Ethical Concerns & Considerations on the Privatization of Prisons

• In Event: Posters II

Abstract

The privatization of corrections has been relevant in our society for many decades. With this relevance comes argument over cost efficiency, staff capability, and ethical justifications and concerns. Privatized corrections companies have created an avenue that turns prisoners into a commodity. While politicians and citizens alike focus on fiscal goals and quality of confinement, critics of private prisons continue to raise suspicion that there is something morally and ethically wrong with making a profit off human life. This presentation aims to inform on topics including: the history of private corrections, current issues, and research findings along with a specific focus on theoretical perspectives including ethical formalism and utilitarianism.

Author

• Kayla Mae Bash, Indiana University of Pennsylvania