Making the transition back into the free world after prison is challenging. Trying to find reliable work is central to this. Prison labor is often framed as rehabilitative—teaching skills, outlooks, and practices that are said to help reintegrate the formerly-imprisoned into society. 

How does this align with what this week’s materials tell us?

 How can our toolkit from the sociology of work help us understand the role of not only

(a) prisoners’ work while they are inside prison, but

 (b) former prisoners’ role in and contributions to the labor market once they get out?