The debate over private prisons is very controversial and much of the opposition is due to transparency, but private prisons offer the government the ability to move some prisoners out of public facilities government-run prisons to reduce overcrowding, reduce costs, and provide greater flexibility in facility design, modifications, and expansion. During the 1980s, the government needed to find a better way to build and maintain prison facilities, so it decided that contracting with companies that built and operated prisons would reduce costs and reduce overcrowded conditions in public prisons. They have contracted with these private prisons and sent inmates there over the years, but better oversight is needed now. Because the government works very slowly to implement change, public prisons are not reformed quickly, but fortunately private prisons do not need new laws to produce positive change. They operate under a contract negotiated between the government and the company that runs the private prison. This means that costs, operations, performance measures, rehabilitation and inmate safety, as well as supervision, can all be achieved through the negotiated contract. Furthermore, private prisons operate more efficiently, have lower costs and perform better in terms of recidivism. Government oversight of private prison performance should ensure transparency and create more pros than cons. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Private prisons are detention facilities in which the control of people who have been convicted is entrusted to a non-governmental entity, a private company. Private prisons were originally designed to relieve the severe overcrowding of public prisons and are responsible for maintaining their facilities. “They make up 8.4% of the total U.S. prison population, of which 19.1% is the federal prison population and 6.8% is the state private prison population.” Although crimes are still being committed, the level of incarceration has decreased thanks to measures passed by lawmakers to increase opportunities for probation and parole, but the actual number of people in U.S. prisons has increased. As of June 2020, there are 2.12 million people in U.S. prisons compared to 1.5 million in 2018. One reason private prisons should be kept open is to relieve overcrowding of prisoners held in public prisons. Overcrowding can create an unhealthy and dangerous environment for inmates, which undermines their civil rights. Overcrowded conditions in public prisons would require the state and federal governments to build new prisons to alleviate the overcrowding, but unfortunately, both the state and federal governments require legislative provisions and budgetary allocations, which means it may take a long time to build a new public prison. To meet demand for additional cells and respond to court orders regarding overcrowding, the state and federal governments have contracted with private prisons and pay only when a prisoner is housed in their facility. While private prisons do not facilitate large numbers of inmates, they allow both state and federal governments to transfer inmates to a private prison and relieve public prison overcrowding. According to an article by LibbiVilher in the Brooklyn Journal of Corporate, Financial & Commercial Law, the Supreme Court addressed “prison overcrowding in Brown v. Plata ruling that prison overcrowding violates prisoners' Eighth Amendment protection against cruel and unusual punishment.” Indeed, in the same article “Private Prisons and the Need for Greater Transparency: Private Prison Information Act” the Department of Justice (DOJ) indicated that “prison overcrowding is one of the most problematic issues facing the penal system and the penal system have to face." main reason to privatize prisons.” Another reason why private prisons should be kept open is that they offer more innovative prisons at a fraction of the cost, thus saving taxpayers' money. The state and federal governments have legislation on cost savings that the government should obtain before contracting with a private prison. It is up to the state and federal governments and their respective departments to ensure that the required savings are achieved through the negotiated contract, as payment is based on the terms of the contract. Additionally, private prisons are bailing out state and federal governments by reducing recidivism among inmates through their education and training programs. Additionally, the article “Private Prisons Can Help Florida Reform Its Criminal Justice System” in the Miami Herald indicates that the “Florida Department of Management Services reported cost savings ranging from 10% to 27%.” on contracts negotiated with private prisons. Additionally, an article “Are Private Prisons Really Cheaper for Taxpayers” states that “the cost of housing a medium-security prisoner was $64.52 in a state facility and $58.82 in a private prison” ( Kavanagh). In a Miami Herald article by Mary Ellen Klas, it was reported that “Florida lawmakers have authorized the Department of Corrections to contract with a private prison only if the contract shows a 7% annual savings compared to the operating costs of a public prison of Florida." The reason why private prisons should be kept open in both state and federal government is that they can offer change to the criminal justice system through a well-designed contract that helps reduce costs and improve operational standards. These contracts should contain clauses that ensure transparency and accountability. The contract will also focus on the education, vocational training and rehabilitation programs that must be implemented to best prepare the prisoner for reintegration into society. It will cover operational standards which will involve monitoring and spot audits to ensure the terms of the contract and the safety of prisoners. Additionally, it can address maximum occupancy limits, to prevent overcrowding, and sections that would allow private prison management to respond quickly to trends and forecasts, so they can take advantage of innovation. A contract has infinite possibilities regarding what can be included, as it is a formal agreement between the government and private prison that creates a legal obligation. In this case, the contract represents an offer, acceptance, and promise to perform all terms and conditions of the contract in exchange for payment. It is obvious that most of the contentious issues that the state and federal government have with private prisons can be eliminated with a well-designed contract. An article in the Orlando Sentinel showed that “new contracts with private prisons have focused on education and rehabilitation” and because of.