State prisons to allow more inmates to work

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By Associated Press

Summary

A state senator from Tacoma, Debbie Regala, who sits on the Correctional Industries board says it will meet Sept. 19 in Tumwater to consider businesses ready to hire inmates.

Story Published: Aug 25, 2008 at 7:16 AM PST

TACOMA, Wash. (AP) - The state Department of Corrections is contacting chambers of commerce to get out the word that prisons are open for business using inmate labor.

A state senator from Tacoma, Debbie Regala, who sits on the Correctional Industries board says it will meet Sept. 19 in Tumwater to consider businesses ready to hire inmates. She says work could resume early next year.

A level of work known as the Class I Correctional Industries program had as many as 300 inmakes working before they were shut down in 2004 by a state Supreme Court decison. But voters amended the state constitution last November to allow business to contract for private shops in prison that can make products that can be sold to the public.