You can't make this stuff up.
UPDATE: Do I object in principle to work programs in prison? No, of course not. But, I do object to the callous claims that this is about prisoner rehabilitation and job training when states are actively cutting prisoner education programs. I do object to the fact that the companies don't appear to be bidding for access to these workers, or having any competition, so they're effectively monopsony buyers of labor in these prisons and they're using state property for nothing. I do object to the fact that there is some degree of coercion here - obviously working looks good to a parole board. And, on the other side, while the liberal in me knows that some prisoners are people capable and fully intending to lead straight lives, the realist in me knows that, well, they are convicted criminals and I don't really want them having jobs like working in call centers, where they can have access to personal information of people on the outside.
In a just world Ed Meese would be in prison stamping out license plates, not working with the lunatics and racists at the Heritage foundation to provide a slave labor class for the country.
