House advances limits on prison industries

LEGISLATION

The House Judiciary Committee approved a bill that ends procurement advantages for prison programs that train inmates.

The Federal Prison Industries Competition Contracting Act, HR 1577, eliminates the mandatory source requirement that a certain number of government contracts

Bill sponsors claim the law gives prison industries an unfair advantage over the private sector.

Opponents claim the program creates private sector employment opportunities and reduces recidivism.

The bill also sets standards for inmate wages and deductions.

It amends the federal criminal code to require that not less than 20 percent of the gross profits of prison industries at the end of each fiscal year be allocated to fund vocational training for inmates.

The bill also authorizes prison industries to locate more than one workshop at a federal correctional facility and operate a workshop outside of a correctional facility if all of participating offenders are minimum-security inmates.

A study of participants showed that inmates who were employed in prison were more likely to be employed after release and earn a higher wage. They were also 24 percent less likely to re-offend.