San Quentin’s Prison Industry Authority has cut approximately half of its labor force over the past year due to a drop in statewide sales. The workers specialize in manufacturing office furniture for government agencies, and bedding used by prisons and state colleges.
PIA was created to provide prisoners with job training that could be used once they are released from prison. A 2011 audit indicates PIA workers recidivate at lower rates, which in turn saves taxpayers nearly $8.5 million annually in incarceration cost.
Richard Napoleon Brown worked in the furniture department for eight months, earning 40 cents an hour. “Earning an income allowed me to take care of my personal needs,” he said. “The job occupied my time, giving me something useful to do throughout the day. After being laid off, I’ve had to readjust and look for other work that has not been easy to come by.”
Before being laid off, W.F. Stephens was employed in the chair upholstery department for six years and earned 65 cents an hour. “I was learning a skill I could’ve used in a work place, once I parole. It gave me great joy getting up in the morning, going to work. It made me feel good about myself and created confidence in me. Once I was laid off, it affected both my confidence and deprived me of my only income,” said Stephens.
An anonymous prisoner, earning 55 cents an hour making pillows, said, “I was learning how to operate different machines, and gaining skills similar to what is needed by companies on the streets. I felt good about going to work every day, knowing I had a paycheck coming every month. The job also occupied my time, giving me something responsible to do. Once I got laid off, it’s been difficult to find another job. It’s affected my morale and confidence.”
