Commercial Prison Blues brand garments are produced at the Eastern Oregon Correctional Institution. The garment manufacturing operation is one of the largest prison industries in the state. The Prison Blues enterprise manufactures denim blue jeans, yard coats, and work shirts for Oregon prison inmates and commercial sales to the public.
The Prison Blues production facility was established in 1989 by Inside Oregon Enterprises, a division of the Oregon Department of Corrections. The start-up cost for the 37,000-square-foot (3,400 m2) production facility was financed by a Federal grant, but the operation is now self-financing. By 1998, the Prison Blues brand was being sold in 30 states and overseas. In 2001, Prison Blues began marketing its denim jeans and other garments on-line. Today, the Prison Blues brand is a successful commercial product line sold across the United States and internationally.
Inmates who work in the Prison Blues factory are all volunteers. In fact, there is always a long waiting list of inmates who would like to join the Prison Blues workforce. To be eligible, an inmate must have a record of good conduct and successfully interview with the factory personnel office, an experience that helps inmates prepare for job interviews outside prison. Once hired, an inmate must continue to demonstrate good behavior and produce garments that meet the Prison Blues standard of quality. Inmates working in the Prison Blues factory are paid prevailing private sector wages. They are also eligible for quality and productivity bonuses. Part of their salary is returned to the state to help cover the cost of incarceration, pay victim restitution, and provide family support. Inmates also pay both state and Federal taxes on their earnings. The inmate can save the remaining amount or use it to provide additional family support, take college courses, or purchase items at the prison store.
Read more about this topic: Eastern Oregon Correctional Institution