Private Prison Reform in Ohio

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Rather than rewarding rehabilitation and success, Ohio’s guaranteed
minimum occupancy payments to private prison operators incentivize
warehousing inmates at the lowest possible cost.

That’s short-term thinking. Protectionist procurement laws limit innovation
and competition—which ends up costing more in the long term.

This means if a group of corrections professionals starts a new business to challenge the legacy operators, Ohio law forbids the state from even considering their proposal. This makes it effectively impossible for new operators to enter the market, stifling competition.

It’s time to introduce accountability for private prisons through competition and contract reform.

 

THE SOLUTION

Performance-based contracts pay operators more if inmates recidivate less and become employed. Ohio should rebid all contracts to be based on performance, aligning contract incentives with the success of the state correctional system.

Ohio must also repeal the “current operator” requirement to allow competitive start-ups to challenge legacy companies.

 

WHY IT MATTERS

Basing contract terms on measurable outcomes would refocus criminal justice on effective rehabilitation, which would set incarcerated individuals up for success and improve community safety.

Removing unnecessary barriers to entry will incentivize all contractors to innovate through market competition, focusing on outcomes and ensuring Ohioans’ tax dollars are spent on the best practices.

 

THE BOTTOM LINE:

Ohio’s private prison operators need more competition and accountability to better serve the people of the Buckeye State.

Ohio should:

  • Repeal anti-competitive contract procurement laws and let the market work.
  • Hold prisons accountable by introducing performance-
    based contracts that pay private prison operators based
    on the results they achieve.
  1. https://data.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/data/view/state-prison-incarcerated-population
  2. https://www.acluohio.org/en/news/ohios-problematic-private-prisons-primer#:~:text=Northeast%20Ohio%20Correctional%20Center%20(NEOCC)%20is%20a%20privately%2Doperated,$65.17%20totaling%20$58%2C978%20each%20day.
  3. https://www.ciic.ohio.gov/ciic-api/public/files/ciic/fb1dbad5-2074-49ed-ba37-b2830c1f589a/v1/north-central-correctional-complex-2022-announced-inspection-report.pdf
  4. https://www.ciic.ohio.gov/ciic-api/public/files/ciic/9bd8d1ea-4df4-4ae8-8d30-6323b879b10c/v1/northeast-ohio-correctional-center-2021-announced-inspection-brief.pdf
  5. https://www.ciic.ohio.gov/ciic-api/public/files/ciic/e5062ff5-0c73-46f9-be20-9ba525ec4ea8/v1/lake-erie-correctional-institution-2022-announced-inspection-report.pdf
  6. https://www.ciic.ohio.gov/ciic-api/public/files/ciic/fb1dbad5-2074-49ed-ba37-b2830c1f589a/v1/north-central-correctional-complex-2022-announced-inspection-report.pdf
  7. https://www.10tv.com/article/news/investigations/10-investigates/pay-security-staffing-ohio-prison-issues-under-spotlight-officers-death/530-c18125a0-275e-417f-9130-577204b75318

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