NCJ Number
30330
Date Published
1975
Length
234 pages
Annotation
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF THE OPERATIONS OF THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF PRISONS AIMED AT DEVELOPING AN OPERATIONAL MODEL WHICH WOULD ALLOW SYSTEMATIC CONSIDERATION OF BOTH THE SOCIAL COSTS AND BENEFITS OF A CORRECTIONAL SYSTEM.
Abstract
THIS ECONOMIC APPROACH TO PRISONS ASSUMES THAT THE BUREAU SEEKS TO MAXIMIZE THE NET BENEFIT IT PRODUCES FOR SOCIETY AND THAT IT CREATES SOCIAL BENEFITS BY CONFINING AND REHABILITATING CRIMINALS. THE ECONOMIC MODEL USED IN THIS STUDY INVOLVES DECISION VARIABLES DEFINED ACROSS 36 INMATE TYPES, THREE POSSIBLE SENTENCE LENGTHS, AND FIVE MAJOR TYPES OF PRISONS, WITH THE PROBATION OPTION AS A SIXTH 'PRISON'. THIS MATHEMATICAL ABSTRACTION IS DEFINED OVER A FIVE-YEAR PLANNING HORIZON WHICH, IN ADDITION TO SPECIFYING WHAT THE BUREAU PRODUCES, INCLUDES, FOR EACH YEAR, CONSTRAINTS ON BUDGET FUNDS AVAILABLE, CAPACITY TO HOLD EACH TYPE OF INMATE, AND THE ANNUAL INMATE INFLOWS FROM THE COURT SYSTEM. LINEAR PROGRAMMING IS USED TO SELECT THE PRISON-OPTIMIZATION OUTPUTS FOR EACH YEAR. THE RESULTS OF THIS ECONOMIC MODEL INDICATE, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THAT THIS APPROACH HELPS TO ISOLATE IMPORTANT RELATIONSHIPS AND TRADEOFFS INHERENT IN PRISON OPERATIONS; THAT, OTHER THINGS BEING EQUAL, YOUNGER OFFENDERS ARE MORE DANGEROUS THAN OLDER ONES (SUGGESTING THAT THE BUREAU SHOULD CONCENTRATE ON THE CONFINEMENT OF RELATIVELY YOUNG INMATES); AND THAT ALLOCATING ADDITIONAL DOLLARS TO THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF PRISONS 'MAY BE A RATHER GOOD SOCIAL INVESTMENT'.