Work rehabilitates. That’s a given in prisons around the world these days, but this constructive view is very recent.

Inmate labour is an ancient concept, and for a few millennia it was seen as a more severe form of sanction. Meanwhile, the benefit of free manpower made it common practice.

In the late 18th century, when Finland was governed by Sweden, imprisonment that involved labour was still considered a stronger punishment than simply doing time.

The turning point occurred in the early 19th century, when inmates started to be seen as individuals who could be helped on the way to rehabilitation. Working in prison took on a corrective and progressive role.

Nowadays rehabilitation through work is integral to life in prison. Inmates are encouraged to participate in workshops organized by prisons.

This kind of action activates them, helps them to cope and learn new skills, and even pays as inmates receive hourly wages for the work they put in.

Along with indirect impacts, society benefits outright from inmate labour in the form of taxes, and some of the maintenance costs of imprisonment are paid from the earnings.

Modern inmate work paves the way to rehabilitation and acts as a significant stepping-stone in adjusting to society.