Business Russia polls firms about possible prisoner labor use

MOSCOW, Aug 9 (PRIME) -- Organization Business Russia has launched a poll asking companies in 85 regions whether they are ready to use the labor of criminal convicts, Yekaterina Avdeyeva, head of the legal policies expertise department, told PRIME on Tuesday.

"It is assumed that in case of a due involvement of the business community, the program of forced labor can be extended to 100,000 people, which means that development of a chain of correction centers and stimulation of business cooperation with the Federal Penitentiary Service will open the possibility of attracting extra labor on the entire territory of our country and to reduce the repeat offense cases significantly," Avdeyeva said.

The official said that under the program, prisoners will be able to retain their jobs after serving the term, and the salaries will be competitive.

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