Prison systems love to keep inmates busy. They provide the inmates with a variety of activities, movies, books and crafting hobbies. They also have available jobs that inmates can apply to. A busy inmate keeps the administrative staff from overworking and having to keep up with all the inmates at once. Trust me, no one wants an overwhelmed correctional officer, especially inmates.
However, it is discouraging to inmates when things that have become important are taken away. Before I came to Herlong Prison Camp, the inmates talked about a department called UNICOR that shut down. It paid great money, which is only about $100 per month, but in prison, it was good money. As you read this memo from the Herlong administration, you’ll see how they once again discouraged some inmates from developing a great leather working skill. The leather hobby is a great hobby and skill to have. An inmate can use this as a way to start his own business when he got out of prison as leather working is a popular and marketable skill.
I wish that prisons really were a place to help inmates change their perspectives and encourage them to become an entrepreneur. We all know that when leaving prison, jobs are hard to find.
Let me know what you think about these types of changes in the comment section below.
UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
memorandum
October 04, 2011
MEMORANDUM FOR INMATE POPULATION
FROM: R. Harrington, Hobby Craft Supervisor
SUBJECT: Leather Craft changes
Effective October 04, 2011, Bulk leather will no longer be available to purchase via Special Purchase Order. “Leather Kits” and approved leather dyes, paints, finishes and adhesives will be the ONLY items that are approved to order for leather hobby. Those who currently have leather will be permitted to finish their projects and mail them home. Special Purchase orders that are submitted with individual leather items will be rejected.
