Poland wants to put prisoners to work

The Justice Ministry is working on a program aimed at putting inmates into work that would result in the construction of 40 production halls, deputy Justice Minister Patryk Jaki told public tv broadcaster. The program will consist of three elements. The first will allow employing prisoners in sectors where it is currently not possible, for example in social housing construction. The government also plans to grant refunds for entrepreneurs willing to give prisoners jobs. The third point of the program stipulates the construction of 40 production halls. "We present an offer to employers. If they move their production to penal institutions and provide prisoners with long-term employment, the state will refund 40 percent of labor costs and will build production halls in the vicinity of prisons," Jaki said. "The construction costs will be covered by the money the prisoners earn," he added.