Prison Jobs — Ask the Inmate
Work assignments inside correctional facilities are one of the most important aspects of daily life that most people on the outside never think about. The right job assignment means structure, additional good time credits at some facilities, access to certain areas of the institution, and in some cases, meaningful skills development. The wrong assignment, or no assignment at all, means more idle time and fewer opportunities. This section covers how work assignments are made, which jobs are most valuable from a good time and daily life perspective, how kitchen work specifically generates additional credits at some facilities, what vocational training programs are available through prison employment, and how to request a specific work assignment or transfer from one assignment to another. The guidance here comes from people who understand from the inside how work assignments shape the incarceration experience. See also our sections on Education and Vocational Training, Sentence Reduction, and Commissary.
The jobs ARE inside... someone has to maintain the facility... cleanliness, food, groundskeeping, education, etc... there is plenty of work to do...
Read moreMost inmates are required to have a job. There is plenty to do for those that are inclined to get into a routine that will make their time fly. The kitchen requires a lot of staffing, the orderly crews clean the prison, landscaping keeps the grounds manicured, commissary needs people, the chapel, the rec hall, education, the library, the barber...all require inmates to run their departments.
Read moreYes, inmates get paid for their work inside. The pay is pennies per hour. The top pay is about 40 cents per hour for the hardest kitchen job.
Read moreYes, they get paid a small hourly wage ($0.40/hr) but it's the highest paying job detail on the compound
Read moreYes, all inmates get paid a small stipend for the work that they do. Kitchen workers are among the highest paid inmates in the facility. Not that they are getting rich, but 40 cents per hour can get you some phone time and some snacks at commissary.
Read moreFPC, or Federal Prison Camp would be without question considered the best way to do prison time. There are no fences, no cells, the living arrangements are similar to an army barracks where there are rows of bunk beds and lockers. They share a common bathroom and laundry room. All inmates have are required to have a prison job. Orderlies clean the areas, landscaping the property, some work in recreation, education, the library, the chapel, commissary, the chow hall. None of
Read moreCDCR offers 15% good time credits for all inmates. There are no published early release benefits although there are sentence reductions in some cases for volunteering for Fire Camp duty. All inmates must earn the right to work in a conservation camp by their non-violent behavior and conformance to rules while they are incarcerated. Only minimum-custody inmates are eligible to volunteer for assignment in conservation camps. All volunteers are carefully screened and medically cleared on a case by case basis before they
Read moreMostly working a job that is designed towards a successful reentry into society.
Read moreThe inmate must have a perfect conduct record, has shown aptitude on programming and effort towards successful reentry. The counselors select the inmates for work release. We would suggest any inmate wanting to get these type details need to interact with the staff and counselors on a regular basis. If they are constantly observing an inmate with a civilized approach in their daily course of living, the more likely they are to being chosen for the work detail that happens
Read moreno, never
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