Privatisation of criminal justice

Abstract

Over the last 30 years, the private sector has become increasingly involved in the provision of various core criminal justice services in Australia and New Zealand. In both jurisdictions, privatisation has been driven by neoliberal ideologies and the need to reduce state expenditure. This chapter charts the course and context of privatisation in criminal justice in Australia and New Zealand, primarily in prisons, and examines key debates in prison privatization. It assesses the available evidence for these arguments and the implications of private sector involvement in other parts of the criminal justice system.