Should inmates have to work?

Forcing prisoners to do work for breaking laws they did not agree to be bound by? That sounds plenty immoral to me.

 

In less than 10 years time I KNOW it was about a quarter an hour (in huntsville, TX). It is NOT Anything over a dollar here, its used for commisary (the jacked up "snacks" and overpriced toothpaste , socks ect) so there is no need for a "living wage" . You seem to forget work itself is considered a priveledge to these inmates ... there are unforseen benefits such as additional pillows and sometimes (primarily for trustee/laundry crews) additional sleep mats! Let alone the extra food! That and the oppurtunity to uh LEAVE PRISON albeit a short time. These things alone are invaluable.

Tl;Dr You are full of shit, USA doesnt pay $1.40 and there are a large number of 3rd world countries whose DAILY wages dont pay $1.40 OUTSIDE of prison. Quit talking out of your ass.

 

I'd honestly make them break rocks with pickaxes or something of that sort. Strip them of everything. It's a joke how much the taxpayer has to pay per inmate. The current prison system in developed countries is a business scheme to milk some taxpayers money.

Unfortunately we don't live in a perfect world where everyone gets to do what they want. There are social norms that must be followed for the current system to work and if someone doesn't play by the rules then he must be removed from the game.

 

So you agree that it's immoral, but because we don't live in a perfect world who cares? You're right, we don't live in a perfect world. Instead we live in a world where we force everyone to obey the 'rules' of 'the game', and threaten to kill them if they do not. Far from perfect, sounds like an episode of Saw.

Anyways, what does it even mean for the current system to 'work'?

 

When he says sweatshop wages, he means it. They get paid like $.50/h. The court system already drains people of their money, breaking the law doesn't necessarily mean you have to become a slave. However, I think it is a win/win situation if low-risk prisoners are given the opportunity to work for lighter sentences.

 

I think what's really important is to look at the choice in the matter. Rather than the wages.

Is there a punishment for the refusal to work? If so, what is it?

Is there a choice in the hours you wish to dedicate? If so, what's the choice?

 

Prisons should be places of rehabilitation. If working helps that goal then they should. If it doesn't, they shouldn't.

 

You're going to rehab a murderer of 3 women? No.

Prisons should be places where the inmates learn to not f**k up like they did before.

Rehab centers in prisons should be for the inmates that have a chance of getting out eventually. Otherwise, might as well put em to work and get some things accomplished.

 

Sure, why not? Everyone has a chance to change and prisons should strive to give everyone a new life.

 

I have some news for you. We have not invented a "cure" for mental disorders just drugs/prisons. Thinking/hoping/wishing that most people can be cured is just wrong and we should face the facts. The high odds of a former prisoner commiting a new crime is obvious proof that we can't fix the brain and making them smarted while in prison will just come to bite us in the ass.

 

Why spend money and time on someone who is going to be in there tell they die?

Rehab for inmates that have lesser sentences and are going to get out eventually, sure why not.

 

Other countries have much lower recidivism rates than the US. It is not impossible. In fact it is obviously very possible. You just have to give people a chance and a realistic way to not get back into trouble.

Why do they have to be in there until they die? I think it is Sweden? or Denmark that caps all prison sentences at 21 years unless they are deemed to still be a threat to the general population.

 

Rehabilitation is just the politically correct way to refer to the penal system. The prison system exists as a deterrent for crimes. It doesn't actually rehabilitate shit, they know right from wrong already. In many cases, people go to prison and learn how to commit crimes instead of learning how not to.

Let's say you are a kid and your mom says no cookies before dinner. If you eat cookies before dinner, and she gives you a spanking, the spanking isn't "rehabilitation", it's a consequence. It doesn't make you like cookies less, it just makes you like cookies less than the consequences.

It's easy to relate it to Sythe as well. The there are consequences for breaking rules. Users are (mostly) well aware of the rules. If a user scammed a million dollars in BTC and they got banned, is the ban rehabilitating them? No. The threat of a ban is what keeps them from scamming a $10 trade.

In basically all cases, the harsher the punishment relative to the crime, the less likely someone is to commit a crime. Will required labor in prisons reduce crime? Probably not by a noticeable amount. However, it can be mutually beneficial to the State and to the inmate, but I'll reiterate that it shouldn't be 'mandatory' because that is essentially slavery.

 

Ill have you know prison and jail DOES rehabilitate SOME people. Therefore your argument is invalid, I have coworkers , friends and even a family member who have all gone to prison and come out far better people. To discredit its effectiveness at actually rehabilitating is one thing but to say it doesnt work entirely is outright stupid.

There are LOTS of programs to rehabilitate people in prisons, schools (college credits!), trade schools, work release programs half way houses, 12 steps (AA, NA ect) , church bs ect. And sometimes, not all that often .. people surprise you and come out a better person and actually do good for themselves and others. Some people have little to no other chance in life but crime, prison works with these people to give them skills that can be used for good on the outside. My cousin went in a delinquent gangbanging moron, came back with 5 college credits, an electricians license and the aspiration to NEVER go back by any means.

 

Right from wrong? There is much more to crime than that. Socioeconomic status is more of a driver of crime than anything else. Being in a gang seems like the right thing to do when they give you a purpose and belonging. Killing rivals isn't immoral because they are a threat and you are at war with them. There is no absolute morality and prisons should understand this and seek to give those at their weakest points a chance at rehabilitation.

Did you know that it is completely legal to ask potential employees if they have been convicted of something and deny them employment if they have? Do you know what happens to someone who has already turned to crime when they can't find a job and are living on the streets? They turn to what they know because people think they should suffer for doing something wrong and that suffering just causes them to do more wrong since they do not see any other choice. Prison isn't a thought when someone robs a gas station so they can buy some food or so they can buy some meth because they are addicted to that.

Did you know the US has the largest number of prisoners in the world? We also lock up the highest percent of our citizens than anywhere else in the world. More than Russia. More than China. More than the harshest dictatorship. Land of the free my ass.

 

Let's not even get started with the US cause there is no end to that road.

The amount of taxpayers money being spent per inmate is just ridiculous. For some people its a paid holiday + getting fed 3 times a day.

The only solution to crime in overal is a healthy family and a correct upbringing. So yeah don't be dicks to your cildren and teach them how to communicate/debate instead of blitchslapping them around or yelling at them.

 

Bard College has a college program for inmates and it actually causes the state to spend LESS money because it makes less people come back to prison.

 

Inmates are new slaves. They should not be forced to work

 

My parents are both Correction Officers so I know a decent amount about this. A lot of low risk inmates like working, it gives them something to do with their long days and they get a small amount of money that they can use for commissary. There are so many jobs that they can to while in prison that can also transfer to the real world, such as working in a warehouse and unloading, loading trucks for delivery, cutting other inmates hair, or working in a kitchen. A lot of jobs gives them a chance to get out of the facilities and see what they are missing, making them just want to serve good time and get out ASAP.

They shouldn't be forced to work though, they are already stuck in prison and serving their time.

 

I'm a bit two-sided on this debate. As upuser said above me, prisoners can be active, and have something to do while they serve their time, rather than eat up tax dollars and sit for countless hours with no gain on either side. Though, I don't believe they should be forced to work, but rather have the choice to participate if they would like to do so. They could obtain a small amount of pay, and possibly build their physique another way, rather than the conventional prison-yard weight lifting routine. As for inmates with... 'bad track records,' I wouldn't trust (most) of them as far as I could throw them.