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It'll never happen. Your ideas are entirely too fair, reasonable, and compassionate, and carry with them too great a risk of successful rehabilitation for said prisoners.
We might as well be Ferengi. Really. We as a nation are that greedy, selfish, and dishonest.
PS - this is already a problem in CA, where the vast majority of the workforce to keep their yearly forest fires in check are prisoners. Most of CA would go up in smoke without free prison labor. At least that is a public service, but unfortunately a very dangerous way to NOT get training that could lead to an actual job. Someone with a criminal record is not going to pass the background check to become a "real" fireman on the outside.
Thank you for enlightening me to this. It's shameful. They earn just $2 an hour, work long hours and sleep on slab cement, not even air mattresses under them.
The issue of fairness isn't so much about the rights of prisoners but whether it is fair to law abiding citizens that prison labor can effectively undercut them in the labor market and take those jobs away from them.
THIS!!! Give them tasks (not calling them jobs) that aren't taking away free citizen's jobs.
I would rather see their sentence be one of rehabilitation, where they exit that prison a better, more honest person who is better-equipped, mentally and emotionally, to escape the sort of bad choices that put them there to begin with. Instead of constantly degrading and humiliating them, provide training that can help them get good jobs once they're released. Hire better counselors who can work with inmates to give them a sense of self-worth and help steer them off the course of criminal mentality, so they can get out of prison and contribute something of value to our society.
But of course, we are not going to do that, because we need an never ending flow of prisoners, so we could make money out of their crime.
BTW: If States are increasingly utilizing prison labor, AND making great profit, are they still receiving taxpayers' money?
If rehabilitation was even remotely the purpose of incarceration, sentences would not be based on the number and severity of the infraction, but on the length of time to 'reeducate' those who are imprisoned.
How long does it take to rehabilitate a poor person who is caught multiple times for shoplifting?
How about someone who murders their spouse in a crime of passion because of a discovered infidelity?
How long to rehabilitate the Bernie Madoffs of the world?
In addition, the effect of the crime on others would be irrelevant in sentencing. Drunk driver kills a young family on vacation? Sentence the driver to AA meetings, and enforce their participation. Does anyone think we as a society will EVER reach that point?
Last edited by rugrats2001; 11-02-2016 at 09:28 AM..
Judge much? You know absolutely nothing about me! According to the lovely government statistics, I should have become a drug addicted, alcoholic, homeless teenage runaway/prostitute, but I didn't! Life is all about choices. Everyone chooses their path. If you choose a life of crime, that's on 100% on you. No one is forced into a life of crime.
Don't give up hope! In the long run, there's still time to change the road you're on.
Well, except for the teenage part, I'm guessing that ship has sailed.
Thank you for enlightening me to this. It's shameful. They earn just $2 an hour, work long hours and sleep on slab cement, not even air mattresses under them.
If rehabilitation was even remotely the purpose of incarceration, sentences would not be based on the number and severity of the infraction, but on the length of time to 'reeducate' those who are imprisoned.
How long does it take to rehabilitate a poor person who is caught multiple times for shoplifting?
How about someone who murders their spouse in a crime of passion because of a discovered infidelity?
How long to rehabilitate the Bernie Madoffs of the world?
In addition, the effect of the crime on others would be irrelevant in sentencing. Drunk driver kills a young family on vacation? Sentence the driver to AA meetings, and enforce their participation. Does anyone think we as a society will EVER reach that point?
I've read, long ago, that sentencing in the U.S. is 2-3 times higher than in Europe, for similar crimes, and is Europe any less safe as a result of it?
I believe I once read that in Israel, it's a 12-year sentence for murder!
If I were unlucky enough to be imprisoned, I would want to make as money while there as I could so I'd have money when I got out.
Releasing prisoners broke would just cause them to turn to robbery and assault to support themselves.
And paying them a market wage in the joint would just released prisoners to turn to robbery and assault so they could get back to a place where they can get a good paying job.
I've read, long ago, that sentencing in the U.S. is 2-3 times higher than in Europe, for similar crimes, and is Europe any less safe as a result of it?
I believe I once read that in Israel, it's a 12-year sentence for murder!
According to my good friends at Wikipedia, the current mandatory sentence in Israel for murder is life imprisonment, but the prisoner can be released in 20 years with good behavior and a commutation of sentence from the President.
And how much does the incarceration for their crimes COST the state of California? I highly doubt CA is making a profit on the deal.
Would it surprise you to learn that inmates have to pay just to get some salt and pepper (and more) to flavor their meager meals?
That they are promised medical care, including medicines, that they often do not receive?
$8.3 MILLION FOR JAIL DEATH -- LARGEST WRONGFUL DEATH CIVIL RIGHTS SETTLEMENT IN CALIFORNIA STATE HISTORY
Please try to keep in mind that many of the inmates (of jails) have not even been convicted of crimes, only arrested, yet still have to suffer the same treatment as convicted career criminals? And even convicted criminals should be treated humanely.
Civilized countries treat criminals humanely, ergo the USA is not civilized. These prisoners will be released back into society. It is important to them and to us all that they feel human and respected.
The United States is failing miserably, and that includes California.
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