Lessening the Economic Impact of Incarceration: Privatize, Reinvest, or Realign in Mississippi?

Author

James Foster, University of Mississippi. Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College

Date of Award

2014

Document Type

Undergraduate Thesis

Department

Law

First Advisor

Richard Gershon

Relational Format

Dissertation/Thesis

Abstract

The purpose of this thesis is to examine how private prisons, justice reinvestment, and public safety realignment are currently being implemented in the United States to lessen the economic impact of incarceration and determine which, if any, would work best in Mississippi. Several methods were used in this study, including a comparison of operational costs between state and private prisons, regression analysis to test the effect of Drug Courts on drug-related admissions, and an investigation on capacity levels in county, state, and private prisons. The conclusions drawn from this study demonstrate the pros and cons of private prisons currently operating in Mississippi, the benefits of Drug Courts as a cost-saving mechanism, and how realigning state-level prisoners into county facilities is not a viable option in this state.

Recommended Citation

Foster, James, "Lessening the Economic Impact of Incarceration: Privatize, Reinvest, or Realign in Mississippi?" (2014). Honors Theses. 413.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/hon_thesis/413

Accessibility Status

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