Prison Industry Quiz - Question #1

Which sector employed more Texans in 1998?

–a) Manufacturers of semiconductors/other electronic components

–b) Auto repair & maintenance

–c) Private child care centers

–d) State/local prisons

Answer: d) Texas prisons are a big employer

In 1998, Texas state and local prisons employed 68,875 full- and part-time workers, compared to 65,386 for auto repair & maintenance, 61,072 for manufacturers of semiconductors/other electronic components, and 52,514 for private day care centers.

Which had a bigger annual payroll in 1998?

a) Private nursing homes

b) Department stores

c) Dentists’ offices

d) State/local prisons

Answer: d) Texas prisons have a $1.8 billion payroll annually

The 1998 annual payroll for Texas state/local prisons was $1.8 billion, versus $1.7 billion for department stores, $1.4 billion for nursing homes, and $1.2 billion for dentists’ offices. If Texas paid its prison guards at the national average of $35,200 (rather than $26,270 avg), payroll would rise to $2.4 billion.

If Texas’ prison, judicial/legal, and law enforcement employees lived in one city, it would be as big as

a) Brownsville

b) Beaumont

c) Waco

d) All of the above

Answer: d) Texas criminal justice employees would fill a large city

About 150,860 Texans were employed by state or local government in corrections, judicial/legal functions, or law enforcement in 1998--more than the city population of Brownsville (137,880), Beaumont (109,840), or Waco (108,270). Add state prison inmates, and you’d have a city the size of Corpus Christi (pop. 281,450).

Where does Texas rank among states in share of state/local spending going to prisons?

a) 50th

b) 25th

c) 10th

d) 1st

Answer: d) Texas is 1st Among States in Prison Share of Spending

In 1996, Texas led all states with 4.4 % of state/local spending going to prisons; the national average was 3.2 %. Total spending on corrections in fiscal 2000 by Texas state and local governments is estimated at $3.7 billion. With judicial/legal & law enforce-ment functions added, the cost is $7.2 billion.