To the UMB SSW Community:
The University of System of Maryland (USM), including UMB, continues to be legally mandated by the state to utilize student tuition to subsidize prison labor through Maryland Correctional Enterprises (MCE). MCE pays inmates from $0.17 to $1.16 per hour. While MCE is mandated to be self-sufficient, it puts the short-term financial benefit of the state budget over the well-being of the citizens who are incarcerated, incentivizing a base level of inmates in order for MCE to function. MCE states that its laborers have lower recidivism rates, but it is difficult to find any data or research that shows any causation or control of other factors, such as MCE selecting inmates with a GED and refraining from institutional infractions.
Reducing recidivism requires formerly incarcerated people to be financially stable and cover expenses that include parole fees, housing, food, transportation, legal fees, restitution, expenses for children and more. This puts additional financial strain on families while formerly incarcerated people search for work that does not break their parole agreements. There are also costs living in prison, including toiletries, snacks, medical copays and phone calls. While physical and mental health, ability to work, and family connections are all factors that are known to reduce recidivism, there is a cost to be able to maintain these factors while in prison that is impractically high for an individual with a salary of less than $1 per hour to meet without being a financial burden on outside family members.
To make a 30-minute phone call per day would cost $6.72 week. A worker making $0.17 per hour would have to work almost 40 hours just to stay connected with family and friends for 30 minutes a day.
To pay a medical copay of $2 would require 11.76 hours of work. This would be the equivalent of a worker making $15 per hour paying a $176.40 copay per visit.
The current system puts short-term financial savings first, pushing aside investments into health, education, social connections and financial stability that can help inmates to gain social, financial and work skills necessary to succeed upon release without relying on family or other programs.
Maryland Division of Correction policies disproportionately affect Black Maryland residents, as Maryland has the highest percentage of Black prisoners in the United States. A 2019 report from the Justice Policy Institute showed that around 70% of Maryland prisoners are Black, while only about 31% of the state population is Black. UMB President Bruce E. Jarrell stated in a recent email that UMB looks to become “an institution actively working on becoming anti-racist.” It is imperative to examine the impact of policies that may be legal and constitutional but are not just and exploit members of our disinvested communities.
The current criminal justice and prison labor systems in Maryland do not align with the values and ethics of social work to “challenge social injustice” and “respect the inherent dignity and worth of the person.” With USM required to use MCE as a “preferred provider” for the purchase of items like furniture, students’ tuition continues to support MCE’s exploitative labor practices. In the most recent legislative session, a bill that would require inmates working for MCE to be paid the state minimum and provide job and educational training to all inmates who wish to participate died in committee. As students, we can continue to garner support for future bills like this one that will improve the lives of prison laborers.
~ Sign up for updates on organizing efforts HERE.
~ ATTEND the next Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee Meeting.
~ Look up and email your state senator and delegates HERE.