Private Prison

Introduction
There has been varied views by different people as to whether the private prisons whose major goal is earning the shareholders profits should be abolished. Serco is an international company that offers a lot of services including the rehabilitation of offenders within their prison (McMullan, 2015). The company has been contracted by the state to manage Acacia; a1000 bed correctional facility. The aim of this paper is to explore on the suitability of private prisons (McMullan, 2015).

Acacia Prison
Acacia is a privately managed company that has diverse populations and mainly holds male prisoners from the age of 18years and above. Aboriginal Australians make 40% of the total population of the prison. The sentences vary from 6 to 25 years with offences ranging from minor assaults to murder cases. The prison has 428 workers and received 1383 prisoners in the past one year. It has also succeeded in releasing 859 prisoners to freedom as well as transferring others to their homes for release (McMullan, 2015). The prison has strong vision that is backed up with various strategic management moves to ensure that it delivers its responsibilities.
Private prisons are able to deliver their promises in the contract through effective business planning, integration of various programs and having empathy as well as laying central focus on workplace safety (McMullan, 2015). Private prisons are also committed in investing on the staff, strengthen relationship with various stakeholders, restorative justice framework and a variety of other strategies to ensure that the services are effective (McMullan, 2015). Private prisons have facilities and services that facilitate effective correction and have reduced rate of escapes due to good conditions (McMullan, 2015). Private prisons also partners with resettlement partner agencies that ensure that the prisoners are well integrated in the community.
 Private prisons receive positive attitude from the community. The performance measures of private prisons with reference to Australia indicate that the private prisons are in a better position to serve the prisoners compared to the state owned prisons (McMullan, 2015). Private prisons like Acacia managed by Serco ensure that there are well working protocols that can effectively roll out even in the public prison systems. Additionally, the expenditure of the private prisons is small and effectively utilized compared to public prisons (McMullan, 2015). Acacia for instance, used $400000 for changes and improvement indicating some responsibility.
 Acacia through effective management by Serco has a strong and well founded health service plan and associated initiatives (McMullan, 2015). Acacia has part time physicians and integrated multi-disciplinary teams as well as two doctors and some programs that are health related (McMullan, 2015). Additionally, there are also voluntary programs where the inmates are rehabilitated such as Staying Clean, The Green Lighthouse and Narcotics and Alcohol Anonymous programs (McMullan, 2015). The prisoners are also molded to fit in different employment and career paths such as recreation, kitchen, building and construction among others.
Conclusion
As can be seen from the case of Acacia prison that is state owned but managed by private company Serco under a contract proves that private prisons systems should not be abolished. The whole success that is achieved through private prison with Acacia being the model proves the suitability of private prisons compared to public prisons. Therefore policy makers should factor in the private prison when planning for correctional services.

Reference
McMullan, P., 2015, 'Private Prisons', Edith Cowan University, Perth. Lecture.