Today's N.C. prison inmates work on the farm, on road crews and in prison construction. Medium custody inmates work under the supervision of armed correctional officers. Minimum custody inmates work under the direction of Department of Transportation employees. Inmates at the state prison farms at Caledonia and Odom Correctional Institutions raise crops and cattle that supply food to prison kitchens around the state.
Inmates learn operation of farm machinery and innovative farming methods.
Inmates also work in farming operations at the Dan River Prison Work Farm at Yanceyville and Tyrrell Prison Work Farm in Tyrell County. Inmates under the supervision of correction engineers continue to work on construction projects. They have completed two prison work farms and a female boot camp housing unit in Richmond County. They have completed on a prison industry sewing plant at Columbus Correctional institution and a green house for the Dan River Prison Work Farm. Inmate crews are also building wall panels and constructing several new houses in Tarboro and Kinston for victims of Hurricane Floyd.