by Charles H. Logan

About the author: Charles H. Logan is a professor and associate head of sociology at the University of Connecticut. He is the author of Private Prisons: Cons and Pros.

For many years now, I have been studying the arguments for and against private prisons. In the process, I have discovered that while each side of the debate has some valid arguments, there is one key principle that is absolutely crucial to thinking clearly about the issues involved. That principle is this: There must be no double standard. When discussing private prisons, it is not enough to identify potential, or even actual, problems. Nor is it helpful to raise questions or concerns about private prisons and then just walk away, as critics so often do, without applying those same questions and concerns to prisons run by...