http://www.alternet.org/story/32647/

Except
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Labor camps

There also was another little-noticed item posted at the U.S. Army website, about the Pentagon's Civilian Inmate Labor Program. This program "provides Army policy and guidance for establishing civilian inmate labor programs and civilian prison camps on Army installations."

The Army document, first drafted in 1997, underwent a "rapid action revision" on Jan. 14, 2005. The revision provides a "template for developing agreements" between the Army and corrections facilities for the use of civilian inmate labor on Army installations.

On its face, the Army's labor program refers to inmates housed in federal, state and local jails. The Army also cites various federal laws that govern the use of civilian labor and provide for the establishment of prison camps in the United States, including a federal statute that authorizes the attorney general to "establish, equip, and maintain camps upon sites selected by him" and "make available … the services of United States prisoners" to various government departments, including the Department of Defense.

Though the timing of the document's posting -- within the past few weeks -- may just be a coincidence, the reference to a "rapid action revision" and the KBR contract's contemplation of "rapid development of new programs" has raised eyebrows about why this sudden need for urgency.

These developments also are drawing more attention now because of earlier Bush administration policies to involve the Pentagon in "counter-terrorism" operations inside the United States.
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Post from commenter:

I think that some of the camps, at least, are going to be for bankrupt people. I've read that 75% of American households are on the brink financially, overloaded with debt that they can't hope to repay. There is going to be a tipping point where mass numbers of people get their credit shut off and their houses repossessed. What to do with the growing waves of homeless? Work camp, of course - not only do we provide housing for the dispossessed, but we punish the deadbeats for living such prolifigate lives on their measly $40K annual salary for a family of four. (Who do these people think they are, acting like they deserve things like medical care and safe housing?) America is a society of winners and losers. In the past, it used to be that losers were simply discarded. Now, losers are increasingly subject to overt predation and punishment. It's a crime to lose.

I hope I'm wrong, but my prediction is that at least 80 percent of the detention space is going to be used to imprison people who lost the economic game.
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I agree. Being broke, deadbeat, and declaring it with the US court system can be used against you and would be an almost inexhaustible supply of "free" labor. No need for drafting here. It's a real sad state of affairs.

Here is a list of people who are NOT ELIGIBLE for the Army program.

e. Participants. Only inmates classified as minimum level security will participate in the Civilian Inmate Labor
Program. Minimum level security inmates do not need constant guard. Corrections facilities will be responsible for
ensuring that only minimum level security inmates participate in the inmate labor program and for selecting inmate
participants.

(1) Memoranda of agreement with the corrections facility will state that the installation commander will direct the
removal of any inmate deemed undesirable or detrimental in any way to the mission, soldiers, family members, or
civilian employees of the installation.

(2) Under no circumstances will the following types of inmates be permitted in the Civilian Inmate Labor Program:

(a) A person in whom there is a significant public interest as determined by the corrections facility superintendent in
coordination with the installation commander.

(b) A person who has been a significant management problem in their current corrections facility or in another
facility.

(c) A principal organized crime figure.

(d) An inmate convicted of a sex offense or whose criminal history includes such conduct.

(e) An inmate convicted of a violent crime or whose criminal history includes such conduct.

(f) An inmate convicted of the sale or intent to distribute illegal drugs who held a leadership position in any drug
conspiracy, or has been involved with drugs within the last 3 years while in prison.

(g) An escape risk.

(h) An inmate who poses a threat to the general public as determined by the corrections facility superintendent in
coordination with the installation commander.

(i) An inmate declared or found insane or mentally incompetent by a court, administrative proceeding, or physician,
or under treatment for a mental disease or disorder.

(j) An inmate convicted of arson.

(k) A Federal inmate convicted while on active duty, presently serving a sentence for that conviction.