Why is there Variation in the Number of Prisoners Held in Private Prisons across U.S. States?

Author: Sebastian Choppelas

Field of Study: Economics

Program Affiliation: Source Project Research Program

Faculty Mentors: Wendy Martinek

Easel: 88

Timeslot: Afternoon

Abstract: Private prisons have been a prevalent topic of study for decades, but it is still unclear why privately operated correctional facilities between U.S. states have such variations in prisoner population. While the phenomenon has been well-documented, limited attention has been given to discovering the root cause of such disparities. This study intends to fill this gap by testing two hypotheses for variation on a state-by-state basis, alongside their private prison population: economic efficiency and conservative political ideological learnings. This is accomplished by performing statistical analysis on the correlation between the population data and efficiency scores from economic models alongside measures of state political ideology. This study’s significance lies in understanding— if we can understand why these variations exist, we can better explain the widespread adoption of private prisons themselves, or even reveal how their usage might be reduced.