Reply #3: I think it's a bright idea for two reasons...

[converted_democrat]

One, I don't think ANYONE should be paid slave wages.. Now that we have "privatized" prisons, I think the situation is ripe for abuse. There is actually pressure to keep people in the system, and to find "more offenders" to gain profit. (There was an excellent article floating around here on DU about how this very thing is happening in a couple of the Western States.. I'm thinking it was Colorado, and Utah..but I'm not sure which states it was for sure, but if you could find that article it would really shed some light on this situation..)The prisons use the prisoners as laborers and assemblers and gain a huge profit off their backs.. This is just ripe for abuse.

Two, I think one of the biggest problems prisoners face when they get out is that they have no resources, so they turn immediately to the only survival skills that they possess, and that is usually crime. Most prisons leave a prisoner at the closest bus stop, with clothes on their back, and not much else.. I think if they had some money saved they would be better able to survive without having to turn to crime to do it.

I'm not saying that prison should be a cake walk, I'm just saying that they are human, and they deserve a real chance after they have completed their time.. And they should be given a real shot at survival. I think a program that could prove to them the value of a dollar, and hard work would be a good idea. If they can get this concept down while in prison, I would think it would promote good work ethic, and to some degree a sense of pride.. I honestly think it could keep many from re-offending. I think it's a good idea.