NCJ Number
4418
Date Published
1969
Length
68 pages
Annotation
THIS ANALYSIS OF THE CALIFORNIA CORRECTIONAL INDUSTRIES DOCUMENTS THE INEFFICIENCIES AND PROBLEMS OF THE CURRENT INDUSTRIAL PROGRAM IN STATE PRISONS AS OF 1969 AND SUGGESTS AN ALTERNATIVE.
Abstract
CALIFORNIA CORRECTIONAL INDUSTRIES CONSISTS OF A SET OF RELATIVELY SMALL BUSINESS OPERATIONS WHICH EMPLOY INMATES AT BLUE-COLLAR OR MENIAL OCCUPATIONS. THESE INDUSTRIES EMPLOY APPROXIMATELY 3,100 INMATES. THERE ARE 24 INDUSTRIAL AND 14 AGRICULTURAL ENTERPRISES IN 9 STATE INSTITUTIONS. TABLES ARE PROVIDED WHICH SUMMARIZE THESE INDUSTRIES' 1967-1968 SALES, NUMBER OF INMATE EMPLOYEES, AND SALES PER INMATE. AN ANALYSIS OF THE OPERATIONS AND EFFECTS OF THE CORRECTIONAL INDUSTRY PROGRAM SHOWS THAT IT DOES NOT MEET ITS STATED OBJECTIVES. AMONG THE FINDINGS PRESENTED ARE THAT: (1) THE 'EMPLOYMENT' PROVIDED BY THE PROJECT IS LITTLE BETTER THAN 'IDLENESS,' AS THE INDUSTRIES USE OBSOLETE, INEFFICIENT METHODS AND ASSIGN MORE INMATES THAN THERE ARE TASKS TO PERFORM; (2) INMATE INSTITUTIONAL JOB PERFORMANCE IS POOR; (3) RECIDIVISM IS NOT LESSENED BY CORRECTIONAL INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE; AND (4) TYPE OF PAROLE EMPLOYMENT APPEARS UNRELATED TO CORRECTIONAL INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE. STATISTICS ARE PROVIDED WHICH SHOW THAT THE INDUSTRY PROFITS REDUCE PRISON COSTS VERY LITTLE, AND REASONS FOR THIS LOW PRODUCTIVITY ARE EXAMINED. ANOTHER MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THE PROGRAM WHICH IS HIGHLIGHTED IS THAT IT PROVIDES TOO MUCH COMPETITION WITH PRIVATE INDUSTRY. PROPOSED SOLUTIONS TO THE CORRECTIONAL INDUSTRY'S PROBLEMS ARE DISCUSSED AT LENGTH. THE BASIC, OVERALL PROPOSAL IS FOR PHASING OUT THE CALIFORNIA CORRECTIONAL INDUSTRIES' PROGRAMS AND DEVELOPING PRIVATELY OPERATED BUSINESS PROGRAMS TO REPLACE THEM. SPECIFIC IMPLEMENTATION STEPS AND POTENTIAL PROBLEMS WITH PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION ARE EVALUATED. SOME OF THE BENEFITS OF THE PROPOSED NEW POLICY ARE SUMMARIZED AND INCLUDE: (1) GOVERNMENT COMPETITION WITH PRIVATE INDUSTRY COULD BE ELIMINATED OR GREATLY REDUCED; (2) INMATES COULD LEARN THE WORK HABITS, ATTITUDES, AND SKILLS REQUIRED BY PRIVATE INDUSTRY; (3) PRISONERS PERFORMING SATISFACTORILY WOULD HAVE BETTER CHANCES OF EMPLOYMENT UPON RELEASE, THUS REDUCING RECIDIVISM; AND (4) INMATE EARNINGS COULD BE ALLOCATED TO DEPENDENT FAMILIES, REDUCING STATE WELFARE COSTS. APPENDIXES PROVIDE: THE SUGGESTED COMPOSITION OF A CORRECTIONAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY BOARD; THE PROPOSED MODEL LEGISLATION; AND A COPY OF A PLAN FOR THE TRANSFER OF CORRECTIONAL INDUSTRIES TO THE PRIVATE SECTOR. A BIBLIOGRAPHY IS PROVIDED. (VDA)