Should inmates have to work?

I got thinking about this today at work in thinking about what happens to those who go to prison and why we're not using them at resources.

Why don't we have some sort of regulated way of making them work? I mean, why stick them in jail and waste money? We're always saying that we only buy things from China and other third world countries because labor is so cheap.

Should we force inmates to work and produce?

 

A lot of them do work at least in the U.S. They have programs inside prisons where the inmates that are considered low risk are allowed to work. It's considered a privilege. I mean anyone who is stuck in prison and does nothing but sit around all day would love to work to keep their mind busy and make some money on the side too. I would go insane if I couldn't work inside prison.

 

They do work inside US prisons, they get paid like sweatshop wages though.

 

I don't think they should make any money for doing any of their work and if they do then it should be next to nothing.

 

Yeah, they earn like 10 cents or some shit like that per hour...

It shouldn't be mandatory though, it's optional and considered a privilege.

 

Strip them of their TV's, their game consoles, their luxuries and everything else the tax payer supplies for them. Chain gang em and have them picking the litter at the side of the road or something.

Prison system is a joke and like a comfortable second home.

 

Not forced particularly, maybe offered for those luxuries Roary mentioned.

 

They give them a little bit, so they can buy cigarettes and shit, but not much at all. They just like to work because that is pretty much all there is to do in prison, which is why only inmates with good behavior get to.

What prison system are you talking about? I've never heard of any jail or prison having game consoles lol. You have the wrong idea of what prison is like. It's definitely not like a comfortable second home.

 

This is already a thing of having workers work for cheap cheap salaries.

They get that money and I think can only spend it on stuff inside the prison like a book or some candy or something. Like buy a tv for your cell and what not.

I learned about that on a High School field trip to the correctional facility at the capital of our state.

 

They ARE paid next to nothing, if there is no incentive they wont do a good job or work at all. They cant MAKE anyone work (this isnt nazi germany and labor camps). Not all prisoners are rapists, murderers ect either. Prison is supposed to a place of rehabilitation for those who have done wrong, not a source of slave labor and cheap goods . I do however like to see them contributing and helping pay for their room and board.

This . Roary i dont know what its like in the UK but it is CERTAINLY not that way stateside...

Im certain most of you have never stepped foot in a prison or jail one and are making judgments based on tv, hearsay and completely made up bullshit.

 

The UK one. Where murderers are let out 8 years later. I know several people who would rather be in jail, with their TV's and games consoles than on the outside.

Not all about 'murica m8s. I wouldn't make the claim if it weren't true xd

 

I agree it is def not like that in the US. I think they should have to work and some of it should go back to the tax payers. I personally wouldn't want to be in prison ether way.

 

you've never seen the guys pick up trash on highways and such?

 

The UK system is very lax. Very, very lax.

 

Boatswin I have but what they make should be going back to the tax payers and all inmates should have to work one way or another to pay back what we the tax payers are forking out. Also @ Roary remind me to go to a UK jail if i ever got arrested lol American jails are not so lax.

 

Should? Yes Force? No

Jail/Prison is basically timeout for adults. If we forced labor upon criminals, this would be similar to concentration camps. Obviously it would be different because they committed an offence, but nonetheless, it would be inhumane. On the bright side, there are many programs for prison & jail inmates while incarcerated, such as cleaning the streets, construction site jobs, or working in the prison itself (eg. kitchen, laundry, etc), as well as college opportunities.

 

they can only do so much, what can you think of that you would trust a inmate to do?

 

I think a great punishment for murderers etc, is to send them to a third world country and make them work in an enclosed sweat shop..

 

Almost everyone work in Jail and even in the 3rd world country's they get around 1.40$ per hour..
Its not only about the money but they also cut the sentence with 1/3 when you work..
10 cents per hour ? Dude,cmon haha you make me laugh hard really.