Private companies in pauper management

Jeremy Seabrook argues that the use of private companies, such as Atos, Serco and G4S, to manage the vulnerable is inspired by 18th century Poor Laws. Seabrook's comment piece for The Guardian puts forward the claim that these private companies act as Superintendents of the poor for the Government and have been entrusted with the disapperance from sight of the workless, criminal and poor in way that those from the 18th century would be proud of.

This article is just the latest on such companies in a month of PR defeats for Serco and G4S. A criminal investigation was launched by the Serious Fraud Office into G4S and Serco after it emerged that they had charged for 'phantom offenders', cause both companies to pull out of the bidding for new electronic monitoring contracts and privatisation plans of three prisons to be cancelled where Serco were the preferred bidder. G4S have also been subjected to calls to be prosecuted for war crimes.   

You can also read Director Richard Garside's post on the investigation by the Serious Fraud Office here, and find out what happened when the likes of Serco, G4S and Atos went up in front of the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee here.