WASHINGTON, D.C. – The National Center for Policy Analysis, The Enterprise Prison Institute, The Criminal Justice Policy Foundation and The Workman Fund will release the results of a first-of-its-kind national poll to assess public sentiment on expanding prison work programs by allowing businesses to employ inmates. The poll conducted by Luntz Research Companies measures public opinion on private businesses employing prison inmates. The survey will report:
Support and opposition for private businesses employing prison inmates – even if prisoner employment might take jobs away from law abiding citizens, and even if prisoner employment means a local business in a local community would employ prisoners inside their own state prisons.
Expanding inmate employment in state and federal prisons would save billions of taxpayer dollars in prison operation costs, allow for skilled job training of inmates and provide for restitution to victims, among other benefits.
Speakers at the press conference will include Rep. Bill McCollum, chairman of the House Crime Subcommittee, Michael J. Sullivan, secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Corrections, Knut Rostad, president of the Enterprise Prison Institute, Dr. Morgan Reynolds, director of NCPA's Criminal Justice Center, and Eric Sterling, president of the Criminal Justice Policy Foundation.
The press conference will immediately precede the National Prison Industries Forum's addresses by Attorney General Janet Reno, Rep. Bill McCollum and Texas State Representative Ray Allen to commence at 8:30 a.m. in the Columbus Room at Union Station.
WHO:
Rep. Bill McCollum, Mike Sullivan, Knut Rostad, Dr. Morgan Reynolds, Eric Sterling
WHAT:
Release of First-Ever National Opinion Poll on Business Employment of Prison Inmates
WHEN:
8:00 a.m., Tuesday, May 5, 1998
WHERE:
East Hall Entry to Columbus Room at Union Station