A decade of competition in the Prison Service has delivered real and lasting improvements in the quality of service. It has also provided consistently high levels of purposeful activity and time out of cell for prisoners, transforming the behaviour of many prisoners held in privately run prisons.
These are some of the key findings of a new report published by the CBI's Public Services Strategy Board today (16 June). The report "Competition: A Catalyst for Change in the Prison Service", brings together research from a wide variety of academic and government services to analyse the effects of private sector involvement in one of the most difficult and sensitive public services.
Commenting on the report, Rod Aldridge, Chairman of the Public Services Strategy Board said:
"The benefits of a mixed economy are clear - overall the performance of privately managed prisons has been very good.
"As this report shows, it is essential to look beyond the sterile arguments of public good, private bad to the substantive changes that have taken place on the ground."
Mr Aldridge went on to highlight some of the areas that contributed to the high levels of performance:
- Improved prison design;
- flexibility of staff;
- pride of ownership and commitment to individual prisons;
- transparent financial management with local rather than central budget control;
- encouragement of innovation at all levels;
- always learning from the best practices of other corrections practitioners, both nationally and internationally;
- full and purposeful rehabilitation regimes for prisoners.
He added:
"If the Government is to achieve his objective of transforming public services the contribution of competition needs to be widely and honestly recognised. The positive effects of private sector involvement in the prison service are clearly unquestionable and are perhaps best summed up in the words of Martin Narey, newly appointed Commissioner for Correctional Services.
"Martin Narey, Commissioner for Correctional Services (Home Office)
The experience of private sector involvement in the provision and operation of prisons has been a great success. Not only have the private sector providers demonstrated they can run prisons which are among the best in this country, but the introduction of competition has been a key catalyst for change in the wider prison service.
The private sector has demonstrated a long term commitment to raising standards of prisoner care through decent and constructive regimes. They have set high standards of mutual respect between prisoners and staff which is so necessary for healthy, orderly and safe prisons.
There is no doubt that competition between providers, public and private, has improved performance, reduced costs and overcome resistance to change across the service as a whole.
The benefits of a mixed economy are clear but there is always scope for further progress. As the market matures providers face the twin challenges of maintaining innovation and reducing their reliance on imports from the public sector to fill senior posts."
MARTIN NAREY
June 2003
Mr Aldridge concluded:
"To build on the success of the past 10 years and help lay the foundations for the years to come, the CBI will be seeking to promote a closer working relationship between the Commission for Correctional Services and all the companies involved in prison management and custodial services."