US prison workers produce $11bn worth of goods and services a year for pittance

WheatenLover

WheatenLover

Well-known Member
Location
Georgia
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/jun/15/us-prison-workers-low-wages-exploited

Incarcerated workers in the US produce at least $11bn in goods and services annually but receive just pennies an hour in wages for their prison jobs, according to a new report from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).

Nearly two-thirds of all prisoners in the US, which imprisons more of its population than any other country in the world, have jobs in state and federal prisons. That figure amounts to roughly 800,000 people, researchers estimated in the report, which is based on extensive public records requests, questionnaires and interviews with incarcerated workers.

Please read the article before posting your opinion!
 

WheatenLover said:
Please read the article before posting your opinion!
Click to expand...
I read the article.


"New Hampshire license plates, which some know have the slogan 'Live Free or Die', are actually made in a New York prison. How ironic is that? This isn't the only interesting fact about the license plates though. Some citizens find the slogan so offensive, that the Supreme Court made a ruling permitting them to cover it up if they wish."

iu
 

Gary O' said:
Main stir is just as, or more, dangerous
Click to expand...
Yeah, I know. I think the government has a responsibility to minimize that danger. There is very little the prisoners can do to protect themselves from being in danger from other prisoners, the guards, substandard medical care, terrible food, and more.

One of my clients was in prison. He called me to say that the rat problem was so bad that he had several swarming around him as we talked on the phone. I called the Warden. He said so sad, too bad, no one has ever left my prison because of the rats.

I called the judge. He said he would release the guy to a locked drug rehab if I found one who would take him. I did, he did, guy was released.

Another client was on a kidney transplant waiting list. She was in prison but she was not getting drugs or dialysis.I called the judge, he let her out.

Different judges, and both times other lawyers told me that it was a waste of time to help my clients because nothing would happen.
 
WheatenLover said:
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/jun/15/us-prison-workers-low-wages-exploited

Incarcerated workers in the US produce at least $11bn in goods and services annually but receive just pennies an hour in wages for their prison jobs, according to a new report from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).

Nearly two-thirds of all prisoners in the US, which imprisons more of its population than any other country in the world, have jobs in state and federal prisons. That figure amounts to roughly 800,000 people, researchers estimated in the report, which is based on extensive public records requests, questionnaires and interviews with incarcerated workers.

Please read the article before posting your
Click to expand...
 
I tried to completely read this article however I just can’t understand that-
.Murdering someone
.Stealing from someone or many
.raping
.maiming
. Arsonist
Or other egregious crimes against people should earn them ANY pay.

As I had said in a post somewhere else I have a friend whose son was murdered less than a year ago. Should the person that murdered him get anything?

IF, and this is a big IF that person is getting paid they should make restitution to those families that they committed the crime against.
I also am of the understanding that many prisons are private companies and the prisoners are doing the upkeep of the prison. Should they get paid? No, is my vote.
Now, I will here nitpicking of a few falsely incarcerated or excessive time for the crime but look to the loss of life or lively hood to the ones that have to get up off there knees in grief and continue on. How soon we turn away from the victims of these criminals.
 
I read the article.

I see nothing wrong with inmates performing prison maintenance or community service projects as long as they are not mistreated.

The idea of prison labor being used in a for-profit business is a little different for me.

The first thought that comes to mind is government-sanctioned slavery, but then I begin to think in terms of rehabilitation and giving prisoners a marketable skill.

It seems to me that a middle ground could be worked out for fair wages that would be a win-win for businesses and inmates.

IMO a portion of a fair wage should be set aside to provide a fresh start when the inmates are released or to help support their families during incarceration. A portion to offset the cost of incarceration. Finally, a portion for restitution to the victims and their families.

I definitely believe that in the long run, we are all better off if the focus is on rehabilitation instead of punishment for any inmate that will eventually be released.
 
Last edited:
I had inmates working for me in the welding shop when I worked for CDCR. Some came to us with amazing skills, some we trained.
Wages topped out at $.37 an hour, most of our guys did work worth as much as any professional in the trades. We had fire crews that lived at our institution, they worked with CalFire and were / have been busy with the [now] year-round fire season.
Our inmates worked their butts off, and were glad to do it. Why? Because sitting in a prison cell sucks but living a real life rocks.
 
This might be an unpopular opinion but here goes.

Local, state and federal taxes pay for prisons. I recognize and accept that most prisons are not five-star hotels (unless it's a white collar crime then some of those places look like country clubs). If someone commits a crime that is so egregious that it results in a prison sentence then the law of the land prevails. Housing, food, clothing, bedding and even legal representation are usually provided at no cost to the one who is incarcerated. So who pays for that? Taxpayers.

I know, I know our prison system is in disrepair. I won't argue that because I agree that it is. But if someone is in prison for molesting a child or committing a murder and all they earn for their labors is a few cents an hour then they are being overpaid in my opinion.
 
ohioboy said:
Stealing a credit card is a 5th degree felony, period, used or not.
Click to expand...
ohioboy said:
Stealing a credit card is a 5th degree felony, period, used or not.
Click to expand...

Severity​

Misuse of credit cards in Ohio is generally charged as a misdemeanor, though it can also be a felony in some situations. Ohio Revised Code section 2913.21(3) states that the crime is a misdemeanor of the first degree unless the value of the property used by misuse over a 90-day period is $500 or more, which then elevates the crime to a felony. It is also a felony if the victim is 65 or older or a disabled person and the alleged criminal used the card to fraudulently obtain security over a debt or obtain services using a revoked card.
 
Tom52 said:
A google search says it costs in the range of $20,000 to $40,000 to incarcerate a person in a federal or state prison in USA. So they are already getting free room and board plus free health care all at taxpayers expense. I don't want to foot the bill paying them good wages on top of that.
Click to expand...
The largest, Corrections Corporation of America, owns 66 detention facilities in the United States. The second largest, The Geo Group, Inc., owns 65 facilities. Together, they have the capacity to house nearly 157,000 prisoners or roughly 10 percent of the nation’s 1.6 million state and federal prisoners.
 
Tom52 said:
A google search says it costs in the range of $20,000 to $40,000 to incarcerate a person in a federal or state prison in USA. So they are already getting free room and board plus free health care all at taxpayers expense. I don't want to foot the bill paying them good wages on top of that.
Click to expand...
Oh yes, all that 'free' stuff is so tempting, I'm wondering why there isn't a waiting list and line in front of the prisons to get in....
 
Like many articles words like dangerous are used but with no list of the dangerous jobs. Then there is maintenance with a value of 9 billion.
Quote
"The researchers estimated that the maintenance work of prisoners is worth $9bn a year, but cautioned that there was no centralized data on the value of this work and that the figure was probably an undercount and a rough estimate from earlier studies."

No mention of how many billions it would cost to hire people that didn't commit crime.

Keeping where you live clean seems like a pretty basic concept. The prisoners get paid to do that while we non criminal types do it because it's a normal way to live. AND we have to pay for their & our cleaning products.

Wages paid that are lower than counterparts. OK pay them the same but charge for health care, food & lodging, transportation, & tax the earnings. Then after that pay society for the cost of police, courts, legal defense if court appointed.
 
Tom52 said:
Is there something incorrect about my statement you referred to? If so state what is incorrect about it. Otherwise you comment is nonsense.
Click to expand...
Don't get a chip on your shoulder, the statement that "free room and board plus free health care all at taxpayers expense" is technically correct. My comment is NOT "nonsense" as nobody really views going to prison as an opportunity to get "free room and board plus free health care all at taxpayers expense".
 
Tom, States are free to charge inmates for food, etc. Collection is another matter.
 

You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top