The Melun Prison : Prison labor | France 2 | Complément d'enquête

In order to fill up their time and to prepare themselves for eventual reinsertion into society, the prison administration encourages prisoners to work. The advantages of such work are many: reduction of sentences, leaves from the prison etc. Not to mention the salary, small, but which nevertheless enables prisoners to improve their daily life and live decently behind the bars. The prisoners can work for the administration, making various products such as administrative forms and office furniture but they can also work for private companies who have installed their workshops in the prison. Prison work resembles work in a factory, but the social rights of the prisoners are far from equaling those of workers: no social security coverage, no sick leave, no retirement. The prisoners have asked the prison administration to grant them the same rights as those receiving salaries outside but so far, no one is listening to them.