I often wonder why we have prison industries at all. They take jobs away from non criminal workers.
As for the strike itself, the justice system is a travesty and needs overhaul from front to back. It will go nowhere until someone with influence is incarcerated and is treated like just another arrestee.
Facility I worked at was on 3,000 acres, and, until bleeding hearts got involved, had 1500-2000 of it planted in corn, wheat, and vegetables. it had cows, pigs, and a slaughter house.
It was self sufficient, didn't cost the state a dime to feed 2,000+ inmates.
Wife keeps in contact with friends back there, and it seems that after 100 years, they have closed down all farming.
Seems a waste to me