Re: OT - I may be in the minority


Karen C. wrote:
Eliyahu wrote:


Ironically, industry and unions have long opposed prison job programs
because they compete with jobs on the outside. If the company for whom


I don't think we're thinking on the same lines. Even if we can't
find them something where they can do some hard labor, I think we
should MAKE it for them. (But I seriously doubt we couldn't at
least find something for them to do to where it wouldn't be
beneficial to someone else (besides them), as well as the state
or federal gov't.

And even if we couldn't, they could take some boulders and break
them into pebbles, just for punishment's sake, if nothing else.

You're overlooking the fact that it's been decided by the courts and
legislatures throughout the land that people are sent to prison _as_
punishment, not _for_ punishment. IOW, the punishment is the loss of
liberty, and they aren't sent there so that the guards can find new and
creative ways of tormenting them.

the prisoners work isn't paying competitive wages,


I don't want THEM to get a nickel!

Most of them will eventually be returning to the community. If they've
earned and saved up some money, they stand a lot better chance of
succeeding than if they're released flat broke. And the prisons really
don't need the return business. We've already got the highest per
capita rate of imprisonment in the world.

(Most prison jobs pay 30 cents an hour here in WA.)


I don't want them to get even that!


You wouldn't want to lose your own job to a prisoner getting paid that,


I don't do hard labor, though. THAT'S what I'm talking about
getting for them.


AFA meaningless jobs like busting up rocks and stuff like that --
they're more trouble than they're worth. Prisoners develop a lot of
resentment when they're forced to do worthless chores just as
punishment, and it makes the guards' job a lot harder and more
dangerous if prisoners are constantly angry. >


Prisoners have resentment, anyway. I'm talking punishment, here.
I ain't for developing their self-esteem. They got there
because they screwed up.

And if we treat them badly enough while in prison, they'll behave when
they get out? That idea was tried and found wanting centuries ago. If
you put a dog in a cage and poke it with a stick every time you walk
by, I'll guarantee that when he gets out, he's gonna bite people. Same
thing goes for maltreatment of prisoners. It should be enough that
we're taking away years, often decades of their lives.

If you don't want them busting up
rocks, find them some walls to scrub or some outhouses to shovel
or . . .

What part of the country do you live in where people still have
outhouses??? Honey, we got rid of those nearly a century ago here in
the northwest.

Eliyahu

.

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