Why doesn't the government make prisoners do the jobs that illegal immigrants do?

Question

Why don't prisoners work in fields and do the jobs that they say american's don't want? Instead of the "chain gangs" cleaning up the side of the highways (which is a good thing) they should be doing the low-wage jobs.

Forget their rights, that is a problem too and pay them the lousy wages the immigrants get. Florida has enough liscense plates..we need more workers picking strawberries and oranges.
i clean my own toilets...I'm not rich.

Answer 1

You are very right. At one time that was exactly what was done with prisoners. Convict labor was originally used a replacement for slave labor. It was dirt cheap compared to hiring. As time passed and more liberal attitudes became more prevalant, It was deemed inhumane to make a prisoner do hard labor and we now see it very little. Sometimes I also feel that we should return to odler, simpler ways. They just worked better.

Answer 2

Several reasons

1. Not everyone doing low-wage jobs is an illegal immigrant. Having prisoners as a ready-made automatic labor force would take those jobs from real citizens and disrupt the flow of a good, free market economy.

2. Many people believe that prison should focus a lot on rehabiliation of prisoners. This means that the system should ensure they never do it again. Whether our current system is good for this, I can't say, but forcing prisoners to do hard labor certainly wouldn't be the way to make them like society.

3. If we have prisoners working in large fields, that's not very secure. They have no incentive to work hard either. The production might go down, which is bad when we're thinking about feeding people.

Answer 3

if there was an incentive, like reduced sentencing, or upgraded treatment, i guess its a decent idea. the only problem is safty. you cant have a prisoner cleaning office buildings, or picking fruit. it requires way too much freedom, which is the exact opposite of what the prison system is trying to do. what is a better idea is for the US government to give newly freed prisoners jobs, immediatly following release. theres a big problem of prisoners getting released, only to end up bak in jail a few months later. the government has to ensure that prisoners get stable, decent paynig jobs right away, and help them maintain a crime-free life.

Answer 4

Great idea... maybe then our prisons would not be so full...

Gosh, rjohnson442000...I love your answer:
You are very right. At one time that was exactly what was done with prisoners. Convict labor was originally used a replacement for slave labor. It was dirt cheap compared to hiring. As time passed and more liberal attitudes became more prevalent, It was deemed inhumane to make a prisoner do hard labor and we now see it very little. Sometimes I also feel that we should return to older, simpler ways. They just worked better.

Answer 5

Because it would take a lot more money and manpower to make sure the prisoners just don't "wander off". The lesser criminals are being paroled with ankle bracelets, but those are expensive.

Answer 6

Believe it or not...it would infringe on their rights. Yep, hard labor can be miscontrued to sound like it is against their rights. Never mind the rights of their victims! I think they SHOULD do the hard labor!

Answer 7

Because that would be cruel and unusual punishment and then the ACLU would have to get involved and you know no good can come of that.

Answer 8

They would have to get paid. The state can not afford to do that. If you do not pay them you have slavery on your hands.

Answer 9

Lol...great point! I agree with you 100%!

Answer 10

you want them to come to your house and clean your tolite for 3.50 and hour?