Thursday, August 25, 2005

Jail Privitization - Follow the Money

So they say publicly that they don't think jail privitization is a good fit. Privately, according to the Commercial Appeal, they have their minions meeting to work out the details. How long will the public be fooled by these slick politicians. "Hear what they say, but watch what they do!" I say follow the money. It's the same issue as the outsourcing of inmate feeding. Both the jail and the correctional center spend $5.00 per day, per inmate to a company called Aramark for food. On a daily average inmate population of 5,000 that works out to 9.125 million per year! If we trimmed our costs like they have in Phoenix, AZ it would result in a savings of 8.03 million per year. Even in Tipton county, where their feeding costs used to run $6.00 per day, they have cut it to $1.00 per day, per inmate by taking charge of the situation and making it happen - without outsourcing. Using the dollar-a-day forumula Shelby County would save over 29 million in just four years.

Privitization is about feeding the rich, not about cutting costs. The good ole boys are at work again behind the scenes. Don't let them pull a fast one!

Your thoughts?