Con Blocks Austin

Koniki-SiddiquiI.H. Kempner H.SCon Blocks

A2 Private Prisons are more expensive

Private prisons actually cost less in Arizona. Per-citizen costs are less

Kavanagh 2014[footnoteRef:1], [1: Kavanagh, John. "Private Prisons Really Are Cheaper for Taxpayers."Azcentral.com.Gannett Company, 10 Jan. 2014. Web. 04 Nov. 2014..]

A recent column by The Arizona Republics E.J. Montini and an editorial criticizing state government for using private prisons were short on facts and misleading (Taxpayers held hostage by private prisons, Dec. 29, and Private prisons: Lets see hidden cost comparisons, Jan. 2). The suggestion that private prisons cost taxpayers more money to operate than state-run prisons is wrong. A recent Republic news article disclosed that the non-adjusted cost of housing a medium-security prisoner was$64.52 in a state-run facility and only $58.82 in a private prison. When you further adjust these figures, as the nonpartisan Joint Legislative Budget Committee did, by adding in the high expenses of constructing the prisons and paying for the costly and grossly underfunded public pensions of state corrections employees, the private prisons become an even better deal for Arizona taxpayers.

Private is less expensive because the state doesnt pay for construction costs.Private is cheaper because the state doesnt pay for employee pensions.

Private market encourages innovation and better efficiency because of competition.

Moore 1999[footnoteRef:2], [2: Moore, Adrian T. "PRIVATE PRISONS: Quality Corrections at a Lower Cost." (n.d.): n.pag. Reason Public Policy Institute, 1999. Web. 4 Nov. 2014.