One thing to consider: "Follow the money", and consider whether the work is contributing to rehabilitation, restitution, and expenses. Or whether it is lining other pockets.
Whom is the work benefiting.
Given the continuing privatization of prisons as well as the apparently rampant level of corruption, I have my suspicions.
And how much does it compete with the normal labor market? Is it reducing employment or depressing wages? As more and more people in the U.S. are imprisoned, this question would seem to become more pertinent.
Now, if formerly "unemployable" people left prison with job skills, and someone was actually willing to hire them, perhaps we might even consider prison labor a form of "internship".
But, to my very limited knowledge, the statistics do not bear this out.
Pennies an hour are unlikely to add up to any substantial restitution.
And states seem to be going broke paying for their prisons -- directly or via contract.
Maybe someone else can cite some informative journalism or substantiated data with regard to these questions.
P.S. I'm somewhat uncomfortable commenting at all, from my position of limited knowledge and experience. But, damn it, imprisonment is a State activity, and therefore, like it or not, the responsibility of all the State's citizens (at least, in a representative government). So, it's our duty to try and make some sense of this. It's not simply "someone else's problem".
Is it merely a matter of "idle hands", and allowing select individuals to benefit from the side effects? (Or vise versa.)
Whom is the work benefiting.
Given the continuing privatization of prisons as well as the apparently rampant level of corruption, I have my suspicions.
And how much does it compete with the normal labor market? Is it reducing employment or depressing wages? As more and more people in the U.S. are imprisoned, this question would seem to become more pertinent.
Now, if formerly "unemployable" people left prison with job skills, and someone was actually willing to hire them, perhaps we might even consider prison labor a form of "internship".
But, to my very limited knowledge, the statistics do not bear this out.
Pennies an hour are unlikely to add up to any substantial restitution.
And states seem to be going broke paying for their prisons -- directly or via contract.
Maybe someone else can cite some informative journalism or substantiated data with regard to these questions.
P.S. I'm somewhat uncomfortable commenting at all, from my position of limited knowledge and experience. But, damn it, imprisonment is a State activity, and therefore, like it or not, the responsibility of all the State's citizens (at least, in a representative government). So, it's our duty to try and make some sense of this. It's not simply "someone else's problem".
Is it merely a matter of "idle hands", and allowing select individuals to benefit from the side effects? (Or vise versa.)