PRISONS BRINGING IN MILLIONS OF DOLLARS

Berkeley - A Berkeley economist says prisons are producing much more than
just license plates, with California's prison products - ranging from
prunes to shoes - generating more than $150 million a year.

The state's prison farms and factories also produce farm and dairy items
such as eggs, as well as almonds, furniture, mattresses and clothing,
according to a report by George Goldman, an economist at UC-Berkeley.

Prisons also cut meat, roast coffee, offer dental and optical services, run
a knitting mill - as well as make $10million worth of license plates each
year.

The report says California has the nation's largest state prison work
program, employing about 7,000 inmates in 23 units.

"If you wiped out the California Prison Industry Authority, you'd lose
$62million in personal income in the state," Goldman said.

The biggest prison products are food, with $33 million in annual sales.
Prison work programs in California are voluntary.

Pay scales range from 30 cents to 95 cents per hour, but inmates are eager
to take the available positions, the report says.

Checked-by: Mike Gogulski