A recent report has reopened debate over income disparities in the UK, with it now being found that some prisoners are paid better salaries than even the officers guarding them, as well as for those professionals like a teacher, biochemist, psychotherapist, and midwife.
In some low-security, open prisons in the UK, inmates are allowed to temporarily go out to work before returning to the prison by the end of the day. This initiative forms part of a rehabilitation strategy to prepare prisoners for reintegration into society. However, the pockets that these inmates bring back have raised eyebrows, especially considering that some earn more than the civil service employees who oversee them.
According to The Telegraph, the best-paid inmate in the UK took a net salary of $46,005 (£38,84,491) last year. The corresponding gross salary stood at around $57,640 (£48,66,907). In addition, nine more prisoners had net earnings above $28,694 (£24,22,814), and the average paid worker prisoner fetched around $25,061 (£21,16,057) annually.
Comparison With Civilians Salary
In stark contrast, the average annual salary of a prison guard in the UK is $35,085 (£29,62,446). New recruits, who are typically fresh to the role, earn approximately $30,073 (£25,39,252) per year. This puts prison officers’ wages well below those of the highest-earning inmates.
This gap will become even more pronounced when juxtaposed against other skilled positions like those of midwives ($45,889, £38,74,696), biochemists ($45,844, £38,74,274), or psychotherapists ($45,864, £38,72,585), who all receive less than some of these prisoners.
Prisoner Earning Source
While inmates carry out different duties in the rehabilitation process, the most paid ones commonly carry out duties like driving lorries. It is one of the highest paid jobs for prisoners. The Ministry of Justice reports that some prisoners also work while on temporary release and spend part of their day in the community before returning to prison.
A spokesman for the prison service explained: “Some offenders, near the end of their sentence, receive a release on temporary licence. This sees them spend some of their day in the community, often working, before returning to prison.”
Although prisoners’ wages are deducted at source to pay tax, court fines, and contributions amounting to up to 40% that will fund a charity for victims, many are still earning more than professionals in several sectors. The difference in the earnings made by prisoners and those found working in public service has posed questions as to whether the rehabilitative approach is balanced with societal norms.
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