Inmate Work Program May Include Private Businesses

JUNEAU, Alaska – The Alaska Department of the Corrections could be pairing with private businesses in the near future to boost the state’s Correctional Industries program. The department is offering to supply prisoners and lease space to companies that are interested in utilizing inmate labor.

The DOC has offered companies up to 24,500 square feet of lease space at 60 percent of the market rate at prisons in Fairbanks, Palmer and Kenai. Inmates would be paid between 85 cents and $1.60 an hour.

Prison officials say the program would equally benefit businesses and the DOC. The department would help rehabilitate inmates with work programs, while private businesses would have lower overhead costs.

The program has raised some concerns among the American Civil Liberties Union and business advocates. Although the ACLU believes that work programs can help rehabilitation, union representatives say inmates could be exploited if they are paid a wage that is too low. Business advocates say the use of an inmate work force in private industries could create an unfair competitive edge for companies that are selected to participate in the program.