Prison Industries

Almost every prison has them. As a nation and as a profession, not sure as to their legitimacy.

• Every since the inception of corrections in the United States at the Walnut Street Jail, work has been an integral part of the correctional process.
• With the development of the Auburn Prison and congregate labor, correctional industries took a new and more competitive approach. Early prisons were deeply involved in industries, initially farming but with the birth of the industrial age, a number of other endeavors.

• Example: Joliet State Prison (Statesville) founded in 1867, self supporting within 6 years. Sold labor to surrounding factories, also had a factory within its walls.
• By 1904 legislation passed to address a number of problems with inmate labor assigned outside of facility.
• 1931 Joliet’s prison industries ability to compete on the private market ended. Prison industry declines until the mid 1970s

• With the advent of the great depression, prison industries suffered serious setbacks. Industry and labor suffering the impact of a major depression sought and won legislation limiting prisons ability to compete in the market.
• Today, prisons can only sell to other governments.
• Is this reasonable? Since most goods are manufactured outside of the United States is there any problem with prisons competing on the world market?

• With the burgeoning prison populations, pressures are ever greater to find meaningful things for prisoners to do.
• With the burgeoning prison populations, pressures are ever greater to reduce costs.
• Many argue the work is an important part of the rehabilitative experience.

• Is work rehabilitation?
• Several authors argue that it is. To stay out of prison ex convicts will need to find and maintain full time employment.
• Working a job in prison can teach inmates important skills that can help them find jobs.
• Working a job in prison can prepare them psychologically for the workplace.

• Working a job in prison can prepare prisoners for how to work, cooperate with bosses, and the daily work routine.
• For many prisoners, work in prison, may be their first real experience in a workplace.
• Prison industry pays a small salary to inmates, a portion of this salary is set aside in savings providing a nest egg to inmates upon release. This eases the transition pain.

• Prison industries accreditation requires that prison work be as close as possible to regular work on the outside so as to better prepare inmates for external work.
• Accreditation also requires that there be documented recognition of acquired skills, again so the inmate will be able to demonstrate to outside employers their employability.

• Accreditation requires linkages between academic, vocational training and work.
• Minimum reasons for missing work required for accreditation
• Length of day similar to work outside
• Provides skills that will increase ability to gain job on the outside.
• Provide funds to transition them out of prison.

• Broad array of products:
• Office furniture very common, can only sell to government, office furniture a common commodity
• Printing
• Whiteboards
• Agriculture still most common type of enterprise.

• Sale of labor is an important component of some prison industries, particularly service labor:
• Mail sorting and preparation
• Data Entry
• Graphic Design
• CAD and GIS
• Programming (New Hampshire)
• Web Pages (New Hampshire)

• Prisons (and Jails) use a number of incentives to involve inmates in work:
• Special housing
• Monetary compensation
• Extra privileges
• Good time credit

In most facilities inmate involvement in prison industries is voluntary. Accreditation requires voluntary status for inmate workers.

• Employer Deductions
• Federal Income tax
• State Income tax
• Social Security tax
• Correctional Facility Deductions
• Room, Board, and Transportation - A deduction of $1.31 for each full hour worked is withheld from the inmate's earnings for room and board as well as $2.10 per day for transportation to and from work.

• Dependent Support - The inmate is responsible to pay all court ordered support.
• Victims Compensation - Each month 5% of gross wages paid to an inmate employed in a private industry program is deducted and paid to the Crime Victims Reparation Board for the purpose of victims compensations, unless inmate is paying court ordered restitution.
• Court Ordered Payments - Any payment of victim's compensation or dependent support mandated by a court decision shall be deducted and forwarded to the proper authority.

• Mandatory Savings - After the deductions noted above have been made, 10% of the inmate's remaining salary is deposited in a savings account for disbursement to the inmate only upon release from custody.
• Upon deducting the mandatory deductions, the remaining net balance is placed into the inmate's institutional account.

• Public benefit ranges from monies being placed into tax supported programs, i.e. Crime Victims Reparation Board to the inmate's mandatory savings. Typically, upon release, an inmate receives a $100.00 "gate check". Upon release, an inmate is immediately responsible for rent, utilities, transportation, food, etc. The money in the inmate's mandatory savings allows the inmate a opportunity to succeed upon release from prison.
• Inmates assigned to private industry do not receive the $100.00 "gate money" due to the mandatory savings, thus, additional savings to the tax-payers.

• Companies rent space within facility, set up their own work areas, often provide supervision, equipment and materials
• Pay a fee for the use of the area
• Pay a minimum wage for the inmate labor.
• A number of small companies using this approach (very similar to WORC)
• Another approach inmates go to nearby private facility.

• WHIP: (Colorado’s) Wild Horse Inmate Program.
• Mustangs are received from BLM, gentled and trained by inmates and then sold to the public.
• Inmates are trained to handle horses, become farriers and horse handlers.
• About 200 inmates involved

• Empowered by State Law: Local governments must buy if prison is competitive.
• Only sells to State and Local Governments and certain non profits.
• Cannot compete with American businesses
• Average wages are 60 cents to start with an average hourly wage of $1.
• 777 inmates involved out of 4000.

• $14 million in revenues 1997
• 1126 inmates employed
• Provided both manufacturing and services
• Manufacturing: Bakery, Bedding, Furniture, wood-metal refurbishing, License Plates, Sewing, Signs, metal fabrications.
• Services: Graphic arts, Copy services, coupon processing, data fulfillment, installation support services, central warehousing, transportation services, retail story (hand made items)

SERVICES: Moving, Optical labs, Painting, Printing, Refinishing of wood and metal products, Renovation/Construction

PRODUCTS: Award plaques and certificates, beds, binders, padfolios, clipboards and data processing binders, brooms, brushes and accessories, clothing, decals, lettering, striping, draperies, embroidered products, flags, banners, custom work, janitorial supplies, mattresses and pillows. Office furniture: wood, modular and computer, wood chairs, ergonomic chairs, stacking chairs, desks and tables. Office signs, name tags

• and panel systems. Signs: street, metal, plastic pressure sensitive, and engraved plastic door and desk. Sheets and towels, trash barrels, pails, wastebaskets and mop buckets. Custom wood products.