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Mine Rehabilitation Center
Mine, Japan
Secom Co., Shimizu Corp.
May
14, 2007 The Japan Times
The nation's first prison operated by the private sector opened Sunday in
Mine, Yamaguchi Prefecture. The Mine Shakai Fukki Sokushin Center (Mine
Social Return Promotion Center) built on 28 hectares does not have any
inmates yet. It will soon begin accepting prisoners serving time for their
first criminal offense. The prison has the capacity to hold 500 men and 500
women. "I hope you will live up to expectations and trust toward
realizing safe communities by offering high-quality correctional education
making use of private-sector creativity," Justice Minister Jinen Nagase said in an inauguration speech. The
government has consigned most of the prison's operation, including security,
job training and cleaning, to an operating company set up by concerns
including a major security firm. The 51.7 billion yen contract runs for 20
years. The company plans to put emphasis on job training for inmates,
offering training in basic computer skills and enabling them to get a
hospital clerical worker certificate.
December
6, 2006 The Daily Yomiuri
The first prison in Japan to be set up partially through private funding
has been unveiled. The Justice Ministry, which showed off the prison to the
press Monday, plans to complete the Mine Rehabilitation Program Center in
Mine, Yamaguchi Prefecture, in February. The detention house will house 500
male and 500 female first-time offenders of minor crimes, and will feature
new technology provided by know-how from the private sector. The private
finance initiative is a method by which private funding and know-how are
employed in the the construction, maintenance and
management of public facilities. Enacted in 1999, it aims to reduce the
burden on the central and local governments. The government purchased a
280,000-square-meter industrial park in the city for the facility for 900
million yen. The center was built by a joint venture that includes Secom Co.
and Shimizu Corp., and will operate the facility for 20 years. The combined
construction and operation cost was 51.7 billion yen. The ministry said
government spending for the facility would be slashed by 4.8 billion yen
through the PFI method.
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