NY Times Story Spotlights Problems at Privately Operated Halfway House in New Jersey

A 10 month investigation by the NY Times found that the privately operated Bo Robinson Center in New Jersey has serious problems with violence and drug use resulting from poor management and oversight. New Jersey, like many other jurisdictions around the country, has turned to private prison operators to reduce the cost of incarceration. While on the surface this seems like a great idea, it often leads to poorly managed, understaffed facilities were workers are under paid and under qualified.


Ironically, it is the cost of prisons that has led many elected officials who might not otherwise care about inmates or the communities they come from to seek out evidence-based solutions that stop recidivism. Simply reducing costs without improving effectiveness is a cynical response that only serves to perpetuate the cycle of crime and incarceration. The report is shocking and should raise for every American serious questions about the continued reliance on private prison operators.