NO, NO, NO! YES, THE FEDERAL SYSTEM DOES PAY INMATES BUT THIS IS THE REAL ON HOW MUCH AND WHO GETS PAID. OUT OF AN AVERAGE INMATE POPULATION IN EACH PENITENTIARY OF 1400 OR SO, OUT OF ALL THE INMATES LESS THEN 20% ACTUALLY GET PAID! SEE, IN EACH HOUSING UNIT THERE ARE APPROX. 125 INMATES AND THERE ABOUT ABOUT 6-8 ACTUAL JOBS. SUCH AS UNIT ORDERLIES AND THERE ARE ABOUT 8-10 YARD WORKERS AND 6-8 KITCHEN WORKERS SO YOU SEE ONLY ABOUT 25-30 INMATES ACTUALLY WORK!! THE REST OF THE INMATES ARE ASSIGNED BUT ARE CALLED NON PAY ORDERLIES. YES, YOU HEARD ME CORRECTLY: NON PAID EMPLOYEES ARE ON MAINTENANCE PAY WHICH IS 0.12 CENTS A MONTH! THIS IS NOT A MISTAKE. INMATES ARE PAID 0.12 CENTS FOR A MONTH’S PAY PERIOD!! $1.44 A YEAR! ONE OF THE BIGGEST SCAMS AND MISCONCEPTIONS, THIS IS A HARD ONE TO SWALLOW.
— Edward S.