Further to Damien’s post on private prisons, the choice of Serco was sadly predictable. To be fair when it comes to private prison providers pickings are pretty bad, but Serco is right up there. Serco runs just about anything you care to think of- Light Rail, military support services, schools and health services. And the odd prison or two, in UK and Australia. Check out this video for a summary of their activities.
Several of the prisons are in the UK, where one in particular Ashfield Young Offenders Unit has been labelled the most violent prison in the UK. The Director-General of the UK Prisons Service said in 2002
I considered that the prison was unsafe for both staff and the young people
detained there and that urgent action was required.
Kilmarnock Prison is Scotland, also run by Serco was heavily criticised for its management, including the lack of basic education programmes. There have been reports of very poor treatment for patients, including a pregnant woman.
This of course follows on from the report last year that showed private prisons performing worse than public ones on a range of indicators.
In the end for me this is a matter of principle, but the experience overseas shows that far too often private prisons are associated with poor safety records, cutting corners and declining focus on programmes to aid rehabilitation.
In the course of writing this I came across this quote attributed to our Human Rights Commission. It bears repeating and sums up how I feel.
Punishment is a fundamental state power, carried out by government on behalf of the community. Such a central and significant power should be exercised wholly in the public interest taking into account the rights of all parties (victims, offenders etc) without regard to profit.
Serco are also big in the nuclear industry, including the Atomic Weapons Establishment.
http://www.serco.com/markets/nuclear/index.asp
I wonder if they’ve “scoped” us for this branch of their interests yet?
Its simple isn’t it. the public sector doesn’;t have a monopoly in the skills to do these jobs. It’s good to have these challenges to the gravy train.
Serco also have provided the vans that have been ferrying Julian Assange to and from jail & the court hearings in the UK:
http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2010/12/01/profile-assange.html
They seem to be everywhere.
So how did Labour respond to question four yesterday? You remember the patsy to the Minister of Corrections. Did Labour rip in and put the Minister on the spot? I note No Right Turn posted a sufficiently pithy comment about Serco that simply could have been quoted as a supplementary , had Labour been too busy elsewhere.
You weren’t too busy elsewhere…were you?
Has Labour made it publicly known that, on regaining government, it will nationalise this prison with no compensation to the company?
Will Labour this time warn private companies that when they are back in government, there contracts will be canceled with no compensation forthcoming?
This is just the beginning for these rabid Tories. Key says he wants more from our state assets, and signals a fire sale after 2011. But read the fine print. The $233 million is made up of over a hundred billion worth of roads and schools, and about $60 billion in ACC and the Cullen Fund and suchlike. McDonalds Primary School anyone? Or maybe the Mainfreight State Highway? And of course the AIG compensation corporation?
This Pavlovian obsession in the Labour Party with knee-jerk visceral opposition to private enterprise whether it be in prisons, schools or hospitals or wherever is mean spirited and dogmatic. Life is complex and needs to be dealt with on a case by case basis. One privately run prison is hardly a human rights issue. This mentality probably fits the DSM criteria for paranoid personality disorder.
Yeah, I agree. It’s full on thatcherism should the tories con the voters again in 2011.
I wonder what shares the blind portfolios will be buying in the month before the election?
Bed in the toilets!
They are the Ryan Air of the prison industry! 
! That’s just greed plain and simple, not to mention unsafe! 
Thanks National
Judging by the rationality of some (most, to be fair) of your posts, I’m prepared to accept your knowledge in this field.
Neoliberalism a la NAct relies on destroying infrastructure that benefits the common good and replacing it with more expensive already failed overseas alternatives which benefit only a few. NAct are malevolent morons.
M&Ms Lol
LOL
There’s nothing wrong with the current system, what these prisoners need are a good hug and wardens only to happy to supply drugs & KFC. A home away from home for the misunderstood.
Fisiani – have you read up on
Independant reviews/assessment of the performance of private prisons
Read up on crime and punishment generally
Read anything about systems which dont adhere to our methods and have lower per capital crime and imprisonment?
Why do those who assume Public Services must be bloated and full of useless employees simply assume something with “Limited” at the end of the name must be better?
Talked with a builder just today who said, “so sue me” everything’s in Trust and I’ll just wind up my company You wont get a thing”. That’s the “taking responsibility for actions” that so many in the business sector adopt.
School is brought to you by Coke.
This execution was made possible by the friendly people at Meridian Energy.
Unwanted asylum seekers and refugees bringing you down this festive season? Try Serco. Their anguished faces will be a distant memory as you and your family embrace the yuletide spirit.
There will be a time when people in New Zealand will sit about and ask the question “How the f**k did we get into this state of affairs?”.
Yeah, just how about those sickos who turn up to watch executions?
@ Fisiani, this Pavlovian obsession in the National and ACT Parties with knee-jerk visceral opposition to public provision whether it be in prisons, schools or hospitals or wherever is mean spirited and dogmatic. Life is complex and often needs to be dealt with on a collective basis. Publically owned and run prisons is hardly the end of enterprise and ambition. This mentality probably fits the DSM criteria for paranoid personality disorder.
Lol @ Jenifer.
One can’t spell touche without pointing out the ouch
Imitation. The sincerest form of flattery.
@Al1ens LOL
“Yeah, I agree. It’s full on thatcherism….” Don’t think so Al, nulabour have done more to privatise state assets, including the NHS, than Thatcher or the rest of the Tories could ever have dreamed of. Replace Thatcherism with Blair/Brownism and you’ve got your line.
It’s actually touché, not touche.
Yeah, that’s trué (true aye)
Can’t spell touche without getting touchey
LOL
Or Sérco.
Muy bien!
I wonder if Serco are one of John Keys old clients?
Key would surely be familiar with Serco by more than just name and reputation. Merrill Lynch are their stockbrokers, after all.