Book Description

This document records the oral and written testimony of witnesses at a Congressional hearing on UNICOR, Federal Prison Industries, Inc., a self-supporting government corporation created in 1934 to formalize prison management efforts to provide dependable work for the greatest number of inmates. The hearing centered on concerns about providing enough work for federal prisoners to learn from it and to be kept occupied and from private sector concerns about displacing work that can be done by private firms. Witnesses included representatives of manufacturers, labor unions, prison management associations, and government agencies. Various proposals were made to increase the labor-intensive aspects of prisoner work without displacing private companies from selling to the federal government. Industry representatives opposed mandatory preference for prison work-products for purchase by the federal government. Discussion was not conclusive. (KC)