About the Federal Prison Industries Program

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A BOP Program

FPI is, first and foremost, a correctional program within the Federal Bureau of Prisons. The whole impetus behind Federal Prison Industries is not about business, but instead, about inmate release preparation.... helping offenders acquire the skills necessary to successfully make that transition from prison to law-abiding, contributing members of society. The production of items and provision of services are merely by-products of those efforts.

If UNICOR operates in their institution, BOP inmates may apply to work for UNICOR and most operations have historically had waiting lists. Inmates closer to release are given hiring priority and employment is just one of several inmate re-entry programs available to BOP inmates.

FPI Program Benefits

• Benefits to society - Rigorous research demonstrates that participation in prison industries and vocational training programs has a positive effect on post-release employment and recidivism for up to 12 years following release. Inmates who worked in prison industries or completed vocational apprenticeship programs were 24 percent less likely to recidivate than non-program participants and 14 percent more likely to be gainfully employed. These programs had an even greater positive impact on minority offenders, who are at the greatest risk of recidivism.
• Benefits to the courts, crime victims, and inmate families - In FY 2015, inmates who worked in FPI factories contributed almost $1 million of their earnings toward meeting their financial obligations, e.g., court-ordered fines, child support, and/or restitution. Many inmates also contributed to the support and welfare of their families by sending home a portion of their earnings.
• Benefits to thousands of incarcerated men and women in federal prisons - For many inmates, working in Federal Prison Industries represents an opportunity to learn a marketable skill and gain valuable work experience that will substantially enhance their ability to successfully reintegrate into society following release from prison. The program teaches inmates pro-social values including the value of work, responsibility, and the need to respect and work with others. Many inmates gain a sense of dignity and self-worth that they had lost or never before experienced.
• Benefits to private sector businesses - FPI purchases of raw materials, supplies, equipment, and services from private sector businesses account for more than half our annual revenues each year. Half of these purchases are typically made from small businesses, including women and minority owned and disadvantaged businesses.
• Benefits to the Bureau of Prisons - FPI contributes significantly to the safety and security of federal correctional facilities by keeping inmates constructively occupied. Inmates who participate in work programs and vocational training are less likely to engage in institutional misconduct, thereby enhancing the safety of staff and other inmates.