Prison factory plan 'to cut reoffending', says minister

**Maggy** · 04-10-2010, 20:35

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11463182

Quote:

Private firms could be encouraged to set up factories in prisons, under government proposals.
Prisons minister Crispin Blunt says he wants "tens of thousands" of prisoners to take "meaningful" work to help cut reoffending rates.
Part of their wages would go to their victims, their families and upkeep.
But it must be handled carefully to avoid it looking as if "legitimate" jobs were being stolen, he told a Tory conference fringe meeting.

Not sure about this..It might work but on the other hand if there is no work outside prison for released inmates I can only see them being back inside very quickly.

04-10-2010, 20:43

The last sentence in that quote is the key to that one Maggy,some unscrupulous companies wouldn't think twice about laying off workers in favour of cheap prison labour

Ignitionnet · 04-10-2010, 22:00

It would be interesting to see what the experiences of this from the US are.

Gary L · 04-10-2010, 23:17

I think this kind of thing will happen with the unemployed. they will be set up to be and look like work experience and confidence building and all that stuff they want to call it.

but all it is, is free labour where they'll be working for their benefits whilst the companies that take on these people will save money by not having to employ and pay a full wage.

and we'll all think it's a good thing.

**Hugh** · 05-10-2010, 08:53

No, we won't.

Ignitionnet · 05-10-2010, 09:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gary L

I think this kind of thing will happen with the unemployed. they will be set up to be and look like work experience and confidence building and all that stuff they want to call it.

but all it is, is free labour where they'll be working for their benefits whilst the companies that take on these people will save money by not having to employ and pay a full wage.

and we'll all think it's a good thing.

No Gary we're not going to think that forced Labour camps are a good thing.

It's odd - the more moderate the Tories get, and this lot are pretty moderate compared with Thatcher's lot, the more bizarre the comments seem to get.

Taf · 05-10-2010, 09:48

Paid for work whilst locked up? Good idea.

Inmates already make slippers AFAIK

Russ · 05-10-2010, 10:42

Thing is though, surely not every kind of job will be available 'inside'. So what happens to those inmates who simply cannot (NOT won't) do these jobs?

Gary L · 05-10-2010, 10:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russ

Thing is though, surely not every kind of job will be available 'inside'. So what happens to those inmates who simply cannot (NOT won't) do these jobs?

They're not allowed to watch Cbeebies in their cell.

Anonymouse · 05-10-2010, 13:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gary L

I think this kind of thing will happen with the unemployed. they will be set up to be and look like work experience and confidence building and all that stuff they want to call it.

but all it is, is free labour where they'll be working for their benefits whilst the companies that take on these people will save money by not having to employ and pay a full wage.

and we'll all think it's a good thing.

(A bit OT)
Actually, it's already happening. I've been out of work since July last year and am on the New Deal (whatever that means outside Depression-era America), and if I haven't got a job by August 2011 I've been told I'll be working for my dole. Not a wage - my dole.

Now are employers - any who are obsessed with short-term savings - going to jump at this? Sure they are, it's free labour. I doubt they'll be given - or be interested in - any incentives to actually take people on.

But what about the 'employees'? Oh, they're not important, are they, they're just doing the work.

Comments?

Gary L · 05-10-2010, 15:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anonymouse

(A bit OT)
Actually, it's already happening. I've been out of work since July last year and am on the New Deal (whatever that means outside Depression-era America), and if I haven't got a job by August 2011 I've been told I'll be working for my dole. Not a wage - my dole.

Now are employers - any who are obsessed with short-term savings - going to jump at this? Sure they are, it's free labour. I doubt they'll be given - or be interested in - any incentives to actually take people on.

But what about the 'employees'? Oh, they're not important, are they, they're just doing the work.

Comments?

This has been in the pipeline for a while, 'working for your dole'
AFAIK it will be a 40 hour week and all you get is your normal weekly dole.
where at the minimum wage it would be worth about Â£240.

they will use all sorts of reasons why you have to do it. work experience to put down on your CV. getting into a routine of going to work, and to give you something to do.

all it means is that you will be taken advantage of. you will be seperated from the rest of society and somebody shares the profits behind your back.

it's scandalous. it's nothing short of slave labour. and all companies will be wanting a piece of it.

it will be such a big money making thing for everyone behind the scenes, that the slaves will be thought of as what they really are.

**Hugh** · 05-10-2010, 17:13

Gary, you appear to be stating your proposition as a fact - something that will happen.

Did you mean to do that?

Gary L · 05-10-2010, 17:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hugh

Gary, you appear to be stating your proposition as a fact - something that will happen.

Did you mean to do that?

No.

Can you edit it for me?

Quote:

This has been in the pipeline for a while, 'working for your dole'
AFAIK it will be a 40 hour week and all you get is your normal weekly dole.
where at the minimum wage it would be worth about Â£240.

I'd say they will use all sorts of reasons why you have to do it. work experience to put down on your CV. getting into a routine of going to work, and to give you something to do.

all it means to me is that you will be taken advantage of. you will be seperated from the rest of society and somebody shares the profits behind your back.

I think it's scandalous. it's nothing short of slave labour. and all companies will be wanting a piece of it.

I think it will be such a big money making thing for everyone behind the scenes, that the slaves will be thought of as what they really are.

05-10-2010, 17:49

If companies have jobs to give to inmates then they should give them to people on the outside first.It's a fine theory but i fear impossible to make work fairly

Jon T · 05-10-2010, 18:26

New Deal has been around for years, i've been on it twice. The job before the one I have now was the result of a 6 month new deal placement. I ended up being there four and a half years.

On one side, a company isn't going to waste money training you up and then let you go, but on the other hand, if your doing a job that needs little training then you just might find yourself replaced at the end of your placement.

Both of the above situations happened where I used to work. I also saw the impact on productivity/work flow when they had to get rid of placements that were good at what they did(we were a new deal provider so sometimes ended up having to let people go through daft jobcentre rules)