For example, California prisoners can process artichokes and package them in cans and jars. All packaged and jarred artichokes are now imported. California farmers, the largest artichoke producers in the world, would have a partner, not a competitor. It is ridiculous that in Castroville, California, the artichoke capital of the world, Spanish and Peruvian artichokes are the only canned artichokes available.
California Prison Industries could also manufacture brooms, tennis balls, basketballs, soccer balls, canvas tennis shoes (they already make these), cell phones and inexpensive blue jeans. Not everyone can afford $200 jeans. Prison jeans would not compete against designer jeans, they would compete against Oregon”s Prison Blues and cheap imports.
Apple makes nearly all of its computers, and all of its iPods and iPhones in Asia. Apple, based in Cupertino, California, could partner with California Prison Industries to establish an assembly facility for these products.
CALPIA sells its canvas tennis shoes for $9.15 to government agencies. Wouldn”t we be helping inner city children and their parents by offering them the same inexpensive footwear?
California should not allow prisoner-made products to be exported. The United States bans the importation of products made in foreign prisons and we should be consistent and not export products made with prison labor.
Instituting mandatory work for prisoners in California would be good for the prisoners, taxpayers and the public. It would help balance the budget while providing consumers with a domestic source of inexpensive household products.
This concludes the three-part commentary about utilizing California prison inmate labor to ease the economic crisis.
Joel Joseph is chairman of the Made in the USA Foundation. The foundation promotes American-made products.
