It is sensible for prison inmates to engage in constructive work during their incarceration, to gain skills for the time when they are free again.
But it is not sensible that in Tennessee and seven other states, some prisoners, apparently in job skills programs, are given access to citizens' Social Security numbers. In fact, it's dangerous.
The federal government urges states not to permit inmates access to such sensitive information, but the practice continues in Tennessee, as well as Alabama, Arkansas, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Dakota and West Virginia, according to news accounts.
Prisoners see the Social Security numbers and other information while doing data-entry work to help states, cities, counties, courts and nonprofit organizations save money.
Reducing government costs, like providing inmates job skills, is desirable. But neither of those goals is worth the risk involved in giving convicted criminals access to Social Security numbers. In fact, there have been instances of inmates trying to leave their work stations with stolen names, Social Security numbers, birth dates and the like, and some inmates may memorize such data for later improper use.
That could pose a serious problem for someone whose Social Security number is used to obtain fraudulent credit cards or services. Identity theft can ruin an innocent person's credit for years. Stolen Social Security numbers are used by illegal aliens, too.
Preparing inmates for productive lives once they return to society is a worthy goal, but it should not trump common sense nor compromise the security of confidential records.