EVIDENCE OF INMATE LABOR

Abstract

This study analyzes data related to the integration of incarcerated individuals into productive activities, theoretically articulating contemporary trends in labor. It is justified by addressing strategic elements for extracting "more value" today, such as entrepreneurship, corporate social responsibility, and human dignity. The objective is to promote the effective integration of incarcerated individuals and those released from the prison system into the labor market. Given that mass incarceration is widely used as a primary tool in combating crime, it becomes essential to examine the effects of this logic on Brazilian society. The issue of the productive integration of incarcerated individuals into the workforce is marked by contrasts and polarizations. The methodology adopted is a qualitative literature review of existing materials on work within the prison system. It is strategic to establish a connection between the State and the business sector, reflecting contemporary dynamics of capitalist expropriation. Prisoners, historically perceived as a "useless" portion of the industrial reserve army in the capitalist system, become instrumentalized and subordinated to new forms of economic exploitation. Criminal Policies and Management encompass the planning, implementation, and analysis of actions aimed at the criminal justice system. Article 28 of the Penal Execution Law reinforces this understanding by establishing that the work of the convicted person is a fundamental right. The historical evolution of punishment and current prison management models are highlighted, evidencing that its essence still carries profound structural contradictions. Prisons, conceived as environments for subjective reconstruction, end up deepening processes of marginalization. This reality demands a critical and urgent review of current penal paradigms. Investment in post-release support strategies is essential for prison labor to effectively achieve its transformative purpose.