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Using The Private Sector To Deter Crime
Conclusion: Reforms That Work
The ineffectiveness and abuses created by our state-run criminal justice system are manifest. As government has grown ever larger, by every measure, the amount of protection supplied per tax dollar or per public employee (their productivity) against criminals has declined. The growth of the criminal justice system might please certain interest groups, police, politicians and bureaucrats, but the general taxpaying public is not pleased. The citizenry feels, with justification, that the public criminal justice system is failing and has lost much of its confidence in the police, courts and prisons. Many criminals practice their mayhem with contempt for the ability of the public sector to do anything about it."The public has lost confidence in the police, courts and prisons."
More of the burden of identifying, capturing, prosecuting and punishing criminals can be shouldered by the more efficient and innovative private sector. Crime would fall sharply if expected punishment reached the levels that prevailed in the 1950s (two to three times higher than today).110 Here are 10 ways to reduce crime at less expense to taxpayers:
- Contract out noncrime, nonemergency functions of police and sheriff’s departments to private security firms, allowing public law enforcement officers to concentrate more of their efforts on crime. Pay bonuses or special incentives to departments that achieve independently verified reductions in crime.
- Make greater use of reserve law enforcement officers and explore ways to expand their ranks.
- Shut down pretrial release bureaus and so-called "free bonds" in favor of competitive, commercial bail bonds.
- Increase the use of private rewards for criminal convictions, including bounties offered by commercial insurance policies.
- Pay bounty hunters for recovery of criminals who are wanted on bench warrants (orders by judges or courts to arrest persons charged with criminal offenses).
- Make greater use of private attorneys to prepare and/or litigate criminal cases at private expense in order to expand prosecutor resources at no cost to taxpayers.
- Reduce legal obstacles to integration of criminal prosecution and civil remedies in order to raise the price of crime to criminals and compensate victims more adequately.
- Require convicts eligible for probation and parole to post a private bond to guarantee good behavior.
- Accelerate private construction and operation of prisons to bring down cost and raise quality.
- Accelerate the private employment of prison labor, creating more "factories behind bars."
"The private sector should shoulder more of the burden of identifying, capturing, prosecuting and punishing criminals."
The debate over crime has been in a rut for decades, with conservatives emphasizing tough policies and liberals emphasizing softer remedies and improved economic opportunities. Privatizing the criminal justice system on an incremental basis would allow both sides to win; the innovation and productivity of private enterprise can reduce crime, reduce taxes and improve the protection of civil liberties.
NOTE: Nothing written here should be construed as necessarily reflecting the views of the National Center for Policy Analysis or as an attempt to aid or hinder the passage of any bill before Congress.