The Study of the Formatting of Non-Governmental Public Service Delivery: A Case study of Private Prisons in Japan

Abstract

This research aims to study the model of the private sector participation in upgrading the agency of corrections’public services. The Mine Rehabilitation Program Center (MRPC) is a case study as the first private prison in Japan operating under the system of Private Finance Initiative (PFI). The data collection comprised interviews with key informants as well as non-participant observations in the prison area.

            The results indicated that the PFI encouraged the private sector to be an investor in terms of budget and knowledge of construction expertise, maintenance, and the government agencies management. The reason why the private sector decided to invest in public services in this case was because of their belief in a “win – win” situation. The private sector would gain the benefits of advertising their businesses and an opportunity to promote their corporate social responsibility (CSR). Meanwhile, the State benefited from paying less with more efficiency and economic opportunities for local communities. Because of many limitations, it’s hard to apply that system to be used in Thailand. However, Thailand can selectively adopt some parts of the PFI system in upgrading the agency of corrections’ public services toward the concept of "Invested by the State with the Private Administration” by reconsidering the role that should be handed over to the private sector who has a high potential to act on behalf of the state