Should inmates have to work?

I think work for inmates can be compared to a person going out with some friends and having a good time. It gets them out of their cell for so many hours a day or week. Should they HAVE to work? No. I believe inmates who show change or even have a long standing record of good behavior should be given the right to work. The rest should sit there in their cell. Giving someone a place to live for free, a way to make money (Even if it is pennies per hour), and free food won't help to promote change. So no, I don't believe they should have to work. I believe it's a great opportunity for those who have earned it.

 

We force them to work in a way. Say an inmate gets out, he's not going to find a good paying job. He's left in the dirt for a company like kraft. They get all the hard labor jobs that everyone else doesn't want to do. (Factory work) You wouldn't have a bumper on your car without them.

 

I think how this should work is..

Inmates are given the OPTION to work, but instead of them receiving the money, the money will be given to their respective families. I don't think forced labor should be imposed, and that definitely won't happen in the United States where people are "all about freedom and human rights" .

 

end of the day, not all immates are bad people.
Stupid decisions like drinking and driving can make you end up life in prison

But I feel as all imates deserve to work, atleast it shows they still value a responsibility even if its not much they are given.

 

Well, we aren't exactly fighting a war in Iraq anymore. But Afghanistan would suffice. ^_^ Love that suggestion though.


Although, I agree not all crimes are exactly the same.
If something such as marijuana, public intoxication, indecent exposure, etc. was involved, then I believe it should be a choice if they want to work.

With good behavior, they should then have limited options to some higher waged (still well below minimum wage) jobs that may build experience for the real world. This type of low-level crime really doesn't justify the label of a "criminal" and with the ability to work while serving their time, could very well lead to a better outcome in life after serving their time.

But for the serious criminals, like murderer's, rapist, RS phishers, child molesters, etc. I feel shouldn't have any say in their sentence and should be forced to sit it out or sit to rot.

 

Many people only commit crimes because of mental illness or poor circumstance of birth. Why should we put more burden on these individuals that already have been pushed past their breaking point?