The Role of Prisons in Offshoring

Abstract

Outsourcing and offshoring are popular (and often controversial) trends in American business, yet not all outsourcing is done in foreign countries; many jobs are being sent to prisons, where inmates can provide low-cost, locally based labor. This trend has extended from a role in manufacturing to whitecollar jobs, like telemarketing. This chapter analyzes this type of outsourcing in terms of the costs and benefits for business and consumers, as well as the social implications.