Paid prison labour is the participation of convicted prisoners in either voluntary or mandatory paid work programs.
While in prison, inmates are expected to work in areas such as industry, institutional maintenance, service tasks and agriculture.[1] The most common work assignments contribute to facility support, such as food service, groundwork, building maintenance and office administration.[2] This work is performed on a full- or part-time basis. However, exceptions include inmates who are medically unable to work, involved in full-time Educational or vocational training programs, or deemed a security risk.[3]
The benefits of paid labour for inmates may include heightened incentives for good behaviour, productivity and post-release skill development, in addition to improved emotional wellbeing.[4] Prison institutions are benefited by minimised inmate idleness and potential for security issues, the completion of necessary maintenance tasks and reduced prison operating costs.[5]
Labour obligations and wage rates vary across different countries. For instance, prison work assignments are prevalent in the United States, with over half of prisoners being assigned a work program.[6] In Japan, labour is required of all prisoners but options concerning the type of work performed are permitted.[7] Prisoners serving short sentences are not required to work in Austria, Luxembourg, Norway, Lebanon, Syria and Cuba.[7]
Paid prison labour is also implemented differently across penal Institutions (i.e. minimum, medium and high-security prisons, correctional facilities and privatised prisons).