®If;" of Ibe i!lttornep <!lieneral
Wasbmgton, P ,([. 20530
October 1 4, 2010

MEMORAND Ul'o.l FOR HEADS OF DEPARTMENT CO:-'IPO:-;'ENTS
FROM:
SUBJECT:

TIIEAlTOR.t"EYGENERAL ' "

•

.)~ " ' - ; .....

Federal Prison Industries

The purpose oflhis memorandum is to express my strong support for the Federal Prison
Industries program (FP! or trade name Ul\'ICOR). an important Justice Department program. I
ask you \0 support this critical program by encouraging your stafTlo purchase FPl products and
services to the greatest extent practicable in accordance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation
(FAR),I
Through the outstanding work oflhc investigating and prosecuting components of the
Departmem. we yield thousands of successful cases each year. rcsulling in continued gTO\\1h of
the federal prison population. OUT responsibility 10 society docs not end .... hen the prison gates
dose. however. For the more than 37.500 people who work in our fedeml prisons around the
country. that is when the work begins. All of us in the Department of Justice are comm ined to
supporting prison programs. for we all have a stake in the outcome. We must help offenders
change the course of their lives such that they leal'e prison with a commitment to becoming ]a,,abiding. tax-paying members of our community. and with knowledge and skills that will support
that objC\:tile.
The bonom line is that Federal ?rison Industries is an integral part of our efforts to keep
Americans safe. As an initial malter, FPI is a critical component of the Department's reentry
efforts. FPI provides job skills training to inmates confined in our fedcral prisons around the
country through the production of market -quality goods and services _ Research has
demonstmtcd that inmates who participate in FPI are 24 percentles> likely to commit crimes and
14 percent more likely to be employed after release, when compared to similar inmates without
FPI e.~perience _ Additionally. FPI is vital to the safety and sC\:urity of federal prisons: by
keeping a large number of inmates constructil'ely occupied. FPI reduces inmate idleness and the
violence and disruption that often accompanies such inactivity. FPI helps make prisons safer for
both staff and inmates, Finally. beyond helping the Department with reentry and prison
management. FP! supports the Department's efforts by purchasing 54 percent of its raw materials
from businesses o\\T1ed by women. minorities. and those who are disadvantaged.

ISU 18 U.S.c. § 4 121

eI

seq.;

Federal Acquisition Regulation Part 8.6.

MtomOffindum for Heads ofDepartmtont Components
Page 2
FPI relies on agencies and departments in the federal government to buy their products.
thereby allowing this wholly-<Jwned government corporation to operate in a self-sustaining
manner. In recent months, as a result of a drop in sales \0 federal agcncies. FPI has been fOKed
\0 close factories. displacing hundreds of civilian workers. and reducing the impact of one of the
Department's most important correctional programs. We need your help 10 pren'nt an} further
erosion orthe program.
J am asking, ~;~~~~: h~~ review F?l's extell5i\,e catalog
which is available 0
tonsure that your procurement
to
il
allachcd summary sheet highlights the "arious product lines
Industries.

Thank you "ery much for )our support

and services.
I in order to
possible. The
through Federal Prison