Benefits Of Outsourcing Prison Transportation Services

By Jerri Eide


Every government is required to protect its citizens by ensuring that there are laws that require strict adherence. The most effective way through which this is achieved is by punishing those found guilty of committing various offenses. Convicts are often sent to jail to serve different sentences depending on the nature of their crime. Once someone has been sentenced, authorities at the respective correctional facilities have the responsibility to ensure prisoners remain behind bars for the stipulated time. Prisoners may sometimes need to be transported to various places such as working sites or to attend court hearings. This requires the use of prison transportation services to ensure no one escapes since the transport vehicles are under tight security.

Private contractors major in the provision of security therefore constantly research on ways of guaranteeing safety of prisoners. They often have a reputation to safeguard since firms which have a bad reputation are often denied such tenders. In order to remain competitive, these firms therefore engage in acts aimed at portraying a good public image while they also enhance their core competencies.

Outsourcing makes authorities concentrate on their core business of correction of prisoners to become better citizens. Trying to overly invest in different security measures may make prisons lose focus on their main purpose. However, leaving private contractors to offer prison shuttle services allows them adequate time to venture in molding prisoners for better.

It is very expensive to maintain a correctional facility and at the same time guarantee the highest possible level of security internally without outsourcing. Constant research and development is necessary to guarantee the security of any van transporting prisoners. Through outsourcing, prisons avoid such costs and also the cost of managing the research facilities which are paid by taxpayers.

These companies often hire professionals with different backgrounds such as IT and law enforcement. Such combinations of skills make it possible to handle prisoners who are in transit with ease. It would be quite difficult for employees of various prisons to have such level of skill.

It is also possible to enhance efficiency by outsourcing transportation to prisons. This is because the service is only paid for whenever needed unlike operating a department which is not used frequently. This eliminates the inefficiencies associated with idle labor since prisons need not have such workers on their payroll.

Many correctional centers in US outsource prison transportation services to private companies due to the cost implications of running their own security. It is quite costly offer security to only for a one penitentiary. The fact that these firms serve different clients make them take advantage of economies of scale thus can reduce their unit cost of service delivery.




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