Prisoner_Employment

The United States has required many prisoners to work while incarcerated for hundreds of years but now it more for monetary gains than retribution or restoration. Prison inmates working for private industries during their incarceration is topic that has and will continue to cause heated debates. There are several correctional institutions across America that has established work contracts with private businesses to employ inmates for a variety of jobs. Some of these jobs include manufacturing, maintenance, call centers, welders, and sitting at computer station. The Prison Industry Enhancement Certification Program (PIE) was enacted by Congress in 1979 as way to assist in restoring victims, communities and offenders after a crime has occurred. This program enabled prison facilities the ability to transport prison-made products for private companies under certain circumstances. Some of these stipulations included: • Prisoner’s are to be paid based on pay rate of similar jobs in local area. • All local unions are to be notified and consulted before inmate work program is begin. • Inmate workers will not take or replace workers outside of the prison, inmates programs will not be initiated in areas with an excess of employment opportunities and the inmate program will not reduce • does not occur in occupations in which there is a excess of employment in the area, and the program will not lower the chance for individuals on the outside obtain contracts for services. Federal Prison Industries (trade name- UNICOR) is an employment program for inmates in the U.S. UNICOR sells approximately one hundred and fifty various products and services. These various goods are marketed to federal agencies. As an intelligent human being I can see that there are some definite benefits to prisoners working, but my common sense tells me that a criminal with my credit card information has a good chance of ending very badly. PROS  Significant savings for employer on health care, taxes, revenue loss and vacation pay  Inmate workers are required to pay a percentage of their earnings the operation of the prison, restitution trust for victim and inmate’s family.  The inmate work program supplies constant and promptly accessible workers. CONS  How do we as Americans know that the inmate work programs have not filled positions that law-abiding citizens could have been employed by.  The inmates could be keeping free workers pay down.  Just how safe is their customers personal financial and physical health based on their criminal background. References Gist, N. (1995). Prison Industry Enhancement Certification Program. U.S. Department of Justice. Office of Justice Programs. Bureau of Justice Assistance. Retrieved 03/02/2013 from: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles/pie.pdf Sexton, G. (1995). Work in American Prisons: Joint Ventures with the Private Sector. National Institute of Justice. U.S. Department of Justice. Retrieved 03/02/2013 from: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles/workampr.pdf Atkinson, R. & Rostad, K. (2003). Can Inmates Become an Integral Part of the U.S. Workforce' Employment Dimensions of Reentry: Understanding the Nexus between Prisoner Reentry and Work. The Enterprise Prison Institute. Retrieved 03/03/2013 from: http://www.urban.org/uploadedPDF/ACF8EF6.pdf Roberts, J. (n.d.). Work, Education, and Public Safety: A Brief History of Federal Prison Industries. Department of Justice.Retrieved03/03/2013from: http://www.unicor.gov/about/organization/history/overview_of_fpi.cfm