American prisoners receive free medical care, housing, meals, utilities, use of exercise equipment and laundry services. The cost of these services runs into billions of dollars per year and government budgets struggle to meet these fiscal requirements. “There is a particular urgency in prisons these days. » “As state budgets tighten, the public is looking for ways to offset the cost of imprisonment” (Brown). This economic concern requires work programs to help alleviate the financial burden borne by convicted felons. Once convicted of a crime, the prisoner must take responsibility for any costs incurred. Prison labor has evolved from the days of hard labor, stone breaking and license plate making to manufacturing, data processing, electronics, agriculture, construction and even customer relations. American prisoners need to work, not to be confused with slavery, for economic reasons, recidivism and responsibility. Work programs are crucial if taxpayers are tired of paying the cost of prison financial responsibility, inmate family support and release assistance programs. The idea of ​​prison labor programs in America is not a new idea. In 1682, Pennsylvania attempted to use forced labor in state prisons, but the practice did not come to fruition until 1773. Led by the American Correctional Association, in conjunction with oversight groups, Today's prisons operate to high standards. “No phase of prison life is more important to the public or to the inmate than efficient industrial operations and intelligent utilization of prisoner labor,” a Federal Bureau of Prisons report declared in 1949. “This statement still holds true today, almost 50 years later »...... middle of paper ...... cost of prison financial responsibility, inmate family support and support programs. on release. Works Cited Brown, Robbie and Kim Severson. “Enlisting Prison Labor to Close Budget Gaps.” James, Nathan. “CPS Report for Congress.” of Oregon." nd Oregon Correctional Enterprises April 5, 2011. Roberts, John W. "Labor, Education, and Public Safety: A Brief History of the Federal Prison Industries." South Dakota Department of Corrections. nd South Dakota Department of Corrections. .Tyson, James L. “The Rise of a Cell Block Workforce.” Christian Science Monitor July 12, 1999. Whyte, Alan and Jamie Baker. “Prison labor on the rise in the United States.” May 8, 2000. wsws.org. April 5 2011 .