The article presents content analysis of 45 articles about privatization and illustrates the controversial nature of privatization among experts who investigate it. Some controversy is generated because profitability does not necessarily equate with efficiency, and there are numerous differences among the private providers of services to correctional institutions. However, more than 70 percent of the authors represented in this study favor privatization. While this is not necessarily decisive or indicative of broader public opinion, it suggests greater support than opposition among researchers who examine privatization's implications for society and the common good. This preliminary analysis discloses the need for further research into whether privately run programs provide the same services for less money, the areas where private providers of services save money, and the implications of saving money in those ways. The article includes observations about the utility of empirical policy analysis to decide normative policy matters. Tables, notes