Inside the Texas Prison Where Inmates Learn Welding and Fabrication

Hoods down and sparks are flying, and it's just another day in the welding shop; however, at this shop, the workers don't get to go their homes after work. These workers go back to their prison cells. In Texas, inside a Texas Department of Criminal Justice unit, is a stainless steel plant staffed by inmates.

The inmates at the O.L. Luther Unit in Navasota are learning valuable skills they can use once they are released from prison. The Luther Unit opened in 1982 and is home to over 1,300 inmates. It is situated near the Pack Unit.  Like other prisons within the TDCJ, Luther is home to a plant or factory; theirs is a stainless steel plant.

What Is the Luther Unit Stainless Steel Plant?

The Luther Stainless Steel Plant makes security fixtures, toilets, benches, water tanks, and bleachers. These products are used throughout the TDCJ system and are available for purchase outside the prison system.

Read More: Clements Unit Inmates In Amarillo Craft Shoes for Texas Prisons

Why Job Skills Matter After Prison Release

The skills learned in a shop like this include welding, fabrication, and much more.  Inmates who leave prison with in-demand skills are more likely to secure good-paying jobs. Skills like welding and fabrication offer not just job training, but also hope. When inmates have a purpose, recidivism rates drop.

Read More: Dangerous Texas Prison Manufactures An Unexpected Product

Other Prison Programs at the Luther and Pack Units

Other inmate work programs at the Luther and Pack Units include a cow operation, field crops, a farm shop, security horses, a canine program, swine finishing, grain storage, and a buffalo ranch.