An excellent incentive

Newstalk ZB reports at NZ Herald:

The operator of Mt Eden prison has been fined $150,000 after a prisoner escaped.

The company, Serco, and the Corrections Department have carried out a review of security after notorious inmate Aaron Forden escaped from the prison in the early hours of October 10 last year.

The two groups say both operational security and the physical security of the building infrastructure have now been enhanced.

Department of Corrections Chief Executive Ray Smith says a portion of the payment to Serco for the management of Mount Eden prison is performance-related.

He says it’s appropriate to levy a financial penalty for the escape.

Either the prison operators will ensure there are fewer escapes, or they will end up running the prison at a loss. Incentives tend to work, and I suspect we will see their overall escape record compare favourably over the medium term to the public prisons.

When a prisoner escapes from a public prison, is anyone held accountable? Does anyone lose their job? Is anyone fined? Is there an incentive to invest money to make sure it doesn’t happen again?

Hat Tip: Whale Oil