Twenty five years after Britain opened its first privately run prison, Matthew Gwyther explores whether private jails in the UK have delivered on the promise of a cost effective, safe, and reliable service. And he looks to the US, the pioneer of the private prison system. Does incarcerating people for profit work? Or does it lead the sector to cut corners, sacrificing safety and security in the pursuit of profit?

(Photo: A prison guard walks through a cell area at HMP Berwyn. Credit: Getty Images)