It is the policy and practice of the department to maximize the use of inmate labor within available resources. Inmates in the correctional system can be separated into three general groups. There were 51,245 inmates in this group that day. The second group contains those inmates unavailable to work for reasons of their status, i.e. inmates in the reception process, in confinement or close management status, inmates with health restrictions, or those on death row. There were 2,086 in this group that day.
Inmates have cable television and satellite dishes.
There are no correctional facilities with cable television. The CDLN saves money by training staff throughout the state simultaneously and teaching inmates via satellite. The satellites are not used for recreational viewing. Most prisons have televisions available to inmates for use when inmates are not in school or working. The televisions are located in dormitory dayrooms for group viewing.