Planet Money

A new experiment in remote work … from the inside

November 7, 2025

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  • Maine is pioneering an experiment allowing incarcerated individuals to hold remote jobs for outside companies, paying fair market wages, which originated from expanding access to online education in prison. 
  • Incarcerated remote workers like Preston Thorpe are earning significant salaries (up to six figures) and maintaining employment records cleaner than many outside workers, demonstrating high motivation and productivity. 
  • The Maine Department of Corrections, led by Randall Liberty, manages the earnings by directing deposits to the state, prioritizing victim restitution and court fees before allowing residents access to funds for personal use or savings. 

Segments

Introduction to Remote Worker Darlene
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(00:00:25)
  • Key Takeaway: Incarcerated individual Darlene George works full-time remotely as a grants program coordinator from her cell in Maine.
  • Summary: Darlene George works remotely as a grants program coordinator for a local health center in Maine, a position she has held full-time from her cell for nearly two years. She manages responsibilities like scouting and monitoring grants, adhering to external work schedules and expectations. Her colleagues are fully aware that she is incarcerated.
Preston Thorpe’s Six-Figure Salary
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(00:04:33)
  • Key Takeaway: Software engineer Preston Thorpe, incarcerated in Maine, earns a senior-level salary, confirmed to be in the six figures.
  • Summary: Preston Thorpe, a senior-level software engineer, confirmed his salary is in the six figures, which is double the pay of the corrections officers guarding him. His employment is part of the Maine experiment allowing remote work for fair market wages. This employment has given him a renewed sense of purpose while serving his sentence.
Origin of Prison Remote Work
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(00:06:14)
  • Key Takeaway: The remote work initiative in Maine prisons grew directly out of the expansion of online college classes during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Summary: The concept began when educational classes for incarcerated individuals moved online due to COVID, leading to the idea of providing laptops for coursework. This educational framework expanded into allowing real outside-world jobs for fair market wages. Currently, only 45 people in Maine prisons have secured these remote positions.
Hiring a Top Coder
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(00:09:06)
  • Key Takeaway: Preston Thorpe’s exceptional contributions to an open-source database rewrite led the CEO of Turso to hire him despite his incarceration.
  • Summary: Preston became a top contributor to an open-source project rewriting the prevalent SQLite database using his favorite programming language. Glauber Costa, CEO of Turso, discovered Preston’s location after seeing his high-quality GitHub contributions. The company specifically created a position for Preston after confirming the possibility of working around the prison employment restrictions.
Background Check Anomaly
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(00:11:18)
  • Key Takeaway: Preston Thorpe passed his security background check because the check only covers the last seven years, and he has been incarcerated for nine.
  • Summary: Turso faced a hurdle clearing data security compliance rules, requiring a background check for Preston. Since Preston had been incarcerated for nine years, his record was clean for the standard seven-year check period. This resulted in him having a cleaner background check than many outside applicants, such as the CEO who had a parking ticket.
Commissioner Liberty’s Rationale
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(00:14:09)
  • Key Takeaway: Maine Corrections Commissioner Randall Liberty allowed the program based on personal history and a focus on community benefit and restitution.
  • Summary: Commissioner Randall Liberty, whose father was incarcerated, guards him as a young corrections officer, influencing his approach to corrections. The program started when Colby College requested an incarcerated resident, who was pursuing a master’s degree, teach as an adjunct professor. Liberty prioritizes the opportunity for workers to pay restitution to victims and support families outside.
Salary Disbursement Priorities
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(00:17:47)
  • Key Takeaway: Remote worker salaries are deposited directly to the Department of Corrections, which then allocates funds based on a strict priority list before the resident receives the remainder.
  • Summary: The employer deposits the salary directly to the Maine Department of Corrections, which then manages disbursements via request forms. Victim restitution is the top priority, taking 25% of the salary, followed by court fees and fines (another 25%). Child support, federal/state taxes, and a 10% room and board fee are also deducted before the remaining money is available to the resident.
Concerns Over Future Fees
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(00:22:48)
  • Key Takeaway: There is concern that future commissioners might drastically increase fees, mirroring Alabama’s 40% cut from prison workers, despite Maine’s current low 10% room and board charge.
  • Summary: Maine currently charges a 10% room and board fee, generating about $40,000 last year from these workers, but the Department of Corrections is seeking legislative approval for a small monthly technology fee (up to $35). Commissioner Liberty worries that a future administration might exploit the revenue potential, increasing cuts to levels seen in Alabama, which takes 40% of in-person prison worker wages.