Alina Gorghiu presented the latest data on the number of prisoners in prisons. At the present time, in Romanian prisons, women represent only five percent of the prison population, more precisely, a number of 1,063. Out of the total number of women present in the penitentiary, 245 are paid for the activities they perform.
Alina Gorghiu: Companies that employ prisoners pay neither health nor social insurance
“It is very important to give you the number of women, because they represent only five percent of the prison population. Just so you know, women are far, far outnumbered by men in the prison system, and yet, of the 1,063 female inmates at the moment, 245 are paid for the work they do.
What is important for the economic environment in Romania to know when it requests a certain number of prisoners to be able to carry out its activity, is the fact that the companies that hire prisoners do not pay health insurance for those people, they do not pay social insurance or the fund of unemployment, and the custody and food of the detainees are provided by the place of detention, without any other expenses on the part of the beneficiary. I made these clarifications because it seems important to me that the economic environment knows that it will not be burdened by these additional expenses,” said Alina Gorghiu in the podcast “Dialogurile Puterii” moderated by Manuela Dumitru.
What is the salary of an inmate?
At the same time, Alina Gorghiu draws attention to the benefits that work can have on prisoners. Services provided by inmates can help them reintegrate into society. Not only the prisoners will benefit, but also the economic environment. Companies that request a certain number of inmates will not have to pay them social and health insurance. The data show that, at the present time, out of a total of 24,000 inmates, 19,000 are medically fit for work.
“Facilities are at hand. Now I think that for two months I made a statement somewhere in Arges, related to the prisoners and the possibility of being used by the business environment in the activities they carry out. And I want to tell you that many companies have sent requests to the National Administration of Penitentiaries, and I would be happy if the business environment, in the future, will appeal to this solution that is at hand, which the Romanian state wants to put to the test, because we both have something to gain.
I’m going to tell you about the average income received by a working inmate. Last year it was 30,239 lei, above the average salary in the economy. This remuneration received by the prisoners is negotiated by the administration of the place of detention with the company requesting the prisoners. It is also important to know that I am going to tell you exactly how these things are divided. The salary paid is not exclusive to the inmate, 40 percent goes to the inmate and the detention facility gets the rest. Why is this information relevant? So that you know that the Romanian state benefits from this work that the prisoners perform,” the Ministry of Justice also declared.
Alina Gorghiu: “The prisoner also benefits, but the Romanian state also benefits”
The amount that reaches the detention facility is used to purchase various things. In addition to work, inmates can also opt to attend schooling courses.
“The prisoner also benefits, but the Romanian state also benefits. We reinvest those amounts of money in improvements to the prison location, purchases of various things. It is also important because inmates receive earned days in the following way paid work is considered 5 days performed for 4 days of work. Unpaid work is considered 4 days performed for 3 days of work. Working at night is in a way equivalent to working during the day. Otherwise, Participation in schooling courses for various forms of compulsory general education is considered 30 days completed for the completion of a school year.
We try to stimulate them and participate in the education process, because those people from the prison system, when they go out into society, they must be able to reintegrate quickly. That means having a level of education, that means having studies. That means having a level of training, doing all kinds of courses with. Penitentiary system to be able to integrate and. The good news is that last year I had the lowest recidivism rate in ten years.
