What would happen if we started to hold corrections officials — prison wardens and the managers of probation agencies — accountable for the proportion of their alumni or clients who commit new crimes? I speculate on that question in the latest issue of Blueprint. The piece refers to Dukenfield’s Law; more about that here
UPDATE
Sasha Volokh tends to agree, though with more stress on the virtues of privatization. His article lays out the requirements of a good accountability system, but without directly addressing the question of how to get one influenced in the face of contractors’ political power. (He does point out that public-employee unions — in this case the correctional officers — can pose a comparably serious problem.)
Now that we have some Very Rich People apparently bound for prison, I wonder if anyone has addressed the question of what to do when an inmate (or his friends and relations) acquires a big block of stock in the prison company? It’s not far-fetched, when you consider that a major motivation for membership on hospital boards of directors is reported to be the special treatment board membership ensures.
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