Program Highlights

ABOUT PIECP

The Prison Industry Enhancement Certification Program (PIECP) was created by Congress in 1979 to encourage states and units of local government to establish employment opportunities for incarcerated individuals that provide work opportunities. Congress expanded PIECP in 2012 to allow federal agency participation. The program is designed to place incarcerated individuals in a work environment, provide competitive wages and enable them to acquire marketable skills to increase their potential for successful rehabilitation and meaningful employment on release.

A total of 50 jurisdictions may be certified under PIECP. To become certified, each program must demonstrate to the Director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), U.S. Department of Justice, that it meets statutory and guideline requirements.

The PIECP exempts certified federal, state, local, and tribal departments of corrections from normal restrictions on the sale of incarcerated made goods in interstate commerce. In addition, the program lifts restrictions on these certified corrections departments, permitting them to sell incarcerated made goods to the Federal Government in amounts exceeding the $10,000 maximum normally imposed on such transactions.

PIECP has two primary objectives

1. Provide men and women, during incarceration, with marketable job skills, reduce prison idleness, and improve the prospects for post-release employment and ultimately successful reentry.

2. Generate products that enable incarcerated men and women to make a contribution to society, help offset the cost of their incarceration, compensate crime victims, and support their families.

Authority

PIECP was first authorized under the Justice System Improvement Act of 1979 (Public Law 96-157, Sec. 827) and later expanded under the Justice Assistance Act of 1984 (Public Law 98-473, Sec. 819). The Crime Control Act of 1990 (Public Law 101-647) authorizes continuation of the program indefinitely.

Program Benefits

PIECP allows private industry to establish joint ventures with federal, state, local and tribal correctional agencies to produce goods. The program benefits:

Corrections Administrators – The program is not only a cost-effective way to offer job skills training to a portion of the incarcerated population but also enhances safety by improving incarcerated individual behavior.
Crime Victims – The program provides a means of partial repayment to crime victims.
Families – The program allows deductions from incarcerated individual wages for family support.
Incarcerated Individuals – Through voluntary participation in the program, incarcerated individuals are offered the opportunity to work, meet financial obligations, increase job skills, and the likelihood of meaningful employment upon release.
Private Sector Companies – The program provides a stable and readily available workforce that does not displace employed workers in the community. In addition, many correctional agencies provide manufacturing space to private-sector companies involved in the program.
The Public – Through incarcerated individuals' contributions to room and board, family support, victim compensation, and taxes, the program provides a way to reduce the escalating cost of incarceration.

Eligibility

All departments of correction and juvenile justice agencies authorized by law to administer Correctional Industry programs are eligible to apply for PIECP certification.

Criteria for Program Participation

Corrections departments that apply to participate in PIECP must meet all eight of the following criteria:

Legislative authority to pay wages at a rate not less than that paid for similar work in the same locality’s private sector.
Written assurances that the program will not result in the displacement of workers employed in the community before program implementation.
Authority to provide worker benefits, including workers’ compensation or its equivalent.
Authority to involve the private sector in the production and sale of incarcerated made goods.
Written assurances that incarcerated individual participation is voluntary.
Legislative or administrative authority to collect and provide financial contributions of not less than 5 percent and not more than 20 percent of gross wages to crime victim compensation/assistance programs.
Written proof of consultation with organized labor and local private industry before program startup.
Compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act and related federal environmental review requirements.

Employment Options

There are three (3) employment options which are referred to as models. These provide options for the Certificate Holders and Vendor Partners to select the best model for their organizations.

Customer Model: This model is designed to focus on smaller volume customers that are looking for custom design and manufacturing. Customers include non-government entities.
Employer Model: This model is designed for larger scale production. In this model the program partner operates as the employer providing the education, training, equipment and all production needs. Customers include both government and non-government entities.
Manpower Model: This model is designed for operations such as call centers and graphic design services. The employer provides all the tools, training, certifications and services needed. Customers include both government and non-government entities.

The current number of Cost Accounting Centers for each model

160

Customer
Model

7

Employer
Model

14

Manpower
Model

Allowable Deductions

Corrections departments may take a series of deductions from wages earned by incarcerated individuals. Permissible deductions are limited to room and board, taxes (such as federal, state, FICA), family support, and crime victim compensation/assistance. Deductions must not total more than 80 percent of gross wages.

Taxes
Upon employment, just like any private citizen, federal, state, and local taxes are deducted from wages.

Reasonable Charges for Room and Board
Each Certificate Holder retains flexibility in determining appropriate room and board charges that may be deducted from PIECP Workers' gross wages. The room and board deduction is intended to lower the costs of incarceration. This is a fraction of the cost of incarceration.

Allocations for Family Support
Deductions for both court-ordered and voluntary family support may be taken from wages. These are deducted according to state statute, court orders and/or agreement by the PIECP Worker.

Contributions to Compensate the Victims of Crimes
Between 5 and 20% of gross wages shall be deducted, by law, for the victims of crime. This deduction may include victims' restitution.

The above deductions shall not exceed 80% of gross wages earned. A minimum of 20% of gross wages shall be deposited into the PIECP Worker's expense account, savings account and/or applied toward settling the worker's legal obligations, including the payment of legal fines and restitution.

Savings Accounts

Savings accounts are established for each PIECP Worker to educate and prepare them to transition back into the community. Good spending habits are encouraged when using funds.

Success Rates

The figures below are from a Certificate Holder tracking the rate of return to incarceration for PIECP Workers. These individuals are voluntarily monitored to measure their rate of return upon release. Statistics show that men and women who participate in PIECP Programs are more successful and less likely to return to incarceration.

The average rate of return to incarceration for Non-PIECP Workers is 31.9%*

Tennessee Rehabilitative Initiative in Correction (TRICOR)

FY21 - 18.4% 4 Year Rate
FY22 - 11.9% 3 Year Rate
FY23 - 6.7% 2 Year Rate
FY24 - 6.9% 1 year Rate

For inquiries from governmental agencies, media and the general public:

Bureau of Justice Assistance

810 Seventh Street NW

Washington, DC 20531

(202) 616–6500

www.bja.gov

This website is funded in whole or in part through a grant from the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. Neither the U.S. Department of Justice nor any of its components operate, control, are responsible for, or necessarily endorse, this Web site (including, without limitation, its content, technical infrastructure, and policies, and any services or tools provided).