Areca Plates Manufactured by Prisoners in the Central Prison

I think that it is important to be clear about the fact that the reach of the prison industrial complex is global. This was brought home to me again this weekend when I read an article about the labor of Indian prisoners who make everything from soap to clothing.

From an article in the Hindu newspaper titled “Jail Production Hits A New High“:

Production by the prison industrial units in the Tiruchi Central Prison involving convicts touched a new high in the 2009-10 financial year.

Over 100 convicts undergoing lengthy prison terms are making products such as file pads, washing soaps, candles, areca plates, bandage cloth and gauze cloth and uniforms, which are supplied to various government departments and private units.

Production of file pads by the binding industrial unit crossed the one lakh mark for the first time in 2009-10. The total number of file pads, which are supplied to various government offices, manufactured in 2009-10 was 1.25 lakh — 50,000 more than that of the previous year.

The total number of soap bars manufactured in 2009-10 exceeds 2.79 lakh.

The soap bars are supplied to prisons across the State besides government hospitals, government homes and the Fire and Rescue Services Department, say prison authorities.

Through 30 handlooms, the weaving industrial unit produced over 11,000 blankets. In addition to supplying to prisoners and prison staff, the blankets are delivered to the police and fire and rescue services departments, government hospitals and government homes.

Ten thousand metres of gauze and 18,000 metres of bandage were produced in 2009-10. The raw materials are procured and given to prison industrial units for manufacture of the products.

The prison industrial units in Tiruchi jail recorded highest production in 2009-10 when compared to the last four years, says the Superintendent of Prison, Central Prison, Tiruchi A. Murugesan.

Wages are paid to the convicts involved in the manufacture of products and the amount is handed over to them at the time of release, say the authorities.

Mr. Murugesan said about 34 tonnes of candles were manufactured through support and assistance from a non-governmental organisation and supplied to a private unit.

Ever since the areca leaf plate manufacturing unit was set up inside the prison in April 2009 in association with a service organisation, over two lakh areca plates had been manufactured and supplied, he added.

The prison also had a tailoring unit which makes uniforms for convicts lodged in Tiruchi and Cuddalore Central Prisons besides to Borstal School at Pudukottai where young offenders are lodged.