Prison labor

Prison labor

Prison industries, using inmate labor to manufacture goods for private firms, were thriving enterprises in the first quarter of this century. However, the sale of open market prison-made products was banned in the 1930's and 1940's by Congress and the States, in response to protests from both competing industries and labor unions. In 1979 legislation was enacted to restore private sector involvement in prison industries to its former status, provided certain conditions of the labor market are met. -- National Institute of Justice

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