My friend, Jesse, spent 20-plus years in prison. When we became acquainted, he was in the Putnamville Correctional Facility near Greencastle, Indiana. Established in 1914, the prison was known for nearly 70 years as the Indiana State Farm, because the inmates all worked in the prison’s extensive farm and dairy operations.
By the time Jesse got to Putnamville the farm was gone, and the few available prison jobs like kitchen detail, laundry, and cleaning, were already filled. Being locked up in his cell all day, with nothing to do, finally got to him. Jesse literally begged for a job, and in desperation, he came up with a job for himself—approved by prison officials—it was cleaning the scuff marks off the prison stairways, a job he executed with a toothbrush for hours every day. That’s desperation.
I believe prisoners need to work and not sit in their cells all day. I know some have a dim view of prisoner employment and I agree with some of their points: Prison industries should not compete with private industry. The work should not be hazardous to one’s health, and it should not be punitive. So, no one’s talking about chain gangs and rock-splitting. Those days are gone. But we’ve taken one extreme and substituted another, and neither works toward the rehabilitation of inmates.
People who want to see lives restored know that productive work can aid the process. An Interdisciplinary Seminar report on Prison Labor in the United States by New York University/Gallatin stated: “[While prison labor] began as a disciplinary aspect of prison akin to legalized slavery, [it] has now become a somewhat useful tool for promoting a more stable, more productive prison environment…prison labor can alleviate feelings of idleness and boredom, while also instilling a sense of schedule and work ethic in inmates who failed to achieve this outside of prison.”
Want to make prison a hell on earth? Lock people up in 10’ x 10′ cells and leave them there to rot. Work is part of God’s plan. Proverbs says, “Whoever is lazy in work is also a brother to the master of destruction.” Old Testament language aside, the meaning is clear: Lack of work destroys.
Too many of our prison inmates have never seen anyone in their family go to work everyday. They don’t have a map for employment, or success, or earned goals, so their chances after release can be dim. Thoughtfully developed prison employment can provide a map for honest work, usable skills, and success after release. It must be a priority in the prisons of the future.
For all our sakes,
Nancy
Click Here for More: https://confluence.gallatin.nyu.edu/context/interdisciplinary-seminar/prison-labor-in-the-united-states
Great article and one that just makes sense!! time goes faster when someone is busy. Being along in a prison cell with nothing to do would make for a VERY long day!!