Daniel Mears
Mark C. Stafford Professor Of Criminology, Florida State University
Key Findings
- Within four months of prison admission, 76% of offenders (91% of female offenders, 69% of male offenders and 64% of young male offenders) were placed in private prisons for the first time.
- Black male and Black female offenders had a somewhat higher likelihood of being placed in private prisons than their White counterparts.
- Hispanic females and youthful male offenders were less likely to be placed in private prisons than their White counterparts.
- The data did not show consistent support in predicting private prison placement based on race and ethnicity, age, and violent criminal record.
Description
In the article, “Racial and Ethnic Divides in Privatized Punishment: Examining Disparities in Private Prison Placements,” Mears and his co-authors examine private prison placements for people of color to determine if there are inequalities in the process. Private prisons are found in nearly every state but no research has shown they are able to reduce recidivism any more than public agencies; instead, there are arguments claiming the private prisons benefit financially from incarceration. To conduct their study, the researchers used data from the Florida Department of Corrections during the years 1995 to 2011 and included demographic criteria, crime history and sentencing information to test five statistical models. The sample was broken into three groups (males, females and youthful male offenders) based on their likelihood of being placed in private prisons. Within four months of prison admission, 76% of offenders (91% of female offenders, 69% of male offenders and 64% of young male offenders) were placed in private prisons for the first time. Black male and Black female offenders had a somewhat higher likelihood of being placed in private prisons than their White counterparts. Hispanic females and youthful male offenders were less likely to be placed in private prisons than their White counterparts. The data did not show consistent support in predicting private prison placement based on race and ethnicity, age, and violent criminal record. In conclusion, the researchers note that this study wasn’t able to quantify the impact that race and ethnicity have on private prison placements and further information is needed to understand the private and public systems.