Ethical Issues in Privatization of Jails Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Ethical Issues in Privatization of Jails - Essay Example The idea of privatizing prisons may not have been the brainchild of Florida Governor Rick Scott, but the implementation of the said move is certainly connected recently with him. The primary argument for the action is to save the state some $22 million annually (Deslatte, 2011). Critics claim that the perceived benefit does not warrant ovelooking the negative consequences. Furthermore, accusations are being levelled against Scott for allegedly having a conflict of interests in the matter. What follows is an examination of the moral grounds from which both sides may derive the strength of their respective arguments. The Moral Value of Privatizing Prisons One pertinent question that ought to be asked is, â€Å"What moral principle could serve as the basis for the privatization of prisons?† One principle could be the moral responsibility of the citizens of the state to contribute to the preservation of the state. If the latter entails saving the state’s funds, then this co uld provide a strong foundation for the argument. Considering that Governor Scott is not just any ordinary citizen but an official of the state, then he has a moral obligation to protect the state’s interests. More importantly, Kantian ethics dictates that an individual is bound by duty to fulfill a moral obligation, because the latter is inherently right (Albert, Denise, and Peterfreund, 1980). In other words, if the state can be preserved through the intelligent management of funds, then actions contributing to such a consequence can be morally justified. More importantly, regardless of consequences, Governor Scott was merely acting out of a sense of duty, as far as Immanuel Kant is concerned. Not only can such a position be argued for by appealing to a higher moral principle, but it can be demonstrated that privatizing jails can lead to beneficial consequences. One of the perceived beneficial consequences was mentioned above, namely, that the state may be able to save fund s, and consequently, sustain itself. Another good consequence is the possibility of such prisons to actually improve their operating conditions. Often, this is the case when a state institution is privatized, since the funding is now allocated primarily for the improvement of the involved institution, without having to go through a tedious process of bidding just to acquire a larger share of funding. In other words, the private funds may thus be utilized for the sole purpose of improving the prisons. This will invariably lead to better reform facilities and programs, larger capacities, and a generally improved level of security for the state. It must be acknowledged that such improvements will unnecessarily cost the state a good deal of money, unnecessary since it can be shouldered by private institutions. The Ethical Challenges Posed by a Corporatist Penal Framework As with examining the possible moral grounds of privatizing prisons, the opposite argument ought to be analyzed on th e basis of moral grounds. First, it must be noted that in privatizing a state-run institution, an implied message is being delivered, namely, that the

Identify and Discuss the Historical Significance of Five of the Essay

Identify and Discuss the Historical Significance of Five of the following terms - Essay Example The Jacobian Clubs were the most prominent societies responsible for the French Revolution and these groupings sprung up in Paris and other provinces but were associated with the main one that was based in Paris. These clubs were composed of the elite members of the society, who included artisans and tradesmen, who formed debating societies where they aired their political views on current political issues with an aim of carrying out a revolution.2 These members used the clubs to organize forces and plan tactics and were responsible for a number of terror attacks and in carrying out The Revolution members turned the provinces into living nightmares and went to the extent of attacking churches and looting and imprisoning priests. Nelson Mandela was the first South African democratically elected black president after a 20-year anti-apartheid campaign and served as president from 1994 until 1999 and won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993 jointly with the former president F.W. de Klerk for their efforts in bringing peace to South Africa.3 Mandela had served 27 years in prison for fighting against the former regime and had on several occasions refused to be released conditionally. He had directed a 20 year non-violent crusade against the rà ©gime and its discriminatory rules and in the year 2009, July 18, his birthday, was declared Mandela Day and is celebrated globally to remember him for his legacy and promote global peace. Thomas Peters / Thomas Potters was one of the founders of the Sierre Leone and he along with others recruited African settlers whom they used to colonize Sierra Leone.4 He was born in Nigeria and was to be taken by slave traders who sold him to a Frenchman in North America and later sold to an Englishman, and he fled during the American Revolutionary War. When he was free he decided to petition the British administration where he was able to convince the Royal administration to let him settle in Freetown, Sierra Leone and he