justice review VO 32 IS 1 SP 24 OP 47 A1 Kim, Dae-Young LA English YR 2022 UL https://krimdok.uni-tuebingen.de/Record/1786542773 AB A substantial body of literature has been devoted to examine the efficacy of prison privatization. Unfortunately, the empirical findings to date are equivocal regarding whether prison privatization fulfills its promises and our expectations of cost efficiency, prison quality, postrelease success, nonprofit prison privatization, system-wide improvement in corrections, local economic development, and determinants of privatizing prisons. Such inconclusive evidence may result from the shortcomings of past research, and thus there is a continuing need for more work using a wide range of data sources and research designs. This article conducts a review of empirical research, discusses conceptual and methodological problems in the literature, and offers guidance for future research. It may not only stimulate additional research but also inform public policy decision-making on prison privatization. K1 Determinants of prison privatization K1 Local economic development K1 Recidivism K1 Cost efficiency K1 Quality of confinement K1 Private prison K1 Prison privatization DO 10.1177/1057567719875791