There was an article in the Sunday Times today about the idea of allowing prison inmates to work while they’re inside and earn up to £10,000 a year to spend on porn mags and cigarettes. Oh, and they’re doing graphic design.

Yes, apparently the evil criminal mind is particularly suited to grasping the intricacies of kerning and layout, with serial bigamists displaying a penchant for logo creation and international money launderers finding that they are adept at matching to a Pantone swatch. There is a well-meaning graphic design company called Barbed which recruits prisoners as designers – After they’ve got their certificate from Shillington College of course:

Prisoners have all undergone an intensive four month training programme and will be taking apprenticeships and other work-related qualifications, so standards will be as high (if not higher) than work on the outside.

I didn’t realise they’d seen my portfolio. And the best part? Their income is tax free, not to mention the free room and board they’re getting. On the other hand doing the graphic design for KFC could be seen as a punishment in itself, client meetings are a bit awkward and they have to take an armed escort on press…