Transcript SJSUSoc158PrisonCommunityChapter05.ppt [PPT]

Chapter 5
Industry, Agriculture, and
Education
History of Inmate Labor
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Early societies: forced labor for public works
Earliest prisons held workers to avoid escape
England
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Bridewell – 1557
Industry to offset cost of housing/feeding the poor
Shotdrill and treadmill – forms of useless labor
Early America
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Pennsylvania system – textiles, shoemaking
Auburn system – industrial production
Private sector interest – lease labor system;
agricultural production after Civil War
The 20th Century and Prison
Labor (1 of 2)
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State Use Laws
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More than half the states had some type
Hawes-Cooper (1929): prison produced
goods subject to laws of receiving state
Ashurst-Sumner (1935): prison produced
goods clearly labeled and prohibited sale to
states that had laws prohibiting them
UNICOR (1934): federal prison system
employs 20% of federal prisoners;
produces $666 million in goods annually
The 20th Century and Prison
Labor (2 of 2)
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Prison Industry Enhancement Certification
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PIE program (1979): permits selling prison
produced goods as long as elements are met
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Pay comparable wages
Consult with labor and industry
No displacement of workers
Collect funds for victim assistance
Provide inmates with medical benefits
Ensure work is voluntary
Provide role for private sector
Prison Labor Today
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(1 of 2)
Agriculture Programs
About half the states still have them
 Texas and California largest programs
 Less popular because
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Low labor needs of modern agriculture
 Lack of useful job training for inmates
 Cheaper to buy food than produce it
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Prison Labor Today
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Manufacturing Programs
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Almost all states have manufacturing
Most products restricted to state-use
Public Works and Prison Construction
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(2 of 2)
Public projects, building new prisons, additions
Florida saved $14 million by inmate labor
Prison Maintenance
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7% of all inmates employed in food service
7% of all inmates employed in laundry and
janitorial service jobs
Current Issues in Prison Labor
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Displacement of civilian jobs
Inmate compensation and wages
Inmate safety and security
Cost-effectiveness of prison industries
Inmate Education
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(1 of 3)
Early educational efforts were
humanitarian and the purpose was to
read
Only on Sundays
From mid-1800s reformers saw
education as part of prison
Inmate Education
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(2 of 3)
Contemporary Vocational Education Programs
 Women’s programs—sex stereotyped,
inadequate (Glover v. Johnson)
 Community colleges—location is a problem
 Funding: Pell Grants (not any more), state
general education budget, individual
 Evaluation studies – mixed results
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Work attitudes
Ability to get a job
Civil disabilities
Inmate Education
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(3 of 3)
Contemporary Academic Education
Programs
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Adult Basic Education (federal system
requires high school education)
GED (or high school diploma) —average
inmate has 9th grade education at entry
Prison college—few inmates, evaluation
studies show it lowers recidivism
Educational release—not very prevalent
any more