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UN Study - Private prisons, prison labor

From Prison Activist List <owner-prisonact-list@igc.org>, 14 May 1997

In 1993, the UN Economic and Social Council, Commission of Human Rights released an outline prepared by Ms. Claire Palley entitled:

Question of the human rights of persons subjected to any form of detention or imprisonment: 'The possible utility, scope and structure of a special study on the issue of privatisation of prisons'

The effort was initiated by Mr. Alfonso Martinez in 1988 within the Commission of Human Rights, Sub-commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities. In 1992, the Sub-Commission took into account Mr. Martinez's working paper and authorised Ms. Palley to prepare 'an outline of the possible utility, scope, and structure of a special study which may be undertaken on the issue of privatisation of prisons.'

Ms. Palley's comprehensive outline, 69 pages, was then issued in 1993, 5 years later, with the apparent strong recommendation to the sub-commission that a comprehensive study be conducted.

Could our UNCJIN list hosts or other participants offer an update as to whether this study has proceeded, has been delayed, issued or otherwise? The outline raised a majority of the fundamental issues surrounding the notion of prison privatisation and explored positions from both sides of the question.

In the event that the study has not proceeded and given the global rate of growth of management and now ownership of prisons by private interests, we would like to strongly encourage the United Nations to quickly advance such a study.