What other "more pressing matters" could there be anyway? Making license plates? This guy is smart and experienced with software development. It would be a waste for him to do something as mundane as making license plates or digging ditches (I don't even think they use prisoners for that these days).
Random thought, but this made me imagine him reviewing code as a punishment: A chain gang of reviewers if you will.
ONE OF the main functions of the prison system today is access to prison slave labor, so I imagine they'll keep him busy.