Editorial: Privatizing prisons has troubling aspect

Friday, April 9, 1999 | 11:54 a.m.

Some Democratic legislators are troubled about the prospect of lawsuits from inmates who claim they have received substandard care if Assembly Bill 665 becomes law. Steven Graybar, a clinical psychologist, recently told the Assembly Ways and Means Committee that licensed psychologists have to keep current with a wide variety of psychological research and are periodically tested -- something not required of nonlicensed practitioners. "I guess if we're going to save money on the front side, we're going to see some very serious lawsuits in the future," Graybar said.

The quality of medical care that inmates receive inside prison isn't going to elicit much public sympathy. But failing to provide inmates adequate medical care can result in lawsuits, which ultimately will get the attention of taxpayers. The specter of lawsuits is not just some hypothetical concern. Last month Corrections Corp. of America, which runs an Ohio prison, reached an out-of-court settlement for $1.6 million with inmates who alleged unsafe conditions behind bars, including lack of adequate medical care.

Leaving aside for a moment the possibility of lawsuits, do we want sexual offenders, who will be released one day, to receive inadequate psychological counseling while in prison? Privatization of government services does save money and can work -- as long as it is done correctly. But it is bad policy to set aside an exemption in state law that allows unlicensed psychologists to work in prisons. The Legislature should reject AB665.