Contact me « Kari Andren

Ray Dettinger, on March 25th, 2009 at 8:49 pm Said:

Hi Kari,

I inadvertantly was sent to your website serching for information on Hunington PA State Prison. I read your story “Prison factories produce a range of items, including hope” which was pretty good.

I used to be a federal maximum security pentitentiary officer decades ago so I am very familar with all things corrections. Also have a BS degree in the subject from PSU having done student interships at several prisons.

One big problem is civilian unions and companies complain about prison industries exploiting cheap inmate labor (as in China and other counties do) which can out bid a private company’s proposals to do the same work. This was/is a problem with the federal prison industries making army helmets and other military equipment. The inmates can work for 30 cents an hour vs $10.00+ an hour for a civilian company doing the same work. There is no competition or competitive bids for the work either.

Then, there are human rights advocates that say prison labor is wrong much like other countries like China exploiting their inmate labor. There are always downsides to everything.

Good luck

Ray

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Kari Andren