GEORGE TOWN: Privatising prisons would be a better solution to overcrowding than refurbishing old facilities, says a Universiti Sains Malaysia criminologist.
Sundramoorthy was referring to Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail's announcement that several prisons would be upgraded and those over 100 years old redeveloped to make them more conducive for inmates and Prisons Department staff.
"The privatisation of prisons should be considered only for those incarcerated for non- serious non-violent crimes and white-collar criminals.“However, the existing prison and system must be maintained and privatisation will only be applicable for new prisons."From a certain ideological standpoint, behind prison privatisation there lies the idea that free market forces will deliver greater efficiency and performance than the public sector.
"Moreover, governments need not find the capital to construct new prisons where cost is high," he said.Success in privatising prisons would be highly dependent on the care taken in developing a public policy on crime and punishment, he added. Meanwhile, he noted that one of the most critical challenges confronting the criminal justice system is overcrowding.
On Tuesday , Saifuddin said among the prisons identified for to be upgraded or redeveloped are the Alor Star prison in Kedah; Penang Prison, the Kamunting Correctional Centre and the Pengkalan Chepa Prison in Kelantan.
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