Privatizing Our Prisons

The Theory of Constraints by Tony Rizzo.

"The Theory of Constraints is a management philosophy that treats a corporation not as a collection of independent processes but as a complete system. The originator of the Theory of Constraints, Dr. E. M. Goldratt, often explains his theory with a simple but effective analogy. He likens a corporation to a chain. Just as the links of a chain work together to form a complete system that is capable of transmitting a great force, so too the various divisions and departments of a competitive corporation work together to generate great profits for the stockholders."

Using the TOC Thinking Processes in the California Department of Corrections This is a report of a "management" technique AGI's Theory of Constraints, for improving "the turmoil" in the California State prisons.

"In 1996 the number of state prisons in California was 33. That number grew to 36 in 1997. The number of prisons in the system is expected to rise to 42 by the year 2001, and continue to grow beyond that as the anticipated prison population is projected to double from the 1996 figures by the year 2007. "In 1996 the California prison system was in a state of turmoil:

• Prisons were receiving a lot of negative publicity ­ both in California and nationally
• The federal government was overseeing prison systems to ensure compliance
• A change in the mission of prisons was occurring ­ added to the original mission of "incarcerate" was that of "rehabilitate"
• As a result of Coleman vs. California, it was recognized that prisoners were entitled to basic human rights (in this case, health services)
• Judges were beginning to hand down longer sentences.

. . . .

That year, the warden of one of the California State Prisons, the deputy warden, the associate warden, the senior medical officer, and the business manager took AGI's Management Skills Workshop (MSW)."

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Answer the following questions on the basis of the AGI Success Story and a brief review of the theory of constraints. (See links above.)

1. AGI's undertaking management training for members of the California Department of Corrections resulted in a successful provision of an Enhanced Outpatient Program, a 150-bed mental health facility. Other prisons had tried to implement such programs and been unsuccessful. What does this success suggest in terms of adversarial compulsion?

   For many years, business and social work have considered each other alien. The corporate world has chosen largely not to take on those who have been trained in and by the government or academic based world. And likewise, those in the government, social, academic world have been convinced that the bottom line is inimical to their purposes.

   Looking at this successful endeavor, I am tempted to suggest that adversarial compulsion has simply taught us to look at each other as aliens, when in fact many of the administrative and ecological solutions could be shared in a climate of mutuality. Now, I still resent the analogy of students to "customers," if for no better reason than that with that label of "customer" comes the stereotype of "I must always say the custormer is always right, but I must always know that the customer is simply a discontent who must be handled." I seek for students and faculty a far greater measure of respect than that which is generally afforded the "ordinary customer."

   But, aside from the profit orientation, which I consider inimical to government and academic and social services, I see tremendous potential in sharing theory and policy across the coroporate barrier.

   I suggest that some of you may want to explore this process and its effects further.

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