What the logo doesn't say is that this product puts prisoners into direct competition with civilian laborers. Mr. McCollum serves on the Judiciary Committee on the House of Representatives' Subcommittee on Crime, which oversees the federal prison system and all federal law enforcement agencies. It's a popular program with a waiting list, Mr. Schmitt said. The alternative for prisoners not working for FPI are menial jobs that maintain the institution, like mopping floors, working in the laundry or kitchen. The wages are structured by Congress.
Prisons use people rather than machines.
It might take five guys to make something as opposed to two guys to make it on the outside. But they're learning work skills, they're learning to meet schedules, show up on time. No taxpayer dollars go into this program that gives the prisoners skills, Mr. Schmitt emphasized. He wants to see the FPI program expanded beyond the Federal government customer. Those are union jobs that have already been lost.