PRIDE

Prison
Rehabilitative
Industries and
Diversified
Enterprises (PRIDE)

Authorized By Legislature

Prison Rehabilitative Industries and Diversified Enterprises, Inc. (PRIDE) is a not-for-profit corporation authorized by the Florida Legislature in 1981 to operate the state prison industries. PRIDE trains prison inmates and provides them with marketable/accredited job skills and finds jobs for them upon release.

Inmate Workers Generate Revenue

Stitching a Career - An inmate worker operates computer-driven textile equipment in PRIDE's textile plant at Florida CI

In FY 1998-99 PRIDE trained 4,741 inmates who worked 4.3 million hours in 44 diverse industries located in 20 correctional institutions. Many of them trained in modern high technology trades in the areas of textiles, furniture, optical, print and digital information. In the data management arena, inmates transformed blueprints, site maps, and facility notes into computer images for Geonex, one of the foremost international authorities in base mapping image processing and Automated Mapping and Facilities Management (AM/FM) conversion. Inmate workers produced thousands of products with sales of $78 million, of which $3.6 million was provided to the state, including inmates wages totaling $1.9 million. The remainder of funds paid for room and board, victim restitution, crime compensation as well as inmate transition and support services.

Digital Based Mapping for the Future - At PRIDE's Digital Information Services industry located at Liberty CI, an inmate worker is working on a Geonex project.

Recommitment Study

Inmate workers receive job readiness training and then are contracted to be placed in jobs after release. Critical transitional support such as housing, transportation and other needs are also provided. The impact of PRIDE's job training and transition support is reflected in a lower recommitment rate. Of the 823 inmates released in FY 1996-97 who had worked for PRIDE for at least six months, 140 or 17% were recommitted within a two-year period ending FY 1998-99.