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Out-of-state buyers should check with their State's prison industry programs first. Please visit National Correctional Industries Association, Inc. (NCIA)

National Correctional Industries Association, Inc. (NCIA)

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ABOUT MCE

OUR MISSION

The mission of Maryland Correctional Enterprises (MCE) is to provide structured employment and training activities for offenders in order to improve employability upon release, to reduce prison idleness, to produce quality, saleable goods and services, and to be a financially self-supporting State agency.

Vision Statement

Maryland Correctional Enterprises will be an integrated, well-managed and technologically progressive organization that will provide our customers with quality goods and services. Our well-trained work force, including civilian employees and inmate workers, will demonstrate a commitment to excellence in work skills and work ethics, which will improve the employability of inmates upon release. We also strive to ensure continued professional development, performance incentive measures and training. We endeavor to employ all eligble offenders and to be a financially successful organization.

Values Statement

The following beliefs (core principles) support our mission and vision statements:

Quality and Customers
We are committed to provide our customers with the highest quality product and customer service in all areas of Maryland Correctional Enterprises.
Teamwork and Communications
We value each employee as an important part in helping to achieve the established mission of the agency through teamwork and effective communications.
Financially Successful
We will manage our financial resources (assets, profits, sales, cash, investments) to support existing operations and future expansion.
Professionalism
We value effective leadership and strive for impartiality and fairness in the workplace. We encourage personal and professional development. We recognize and reward dedication and commitment to competence and the highest standards of achievement.
Transitional Services
We are committed to quality training and preparation of our inmate workforce to enhance their employment opportunities upon release.

Recidivism

The term recidivism is defined as a reconviction and return to DOC custody or probation supervision. The recidivism rate was determined by proper analysis of the follow up of releases who worked for MCE for at least one year and who were tracked for three years after release.

Over an eight year study period, the comparison of released MCE inmates with the DOC general population reflects that MCE recidivism rates are 62% lower than the DOC rate in the first year, 52% in the second year, and 47% in the third year. Therefore, as an average, MCE recidivism rates continue to be more than 50% lower than the DOC rate.

OUR HISTORY

Although the history of correctional industries in Maryland dates back to the 19th century, Maryland Correctional Enterprises (MCE) (formerly State Use Industries) did not become the prison industry arm of the Maryland Division of Correction (DOC) until the early 1940's. The modern era of Maryland Correctional Enterprises began in 1982 when the Maryland General Assembly created the State Use Industries Act, which was Article 27, 680-681K (Now, Correctional Services Article Sections 3- 501 through 3-528) of the Annotated Code of Maryland. When the Correctional Services Article replaced Article 27 on October 1, 1999; the Advisory Committee was replaced by a Management Council and a Customer Council.

The mission of Maryland Correctional Enterprises (MCE) is to provide structured employment and training activities for offenders in order to improve employability upon release, to reduce prison idleness, to produce quality, saleable goods and services, and to be a financially self-supporting State agency.

Maryland Correctional Enterprises provides an environment for the operation of correctional industries that resembles the environment for the business operations of a private corporate entity as closely as possible. The training and employment of inmates reduces idleness, a leading cause of violence and disruptions in prisons. Even the prospect of obtaining employment with Maryland Correctional Enterprises serves as a deterrent to disruptive behavior in the prisons as eligibility requirements for inmates are to be infraction free for the last three months and to possess a high school diploma or GED.

Maryland Correctional Enterprises ranked 9th among prison industries in sales and employment, up from previous years, in the United States (based on 2007 NCIA data). This has been due to expansion, the introduction of new products and services, the upgrading of furniture lines, improved quality control and improved customer service.

In Fiscal Year 2006, Maryland Correctional Enterprises recorded sales of $42,818,759 and employed 1608 inmates. These inmates were employed in 31 plants and service centers, which are located in 9 State prisons.

Although MCE is not allowed to sell its products or services to the public, under the Prison Industry Enhancement (PIE) Program, Maryland Correctional Enterprises is permitted by the US Bureau of Justice Assistance to enter into partnerships with private industry.

MCE's direct economic contribution (through salaries, wages, and purchases of private sector goods and services) to the State’s economy was approximately $18.3 million in FY 2006. A paper entitled “Localized Impacts of Prison Labor”, by Dr. Charles E. Scott and Dr. Frederick W. Derrick, dated September 19, 2002, contains the following: “The total economic impact of the MCE in 2001 on Maryland’s economy, the sum of direct and secondary impacts, includes a total of $61 million in output or gross sales”. Maintaining the same ratio would again yield a total MCE economic impact of $74 million on Maryland’s economy in FY2006.

Over thirteen year study period, the comparison of released MCE inmates with the DOC general population reflects that MCE recidivism rates are 65% lower than the DOC rate in the first year, 57% in the second year and 53% in the third year. Therefore, MCE recidivism rates continue to be more than 58% lower than the DOC rate. During FY 2004, Drs. Scott and Derrick conducted a study on recidivism based on Ohio data and concluded that prison industry and education programs showed a large impact on recidivism.

An annual Customer Survey was initiated in CY2001 and 76% of the respondents rated SUI Excellent/Good. In CY2002, CY2003 and CY2004 over 85% rated SUI in the Excellent/Good category. In CY2003, the Rating of Products and Services was added. In CY2003 and CY2004, over 87% of the respondents rated SUI Excellent/Good. In CY2005 76% of the respondents rated SUI Good for Customer Satisfaction, Quality of Goods and Services and Delivery. In CY2005, we had the most customers to respond to our annual survey than ever before and we had a drawing for a Sapphire chair which motivated 235 customers to respond. The overall ratings for Customer Satisfaction, Quality of Products and Services and Delivery was Good.

To continue to improve Customer Satisfaction, MCE developed a rolling monthly 12-month Delivery Time Report. The average delivery time in FY2001 was 38.2 days, 36.2 days in FY2002, 43.0 days in FY2003 (increase due to State hiring freeze in FY2003), 28.0 days in FY2004, 33.4 days in FY2005 and 28.6 days in FY2006.

Maryland Correctional Enterprises trains and employs inmates in a conglomerate of Business Units located in the major State prisons. Mandatory education requirements along with the development of technical and social skills have improved the employability of inmates upon release. MCE is not only self-supporting but provides a positive direct and indirect economic impact to the State of Maryland.

Maryland Correctional Enterprises is interested in your comments. Please contact our Marketing Department, or phone (410) 540-5400.
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