WORKING ON THE CHAIN GANG? MISSOURI PRISON CHIEF SAYS THEY'RE NOT NEEDED

JEFFERSON CITY -- Missouri prison director Dora B. Schiro doubts provisions of a bill calling for the use of chain gangs and shackled prisoners in Missouri would be implemented because the use of chains wouldn't be part of an expanded rehabilitation program that puts every prisoner to work every day.

"Our emphasis," Schiro said, "is on training prisoners to get up out of their beds every morning and work at a job, just as they will be required to do when they're released."

She said the legislation offered by two freshmen senators supplements laws already enacted and wasn't requested by her department.

Senate Bill 658 was introduced by Sens. Bill Kenney of Lee's Summit, who is seeking the Republican nomination for governor, and Sam Graves of Tarkio. The measure would authorize several programs already in effect, such as establishing outside employment opportunities for convicts, and programs to improve prisoners' "physical, mental or psychological well-being, or ... instill discipline and a sense of responsibility."

The Kenney-Graves bill stipulates that "offenders participating in work programs, under this section, shall wear distinctive, colored uniforms and may be required to wear shackles and chains."

Alabama recently re-established prison chain gangs, but thus far prison officials have placed only about 200 prisoners in the program.

Although Missouri doesn't yet have a model system, major strides have been made in recent years, Schiro said, with considerable progress being made in the two problem areas that face very state: inmate idleness and overcrowding.

While isolating criminally-intent prisoners, the DOC has focused on programs designed to improve convicts' lives while behind bars. The principal focus, she said, is training convicts how to earn a living upon release and on establishing work habits that will serve them once they re-enter society. Currently some 6,800 prisoners have specific jobs and regular work assignments.

"We're providing these men with productive life training, which is the No. 1 policy goal of every system in the country," Schiro said.

In addition to those in the 19,000-prisoner system who hold daily jobs, every prisoner is required to perform some kind of work every day. The tasks include jobs in sanitation, lawn work, maintenance and food services.

The second phase of the new DOC program is education, with every prisoner without a high school diploma required to enroll in remedial classes. Last year 1,045 high school equivalency diplomas were awarded to convicts.

The department has contracts with three other state agencies: the Natural Resources and Highway and Transportation departments and the Missouri National Guard. Each uses convict labor.

"This has not only improved our program and aided these other agencies, but has resulted in a considerable savings for taxpayers as a result of lower labor costs," Schiro said.

Corrections' officials regularly negotiate contracts to supply prison labor to counties and cities in areas where prisons are situated. These contracts call for prison labor to be used in building, repairing and maintaining roads, parks, buildings and other public facilities.

Prison labor is also utilized during times of natural disasters, with work crews assigned to areas during both the 1993 and 1995 river floods.