Degree Year
2013
Document Type
Thesis - Open Access
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts
Department
Economics
Advisor(s)
Ron Cheung
Hirschel Kasper
Barbara Craig
Carlos Chiappa
Keywords
Prisons, Private prisons, Privatization, Economics, OLS
Abstract
The coercive power of the state is unique among its responsibilities. And yet, like many government services, incarceration is becoming more widely privatized. These for-profit prisons market themselves as a solution to state-wide and local economic woes alike. Using standard regression analysis, I test the truth of these claims by exploring the relationship between privatized prisons and local economic health measured by county employment rate and income per capita. I find no significant relationship between the public/private nature of a prison and the employment rate, but there may be evidence of private prisons depressing county income. As we move forward in the 21st century, we must test any advertised differences before handing the authority to detain and punish our fellow citizens over to corporations.
Repository Citation
Landes, Charlotte, "Private Corrections, Public Implications: The Local Economic Effects of Private Prisons" (2013). Honors Papers. 329.
https://digitalcommons.oberlin.edu/honors/329
