The American Prison-Based Manufacturing Industry

[Jacob]

Recently - in casual conversation - I came across the claim that in the US, the prison based manufacturing industry is seriously undermining non-prison based manufacturing in several sectors. Basically, the claim went, thousands of regular jobs are lost since it's basically impossible to compete with prison labour on cost. Apparently, for example, 100% of American military uniforms are made from prison labour.

If you check the website of Unicor (a.k.a Federal Prison Industries Inc.) they certainly have a wide scope of services and products available: http://www.unicor.gov/#

Like I said, it was a claim made in casual conversation, so I'm not sure how true it is. Do you guys have any insight into the scope and impact of prison labour based manufacturing on the economy in terms of jobs and even taxes?

On one hand, it certainly seems reasonable to put prisoners to productive use and to provide useful skill training etc, to inmates. On the other hand, it doesn't seem entirely fair to use prison labour to compete in the broader economy.

[Liep]

I saw this on QI, and Fry is never wrong.

[Tonitrus]

The "100% of military uniforms" thing is quite erroneous.  A lot of uniform items are made by Unicor, but there are also plenty made by companies/organizations (i.e. Skilcraft or AbilityOne...industries staffed by the blind or otherwise severely disabled), and items, such as boots, can come from a number of private companies.

In fact, quite a bit of the gear/uniform items (the specific uniform items they need for Afghanistan) that I buy for guys deploying are from private companies.

But it is true, under our purchasing rules, for things office supplies and various items, Unicor is one of the sources that we are obliged to look at first.

[The Brain]

Much professional software is designed by the severely disabled.

[Ed Anger]

Much professional software is designed by the severely disabled.

Hello Matrix games!

[DontSayBanana]

Well, one thing about inmate labor is that the numbers you're going to get are strictly for those currently incarcerated and going through, say, Unicor.  There's also a huge "grey market" for inmate labor where private companies with sky-high turnover hire parolees or inmates in halfway houses through work release programs.  They hire at bottom dollar, and one of the real reasons for the sky-high turnover is, regardless of the revenue the inmate/parolee generates for the company, the company gets to claim a pretty hefty tax deduction for each employee coming from correctional facilities.

One ripple effect from this is, when you're playing numbers that big, you can't help but come up with some actual productive employees, so that makes a dent as well.

[viper37]

Recently - in casual conversation - I came across the claim that in the US, the prison based manufacturing industry is seriously undermining non-prison based manufacturing in several sectors. Basically, the claim went, thousands of regular jobs are lost since it's basically impossible to compete with prison labour on cost. Apparently, for example, 100% of American military uniforms are made from prison labour.

If you check the website of Unicor (a.k.a Federal Prison Industries Inc.) they certainly have a wide scope of services and products available: http://www.unicor.gov/#

Like I said, it was a claim made in casual conversation, so I'm not sure how true it is. Do you guys have any insight into the scope and impact of prison labour based manufacturing on the economy in terms of jobs and even taxes?

On one hand, it certainly seems reasonable to put prisoners to productive use and to provide useful skill training etc, to inmates. On the other hand, it doesn't seem entirely fair to use prison labour to compete in the broader economy.

Let's assume it was entirely true.
What is the alternative?  Have it manufactured by people making 25$/hr + social benefits, for a cost of, maybe 45$/hr or have it manufactured in China and other places where people costs about 50$/week?
Wich do you think would happen if inmates didn't produce anything?

Therefore, the point that this "prison based manufacturing" is killing the US economy is a fallacy.

[Tonitrus]

I'd say put them out on chain gangs building/maintaining roads instead, but then the road crew contractor/mafia would have a fit.

Use of prisoners fighting forest fires is a really good idea, but too seasonal.

Or we could have them picking crops, to replace the migrant labor market...solve our illegal immigration problems too!

[dps]

I'd say put them out on chain gangs building/maintaining roads instead, but then the road crew contractor/mafia would have a fit.

Use of prisoners fighting forest fires is a really good idea, but too seasonal.

Or we could have them picking crops, to replace the migrant labor market...solve our illegal immigration problems too!

I prefer the idea of having some inmates dig holes in the ground, and having other inmates fill in those holes.  Keep 'em at that 10 hours a day, 7 days a week come sunshine, rain, or snow.  That ought to really drive home to the inmates that after their sentence is up, they really don't want to re-offend and go back to prison.

[Ideologue]

Or we could have them picking crops, to replace the migrant labor market...solve our illegal immigration problems too!

OK, I can get behind this.

What about using them as occupation forces in Iraq and Afghanistan?  Look, their methods may have been unorthodox, but the Dirlewanger Brigade was an experiment that worked.

[Ed Anger]

Or we could have them picking crops, to replace the migrant labor market...solve our illegal immigration problems too!

OK, I can get behind this.

What about using them as occupation forces in Iraq and Afghanistan?  Look, their methods may have been unorthodox, but the Dirlewanger Brigade was an experiment that worked.

[jimmy olsen]

Or we could have them picking crops, to replace the migrant labor market...solve our illegal immigration problems too!

OK, I can get behind this.

What about using them as occupation forces in Iraq and Afghanistan?  Look, their methods may have been unorthodox, but the Dirlewanger Brigade was an experiment that worked.

WTF