These Pros Are Cons

"We have discovered, if you conduct yourself in a professional manner and you expect the inmates to conduct themselves in a professional manner, you pretty much get compliance," he explains—but just in case, he adds, a correctional officer is always on site.

Though the private sector grumbles that prison in-plants like this are undercutting them by paying inmate employees very low wages (13¢ to 26¢ an hour), Leon says his operation is justified because it not only saves taxpayers money, but it keeps inmates busy.