Both supporters and opponents agree the debate is at a critical juncture because employment in prisons could spread quickly in the coming years. Supporters of the employment of inmates include law enforcement officials who view the programs as a way to reform convicts and business groups who see inexpensive labor. Many prisoners want to work, the backers say, and they point to research showing that inmates who work are less likely to commit crimes when they are released. In addition, supporters say, prisoners offer the ultimate in a flexible and dependable work force. To opponents, inmate labor is both a potential human rights abuse and a threat to workers outside prison walls.
Inmates have no bargaining power and are easily exploited, the critics say.
In one California lawsuit, for example, two prisoners have sued both their employer and the prison, saying they were put in solitary confinement after complaining about working conditions. The opponents also say the programs have stolen jobs from outside workers and hold down wages for other workers. Most of the companies now in the program are small. Some big companies, like the retailer Target, still use suppliers that employ prisoners. Prison labor in the United States has its roots in the 1800's, when inmates worked for private companies without pay.