Bobby Scott: “the Federal Prison Industries program, or FPI, has been around since the 1930s. Under the law, the Federal agencies are…”

“the Federal Prison Industries program, or FPI, has been around since the 1930s. Under the law, the Federal agencies are required to buy needed products from FPI if they can meet the order. The purpose of the program is to teach prisoners real work skills so when they are released from prison, they will be able to find and hold jobs to support themselves and their families and be less likely to commit more crimes. And it is clear that the program works to do just that. Follow-up studies covering as much as 16 years of data have shown that inmates who participate in prison industries are more likely to be employed and less likely to commit crimes than others who do not participate in the program. And while this certainly benefits the offenders and their families, that is beside the point from a public policy perspective. The real benefit is that all of us, as a result of the program, are less likely to be victims of crimes. We are prepared to spend billions of dollars in prison construction and prison upkeep in our efforts to reduce crime. This program reduces crime and pays for itself. H.R. 1829 will result in fewer inmate jobs, with increased taxpayer costs and an increase in crime. The CBO, for example, estimates it will cost at least $177 million just in extra security costs to guard the inmates made idle by this bill.”