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  • "It’s hard to think of any organization that is as valuable in protecting the public interest in a time when it is in peril."

    Diane Ravitch, Education historian

  • "With in-depth, well-researched analysis, the team at In the Public Interest is an invaluable policy resource."

    Randi Weingarten, President of AFT

  • "[In the Public Interest] understands from other cities where they’ve done it right and where they’ve done it wrong."

    Bill Peduto, Mayor of Pittsburgh, PA

In the Public Interest

In the Public Interest

Democracy, shared prosperity, and the common good

In the Public Interest is a comprehensive research and policy center on privatization and responsible contracting.

In the Public Interest

Democracy, shared prosperity, and the common good

In the Public Interest is a comprehensive research and policy center on privatization and responsible contracting.

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Infrastructure Publications Tools and Guides

Guide: Understand and Evaluating Privatization in the Power Sector

A guide to help public power advocates, policy makers, and other stakeholders better understand and analyze privatization proposals, contracts, and related legislation.
July 2021
Blog Publications Tools and Guides

Guide: 10 questions to ask before any privatization deal

Privatization, the handing over of public goods and services to corporations, remains all the rage. The promises are always oversold — we get cost overruns instead of cost savings, less transparency, and cut corners [...]
June 2019
Criminal Justice and Immigration Infrastructure Tools and Guides What We Focus On

Guide: CoreCivic and GEO Group’s push for public-private partnerships in building prisons

We're concerned that private prison corporations are actively pushing governments to consider the use of private financing. Here's why.
January 2018
Home Municipal Services Publications Tools and Guides What We Focus On

Guide: Best Practices in Municipal Waste Contracting

Best practices for municipalities aiming to protect their interests when contracting with private companies that provide waste management services.
November 2016
Charter Schools Education Publications Tools and Guides What We Focus On

Policy Brief: The Cost of Charter Schools for Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD)

A research brief proposing equitable solutions to mitigate the negative fiscal impact of charter schools on the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD).
May 2016
Other Resources Tools and Guides

ITPI Privatization Resources Guide

This resource guide provides important research and resources related to privatization and responsible contracting produced by ITPI, members of the ITPI Scholars Network and other close allies.
October 2014
Criminal Justice and Immigration Home Other Resources Publications Tools and Guides

Backgrounder: The Cost of Private Prisons

The private prison industry claims that governments can save money by privatizing prisons, but what does the evidence actually indicate? This backgrounder summarizes recent research and state reports related to private [...]
April 2014

Featured Article

Infrastructure Justice: Building Equity into Infrastructure Financing January 2014

Featured Article

Making the Grade? Questions to Ask About School Services Privatization September 2013

Home Other Resources Publications Tools and Guides

Backgrounder: Insourcing

This backgrounder brief provides examples of cases where, when cost savings aren't realized or service quality declines, many governmental entities are turning to reverse privatization, or "insourcing," to bring contracted [...]
May 2013
Home Other Resources Tools and Guides

Six Reasons Why Government Contracting Can Negatively Impact Quality Jobs and Why it Matters for Everyone

This paper summarizes recent research that shows how the public sector provides quality middle-class jobs, and describes how government privatization eliminates these good jobs without much savings to the taxpayer, and [...]
October 2012

Featured Article

Ask the Right Questions Before Privatizing June 2012

Home Other Resources Tools and Guides

Asking the Right Questions: A Guide for Municipalities Considering P3s.

This guide is designed to answer questions municipal councillors and civic officials might have about public-private partnerships (P3s or PPPs).
June 2012
Home Municipal Services Other Resources Publications Tools and Guides

Backgrounder: Municipal Services

This backgrounder brief explores problems related to the privatization of municipal services, and provides examples of experiences from cities around the country that have considered or have privatized critical services. [...]
June 2011
Criminal Justice and Immigration Home Other Resources Publications Tools and Guides

Backgrounder: Prison Privatization

This backgrounder brief discusses findings from research related to prison privatization, shares experiences of states that have privatized prisons, and profiles a few of the major for-profit private prison operators.
April 2011
Home Other Resources Publications Tools and Guides

Backgrounder: The High Costs of Privatization

This backgrounder brief provides examples of recent research that examine the costs associated with privatization, share experiences from cities and states, and conclude with an overview of the various types of costs that [...]
March 2011
Home Other Resources Tools and Guides

Contracting that Works: A Toolkit for State and Local Governments

This report examines various responsible contracting initiatives implemented by state and local governments that improve standards for workers and taxpayers.
March 2010