An Analysis of Public and Private Community Corrections in Pennsylvania

Open Access
- Author:
- Alladin, Terrence
- Graduate Program:
- Public Administration
- Degree:
- Doctor of Philosophy
- Document Type:
- Dissertation
- Date of Defense:
- May 01, 2015
- Committee Members:
- Steven Ames Peterson, Dissertation Advisor/Co-Advisor
Steven Ames Peterson, Committee Chair/Co-Chair
Donald Charles Hummer Ii, Committee Chair/Co-Chair
Goktug Morcol, Committee Member
Clemmie Edward Gilpin, Special Member - Keywords:
- Community corrections
recidivism
privatization
efficiency and effectiveness - Abstract:
- Community corrections is a vastly understudied area of criminal justice. Many scholars agree that community corrections is cheaper and more effective at reducing recidivism than prisons. A fundamental claim made in support of community corrections is that the privately owned and operated facilities are more efficient and effective than the publicly owned and operated centers. Privately owned and operated community corrections centers have been flourishing for decades with limited or no empirical studies regarding their efficiency and effectiveness. This study compared the publicly operated community corrections centers (CCC) with the privately operated community corrections facilities (CCF) in Pennsylvania using 20 variables that are specifically developed for measuring correctional institutions. The study found that publicly owned and operated community corrections centers were more efficient than privately owned and operated facilities. It also found that there was significant differences in the recidivism rates between offenders who were released by publicly owned and operated community corrections centers and those released by the privately owned and operated community corrections facilities.