A forum for prison labor economic information sharing and debate.

Petersik’s Views

“After much review, I have since begun to see the incarcerated labor force separation as a classic example of discrimination.”

~ Tom Petersik, PhD

We Americans need to face the horror of our US policy banning inmates from the civilian labor force.

We are creating ghettos for prisoners, their families, and their communities.

Rooted in racism, we are especially targeting the poor and vulnerable.  And in permitting no exceptions and allowing no income, our discrimination against incarcerated workers is intrinsically far worse than discrimination against racial minorities and women. 

We are violating basic human rights, approaching genocide, by denying inmates access to means necessary to support their children and families.

The side of a prison wall is irrelevant to rules of economic efficiency and performance.

The primary economic argument  for totally excluding all US jail and prison inmates from civilian jobs is unfair competition to civilian labor and business:

  • Inmate labor will drive down civilian wage rates;

  • Inmate labor will take civilian jobs; and

  • Inmates do not deserve civilian jobs.

All these arguments  fail fundamental economic tests and instead exhibit classic discrimination, well recognized as harmful to the economy, employment, and business expansion, and especially harmful to the discriminated communities.

“Prison labor” and “employment” are distinguished by the rules governing the incarcerated workers.”

Although “prison labor” sounds like any work performed by prisoners, a better perception is “work performed by prisoners under rules exempting them and the firms engaging them from normal labor protections, rights, and wages.”

“Employment” may be the same work performed by the same prisoners, but under civilian labor force protections, rights, wages, and firm obligations. 

This is a presentation by Thomas Petersik, PhD, of International CURE LAWCHA Southern Labor Studies, to Duke University on May 18, 2007.

Thomas Petersik, PhD, of International and Virginia CURE, presents on April 17, 2019 at National Correctional Industries Association Conference in Minneapolis, MN.