From 1999 to 2000, American's prison population doubled from 712,000 to 1,931,859 inmates. Now, one of every 142 Americans is in prison or jail. The Federal Bureau of Prisons, which has had to deal with the explosive growth of federal drug-related prisoners, is currently building more than two dozen new penitentiaries to supplement the mere 98 it has now. What this means for you is that prison jobs are very stable. The maximum age for any new applicant is 37, and while you won't necessarily be disqualified if you've got a relative in the slammer, you will have to pass a criminal background check.
Prisons are well known for acting as economic engines in depressed areas.
McCreary County, Kentucky is one of those spots. For much of the century, the county led the state in coal production. But by 1988, with the last tapped-out mine closed, the county fell into the deepest bowels of Appalachian poverty. By 1990, McCreary was the third-poorest county in the country. Just imagine the low cost of living in a place like McCreary, Kentucky, combined with a recession-proof job.