NCJ Number
188225
Date Published
October 1999
Length
30 pages
Annotation
This article examines keeping prisoners active in an increasingly difficult economic environment.
Abstract
Most of the Eastern and central European countries are struggling to achieve minimum standards of prison work with scarce resources and limited experience. The countries attach a high priority to providing work and vocational training that will enable all inmates to be gainfully employed when not engaged in educational and recreational or sporting activities. The article suggests the need for national level legislative efforts, e.g., prison act or bill of work, and participation of government departments, local authorities, and commercial firms in providing work for prisoners. Further, governments should consider tax incentives to private firms to encourage investments in prison industries. The article notes the high demand for networking on a European level, including the following guiding principles: (1) encouraging the development of new, efficient, and transferable solutions; (2) stimulating change at policy level in training, guidance and employment systems, and developing best practices in terms of project content, execution, and partnerships; (3) sharing know-how and experience across participating countries; and (4) using the "bottom-up" approach, mobilizing expertise and experience at regional levels which are well placed to identify local, regional, and multi-sectoral problems and needs. Notes