NCJ Number
182416
Date Published
August 1999
Length
54 pages
Annotation
The U.S. General Accounting Office obtained information on correctional work programs under the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) and in State prison systems to explore the extent to which inmates had access to personal information, prison safeguards and procedures related to personal information, and inmate misuse of information obtained through correctional work programs.
Abstract
Mail surveys were sent to BOP and State correctional officials to obtain information on inmates who had access to personal information as part of their participation in correctional work programs. Data were collected and analyzed between June 1998 and June 1999. About 1,400 inmates had access to personal information through correctional work programs; about 1,100 had access to names and dates of birth or Social Security numbers. The BOP and 19 States used a variety of safeguards to prevent inmates from misusing personal information. These safeguards included close supervision, selective hiring, confidentiality agreements, and security checks at exits from work areas. Less than 1 percent of the BOP's correctional industry income and no more than 22 percent of State correctional industry income resulted from contracts in which inmates had access to personal information. Further, about 5,500 inmates in the BOP and 31 States had access to only names and addresses or telephone numbers. Respondents described nine incidents in which inmates misused personal information. In four of the nine incidents, inmates removed information from work areas, either physically or by memorization. In five incidents, correctional work programs were discontinued. Supplemental information is appended on the study methodology and findings. 2 tables