This paper analyzes recent developments in the outsourcing of prison contracts to highlight the r... more This paper analyzes recent developments in the outsourcing of prison contracts to highlight the relationship between oversight and legitimacy. When the government outsources an inherently governmental function (IGF) or a function closely associated with an IGF, oversight and monitoring of the contractor becomes central to maintaining the direction of the contractor and control over government policy. Developing greater methods of oversight and monitoring of government contractors will help overcome the informational asymmetries that arise between contractors performing such functions and the government. Private prisons are but one example of how weak oversight can undermine the legitimacy of the government's decision to outsource a closely-associated function.
This paper analyzes recent developments in the outsourcing of prison contracts to highlight the r... more This paper analyzes recent developments in the outsourcing of prison contracts to highlight the relationship between oversight and legitimacy. When the government outsources an inherently governmental function (IGF) or a function closely associated with an IGF, oversight and monitoring of the contractor becomes central to maintaining the direction of the contractor and control over government policy. Developing greater methods of oversight and monitoring of government contractors will help overcome the informational asymmetries that arise between contractors performing such functions and the government. Private prisons are but one example of how weak oversight can undermine the legitimacy of the government's decision to outsource a closely-associated function.
Uploads
Papers by Marcos Gonzalez