Inmate Labor in Prisons (1983)
Louisiana: The State We're In
Details
Collection:LPB
Genre: News, Public Affairs
Place Covered: Louisiana
Copyright Holder: Louisiana Educational Television Authority
Date Issued: 1983-09-16
Duration: 00:08:07
Subjects: Convict labor | Louisiana. Prison Enterprises | Prisons | PRISONERS | ANGOLA STATE PRISON | Louisiana State Penitentiary
Contributors:
- Courtney, Beth Host
- Ekings, Robyn Reporter
- Carleton, Mark Interviewee
- Meades, LeVern Interviewee
- Maggio, Ross Interviewee
- Bussie, Victor Interviewee
Description
This segment from the September 16, 1983, episode of “Louisiana: The State We’re In” features Robyn Ekings’ report on the state’s use of inmate labor to help pay for the high cost of running prisons. Ekings interviews: Dr. Mark Carleton of LSU on the history of prison labor in Louisiana; LeVern Meades of Prison Enterprises on the wide variety of products produced at the prisons and the benefits of the inmate labor program to the prisoners; Ross Maggio, the Angola warden, on the inmate labor program's role in improving inmate behavior; and Victor Bussie of the Louisiana AFL-CIO on his belief that inmate labor creates unfair competition for the private sector. Ekings reports that Prison Enterprises made $9 million in sales in 1982. Host: Beth Courtney