Georgian inmates offered paid work outside prison walls

Inmates serving prison sentences in Georgia's correctional facilities are being given a range of paid work opportunities in a new initiative by the Ministry of Corrections of Georgia.

An announcement earlier today by the state office said convicts in prisons would be able to do renovation, repair, maintenance and gardening work for the penitentiary system. The vast majority of the work would be inside the prisons while several tasks will be outside the prison walls.

Some of the work included minor renovation works to rooms and buildings, repairing furniture and cultivating green space in the prison yards.

To be eligible for these work opportunities, inmates must submit an application and receive necessary recommendation from the related facility's doctors and an approval from the director of the prison facility.

Cultivating green space in prison yards is among the paid work offered to inmates. Photo from the Ministry of Corrections of Georgia.

The inmates must then sign work contracts before they can perform their duties; whether it be inside the penitentiary facilities or in the outer perimeter of the prison's administrative complexes.

When the work is completed, inmates will receive payment for their services. Payment will be determined by the hours of work carried out and the skill involved.

There are some limitations in place preventing inmates from working on maintenance and facade work on high-rise buildings and jobs involving classified materials.

Items made by Georgian prisoners are often exhibited and sold at public events. Photo from the Ministry of Corrections of Georgia.

The work initiative was made possible through changes introduced to the local incarceration code.

The work program aimed to boost income opportunities for convicts and contribute to their rehabilitation and reintroduction to society.

The Corrections Ministry said further novelties would be introduced in the penitentiary system, including an online sale of items made by prison inmates.

Other recent changes to the penitentiary system allow prisoners the chance to sell items their handcrafted items in public exhibitions. Types of items made by prisoners include furniture, children's toys paintings, and crafts like woven blankets and dyed felts.