Transcript The Evolution of Prison Industries

Correctional Industries
Working on the Inside –
Succeeding on the Outside
The History of Correctional
Industries
• Prison Industry was created during the Industrial
Era (1890-1935) stage of prison development in
the United States.
• Based on the ideology of strong principles and
rehabilitation
–
–
–
–
–
Indeterminate Sentencing
Parole
Trade Training
Education
Primary Reformation over Punishment
The History of Correctional
Industries con’t
The Six systems of inmate labor used in the twentieth century (1875-1900)
• Contract system – Private business paid to use inmate
labor. They provided raw materials and supervised the
manufacturing process inside prison facilities.
• Piece-price system – Goods were produced for private
businesses under the supervision of prison authorities.
Prisons were paid according to the number and quality of
the goods manufactured.
• Lease system – Prisoners were taken to work sites
under the supervision of armed guards. The private
contractor employed them and maintained discipline.
The History of Correctional
Industries con’t
The Six systems of inmate labor used in the twentieth century (1875-1900)
• Public-account system – this system eliminated the use
of private contractors. Industries were entirely prison
owned, and prison authorities managed the
manufacturing process. Goods were sold on the free
market.
• Public-works system – Prisoners maintained roads and
highways, cleaned public parks and recreational
facilities. They also maintained and restored public
buildings.
• State-use system – Prisoners manufactured only goods
that could be used by other state offices, or they
provided labor to assist other state agencies.
Today’s Reality
Prisons are being built today in the U.S. at a rate
never before seen. We now have more people in
prison per capita than any other country in the
world.
• Over 2 million people are behind bars.
• Cost of incarceration per offender averages
$30,000 annually.
• Cost to build each cell
averages $60,000.
Today’s Reality con’t
• Approx. 50% of the State (DOC) inmates who
will be released this year are likely to recidivate
within 3 years.
• Approx. 50% of men and women committed to
DOC have not earned a diploma or GED. The
avg. reading level at intake is between 6th-8th
grade.
• Inmates drop out of public school because they
were convicted of a crime, had academic or
behavioral problems, or lost interest.
“To put people behind walls and bars and
do little or nothing to change them is to win
a battle, but lose a war. It is wrong. It is
expensive. It is stupid.”
» Former Chief Justice Warren E. Burger (1907-1995)
Consider This. . .
Because 95% of offenders incarcerated in correctional facilities
will eventually be released and living in our communities, with
our families, children, friends and coworkers...
Participates in
Correctional Industries:
Develops self-esteem, selfworth and job skills through
meaningful work activities,
thereby contributing to
successful reentry.
THE
OFFENDER
Serves sentence without
productive work and job
training: Undergoes
little change while in
prison/jail.
Languishes in cell
passing idle time.
.
2/3 LAWABIDING
CITIZEN
WHICH
NEIGHBOR
DO YOU
WANT?
2/3 REVERT
TO A LIFE
OF CRIME
The Purpose of Correctional
Industries
Correctional industries represent our one
chance to instill responsibility, discipline,
and a sense of accomplishment in those
who need it most.
The Mission of Correctional
Industries
Provide rehabilitative programs providing:
• Specific work programs.
• Structured training and employment.
• Instilling transferable job skills.
• A positive work ethic.
Correctional Industries Represent
• 50 States (includes Federal prison systems and
local jail jurisdictions)
• Annual Sales of $2.4 billion
• Encompass a total of 97 business units
• Employs 91,043 of inmates
• Products
• Services
• Prison Industry Enhancement (PIE) program
• Reentry Services
Products
Furniture &
Assembly
Garments
Printing
Mattresses
Upholstery
Metal Products
Textile Sewing
& Assembly
Signs
License Plates
Office Panel
Systems
Services
Refurbishing
Bindery
Welding
Contract Labor
Data
Processing
Laundry
Moving
Collating
GIS / CADD
Machine Shop
Services
Rehabilitation Practices of
Correctional Industries
• Application and interview process.
• Accountable for work times, pay grades &
levels.
• Merit system of reward and recognition.
• Performance-based training.
• Certification/apprenticeships.
Rehabilitation Practices of
Correctional Industries con’t
•
•
•
•
•
Transferable job skills.
Work ethics.
Responsibility.
Social management skills.
Self-discipline.
The Benefits of Correctional
Industries
•
An effective management tool for
reducing inmate idleness, thus
maintaining a safe and secure work
environment for both staff and inmates.
•
Provides inmate training with less
supervision and at a lower cost than
alternative programs.
The Benefits of Correctional
Industries con’t
• Generate revenue dollars by investing
back into the community through the
purchase of raw materials, supplies,
equipment and services from the private
sector.
– In fact, several economists believe that the
U.S. economy is strengthened by the
participation of all able-bodied citizens,
including inmates.
The Benefits of Correctional
Industries con’t
• Operate as self-sustaining programs with
little or no cost to taxpayers.
• Provide a means for inmates to reimburse
some of the costs of their incarceration.
• Lower recidivism rates when compared to
the general prison population (DOC).
The Benefits of Correctional
Industries con’t
• Satisfy society’s mandate that inmates be
put to work to pay back their debt to
society by earning wages to pay fines,
court costs and victims’ restitution, and by
sending money home to support their own
families, rather than possibly relying on
public assistance.
The Challenges of Correctional
Industries
• To work in collaboration and with the support of
correctional administrators.
• Enhance safety practices to increase safety
concerns and acceptance for correctional
officers.
• Ability to grow and expand programs within
limited space/area inside the correctional
facilities.
The Challenges of Correctional
Industries con’t
• The balance of operating a
business with the goal of
providing a correctional job
training program mandated
to employ as many inmates
as possible.
The Challenges of Correctional
Industries con’t
• Provide realistic work environments while
contending with logistical problems unique
to the correctional environment. These
can include twice-daily tool checks, strip
searches, shakedowns, lockdowns,
callouts for attorney visits, and “sally port”
security checks.
The Challenges of Correctional
Industries con’t
• To work within a multitude of federal, state and local
policies that may be confusing and contradictory.
• Audit standards vary among inter-policy agencies.
• Dispelling the myths formed by long-held perceptions of
some adversaries that inmate labor is on a par with
sweat shops.
• Perception that products are low quality and high price.
The Challenges of Correctional
Industries con’t
• Contending with economic issues beyond
their control, such as a faltering economy.
This could include educating the general
public and policy-makers that inmates are
part of the same workforce continuum as
the U.S. labor force, and as such, not
creating displacement issues.
Who Win’s with Correctional
Industries?
•
•
•
•
•
Society and our Communities
Correctional Administrators
Correctional Staff
Offenders and their Families
Local Business
“This year, some 600,000 inmates will be
released from prison back into society.
We know from long experience that if they
can’t find work, or a home, or help, they
are much more likely to commit crime and
return to prison. . . America is the land of
second chance, and when the gates of the
prison open, the path ahead should lead to
a better life.”
– President George W. Bush