Inmate Minimum Wage Could Spike To $3-An-Hour Under Proposed Law

Inmates serve as prison maintenance workers, cleaners and manufacture textiles and furniture for the Department of Correctional Industries' state-run corporation Corcraft, the elected officials said.

Salaries often goes toward making phone calls home, buying food at the commissary, and "other necessities that are essential," said the bill's sponsors, who include state senators Alessandra Biaggi of The Bronx and Jessica Ramos of Queens.