Cheaper, better, and more accountable? Twenty‐five years of prisons privatisation in Victoria. Issue 4 (21st May 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Sands, Valarie; O'Neill, Deirdre; Hodge, Graeme
• Is Part Of: Australian journal of public administration. Volume 78:Issue 4(2019)
• Page Start: 577
• Page End: 595
• Publication Date: 2019-05-21
• Subjects: accountability -- operational costs -- performance measurement -- prisons -- privatisation; Public administration -- Australia -- Periodicals; Policy sciences -- Australia -- Periodicals; Australia -- Politics and government -- Periodicals; 351.9405
• DOI: 10.1111/1467-8500.12384
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0313-6647

Abstract

Abstract: Twenty‐five years after the Kennett government began privatising prisons, Victoria has the world's highest proportion of prisoners in private prisons. When the privatisation project began, it was confidently expected that privately managed prisons would be cheaper, better, and more accountable than traditional public sector provision. This paper examines whether those anticipated benefits have been realised. In doing so, we assess system‐wide operating costs, specific measures of performance, and accountability of the prison system between 1992 and 2017. Using publicly available data, we conclude temporary lower costs occurred but have not been sustained. Similarly, performance improvements are mixed, and enhanced accountability is contested. Although the performance information now available on Victoria's prisons is superior to what was available in the pre‐privatisation era, successive Victorian governments have also overseen arrangements that severely curtail dissemination of such data. This has restricted the capacity of Parliament and the public not only to hold government to account for the operations of the prison system, but also to evaluate the efficacy and impact of the prisons privatisation project. We conclude a more definitive assessment will only be possible when current limitations on accessing performance and other data are lifted enabling greater public scrutiny of Victoria's prison system. Abstract : Twenty‐five years after the Kennett government commenced an ambitious program to privatise key elements of the Victorian prison system, this paper explores if the anticipated improvements in the operational costs, performance and accountability of the prison system have been realised. It concludes that while some improvements have been observed, the tentative general picture is one of mixed results. And whilst a more definitive assessment is desirable, this will not be possible until all relevant data are publicly available.