Prison work: A guide to regulated and rehabilitative-based approaches – informed by lived experience

Prison work is frequently unpaid or remunerated at only a fraction of the national minimum wage and often fails to meet basic subsistence needs. Many people in prison were already affected by poverty prior to imprisonment, and poverty is often criminalised through discriminatory laws and practices. This risks entrenching inequality and increasing financial pressure on families, underscoring the need for prison work to align with fair pay and human rights standards. 

Although many people in prison undertake some form of work, most prison work remains informal and unregulated. Where formal work programmes exist, legal and policy frameworks vary widely, including in the nature and allocation of work. In practice, people in prison generally have significantly fewer protections than workers in the community, with reports in some contexts of exploitative and abusive working conditions. 

Informed by lived experience, this guide sets out a human rights-based approach to prison work. It addresses key considerations for effective work programmes, necessary safeguards, potential rights violations and the role of prison work in rehabilitation and social reintegration. It is intended as a practical resource for policymakers, prison authorities, oversight bodies and other stakeholders and reflects growing calls for clearer international standards and stronger safeguards around prison work. 

The guide includes a 10-point plan for regulated, rehabilitative-based approaches to prison work.