Convict labor

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

I read that Elijah Muhammad, the founder of the NOI/Black Muslims, got his ideas for self-sufficiency/self reliance from his term in a Federal pen for failing to register for the Draft in WWII, he noted that the inmates produced most of their own food on the prison's farms. IIRC JFK's rocking chair was made in a Federal prison. I read that one one midwestern state the maximum security prison was built with convict labor-how that for rubbing their noses in it?

 

[Faulkner]

Most of the labor used to build prisons for the Arkansas Department of Corrections is still inmate labor.

Our county jail holds state prison trustees, called Act 309 Trustees, that do all of the building & grounds maintenance at the county detention facility, the sheriff's office, and the county courthouse. 309's also do the cooking and cleaning for all the county prisoners at the county detention facility as well as the laundry.

Interesting thing about prisoner roadside cleanup crews. Folks are aways saying how we ought to get the county inmates to do trash pickup along the state highways and county roads . . . until you load up a crew and take them out for trash duty, then folks start calling in and complaining about not wanting inmate road crews in their neighborhood or area. It's okay for the inmates to pick up trash in other parts of the county, just not their part.

 

[enfield]

We tried to use convict labor while building the new pistol range at our club. They couldn't seem to grasp the concept of filling a tire with sand and stacking it next to another one.

Pretty much useless . . .

 

[redlevel]

. They couldn't seem to grasp the concept of filling a tire with sand and stacking it next to another one.

Known as "passive-aggressive resistance." Like when I used to drop the dishes and break them when asked to help.

 

[jlrhiner]

Known as "passive-aggressive resistance." Like when I used to drop the dishes and break them when asked to help.

You were on a chain gang?

 

[brucev]

Since farmers seem to be suffering from lack of field workers and most certainly municipalities could use some help, why can't non violent prisoners be deployed. Do to the many civil rights afforded prisoners, forced labor would be out.

I do not agree with prison being a profit making venture. If criminals are criminals, put them in prison. If employers want to hire someone cheap... let them face the reality of the market place... let them hire men and women who freely choose to work the wage offered. And if no one is willing, let the employer pay more... until they can find employes who will work for the wage offered. Employers are not needy people who need the helping hand of society to subsidize their operations. There is a prevailing minimum wage. Let employers begin there and bid up to the market requirement. This applies to farmers or anyone else up to and including factories, etc. If they want to give convicts work/study/release opportunities, fine. But let them do it without society subsidizing their commercial operations. And let it be done without making of convicts a beneficial chattle.

If society wants to keep a "lock them up and throw away the key" approach to crime and punishment, fine. Let society pay the cost... all of it. No private prisons. They have absolutely no incentive to not keep convicts in the prison system. And no prison system can be trusted to not use whatever means are available to keep such "profit making units" in the system. The same is true of funding LE operations via funding dependent upon successful drug operations, etc.

 

[JcMack]

15 years ago I could drive 10 mins. south of me and be in farm country. Farming must be popular, easy, and profitable, because all those farms are gone now. I've got to drive an hour now to see any farming. Farms were sold to developers that built expensive houses overnight. 25-30% of those houses are in foreclosure or soon will be. Good use for that land huh?

I bought produce today. For the price I paid it surely was grown out of country. Convict labor will not displace American labor as much as the influx of foreign laborers. Convict labor will give a much needed break to farmers here and lessen our continuing dependance on imports of produce from foreign countries. I believe it's a win/win situation.

 

[feralmerril]

You have different class`s of crimes and criminals. Some are there for violent crimes, some non violent. Obvisely you wouldnt put a mass murderer fighting forest fires where he could escape. I have no quams at all contracting out prisoners to farmers or whatever. It must cost a relative fortune to keep a inmate in prision. No reason at all not to take a piece of the burden off tax payers. I would like to see a chart on how many average tax payers it takes to keep a inmate in jail a year. I am sure it would water your eyes!
From my view this discussion is argueing over a situation of many prisions that wouldnt exist if I was a dictator. Except for "holding cells" for violent accused suspected criminals awating trial, I dont belive in prisions to start with. It`s simple in my thinking. Either you can trust a man on the outside, or you cant. If a person cant be trusted on the outside why put them in a petting zoo with all the huge cost? I would find another devil`s island, and bannish them to it. Just one rule. If you find your way back to america, we have a open season on you.

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

You have different class`s of crimes and criminals. Some are there for violent crimes, some non violent. Obvisely you wouldnt put a mass murderer fighting forest fires where he could escape. I have no quams at all contracting out prisoners to farmers or whatever. It must cost a relative fortune to keep a inmate in prision. No reason at all not to take a piece of the burden off tax payers. I would like to see a chart on how many average tax payers it takes to keep a inmate in jail a year. I am sure it would water your eyes!
From my view this discussion is argueing over a situation of many prisions that wouldnt exist if I was a dictator. Except for "holding cells" for violent accused suspected criminals awating trial, I dont belive in prisions to start with. It`s simple in my thinking. Either you can trust a man on the outside, or you cant. If a person cant be trusted on the outside why put them in a petting zoo with all the huge cost? I would find another devil`s island, and bannish them to it. Just one rule. If you find your way back to america, we have a open season on you.

How about Manhattan Or better yet lets return the favor and send them all to Cuba!

 

[feralmerril]

I would go for that. I am flexable.