You basically only get something like £2 a day even if you are working while in prison. Would it not be better to pay the minimum wage and let people put money into an account so they have something saved for when they get out especially a sit is hard to get a job when you get out. Some of it could be used to pay something towards your keep while you're in there too.
2006-12-13 05:55:17 · 15 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
your right, they should give them minimum wage. Then they could charge them for rent, food, cleaning services, payment of the guards, etc, etc.
But then they would end up owing the prison money at the end of every day.
Think about the economics of the situation.
2006-12-13 05:59:19 · answer #1 · answered by Take it from Toby 7 · 5⤊ 0⤋
Because it would cost the Government too much money!
If the UK Government does not pay soldiers in Iraq the Minimum Wage, what chance prisoners?
You are right that if the principle of the minimum wage is to work properly it should apply to all work, even by unattractive people like prisoners.
Concerning forcing prisoners to pay towards their keep, read Charles Dickens' novels. It might sound a good idea, but it is not. But the Minimum Wage might be explicitly reduced for prisoners to account for their keep.
2006-12-13 14:04:35 · answer #2 · answered by Philosophical Fred 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Philosophically, you raise an interesting point about how laws are applied, either universally or selectively upon the population. Laws can't be applied simply on the basis of how savory or desirable said citizens are.
However, in spirit at least, people are in prison because they have a debt to society. If the minimum wage were to be applied, then certain charges would automatically come out in order to pay off some of that debt. Such charges wouldn't necessarily include the costs of food, shelter and amenities, but they certainly could. In addition, money could be charged in order to pay for additional victim advocate services (an often under-funded service compared to the demand for such services.)
The people that would be paying prisoners the minimum wage would be the taxpayers, the ones the prisoners already owe a debt to in spirit. That doesn't sound like the system running the way it ought to run, IMHO.
2006-12-13 14:43:32 · answer #3 · answered by Dave of the Hill People 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Prison isn't supposed to be a Savings plan, educational option, or vacation.
You are restricted from the normal routine of your life. You eat, work, and sleep on "Prison time"
I've been told that going to Prison is "the cost of doing business" for a lot of criminals. They will live the "high life" (no pun intended) until they get arrested, and do time. Then they get out and start again.
If someone is really interested in getting ahead, I'm sure there are better ways than going to Prison for work.
As far as paying as you go, it seems like a logistical nightmare to me. Pay the inmate, and then bill him for services? That just increases the cost of running the prison, because someone needs to be hired to run all of those accounts.
We can't expect the Prisons, the schools, the church, to teach people right from wrong. That starts at home.....
2006-12-13 14:18:58 · answer #4 · answered by oneknight55 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
They decided to flaunt the law(s) of this country when they did whatever it was that landed them in prison in the first place. Given that, why should the rules of minimum wage apply? Also, as mentioned previously, it costs the taxpayer a hell of a lot to keep prisoners, and I'm pretty sure the majority would be pretty peeved if, having broken the law, prisoners were getting paid into the bargain. With the unemployment rate in this country meaning that a lot of people aren't even scraping minimim wage, and if prison meant food, shelter, minimum wage, where's the incentive NOT to break the law.
2006-12-13 14:03:56 · answer #5 · answered by stu9ba 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes but the prisoners are not working for companies etc and I suppose it all part of the treatment(to teach them a lesson)That would be a better idea though and then they could save up a bit infact it would'nt do any harm for each prisoner to chip in for their keep to sustain some normality of the outside world
2006-12-17 11:33:56 · answer #6 · answered by SANDRA F 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
First, you lose a lot of rights when in prison. That's the whole point of prison.
Second, they generally get a free education while there - GED classes (or whatever the UK equivalent is), vocational training, etc. This puts them in a better position to get a job when they get out than when they went in.
Third, ok, let's pay them. Then let's charge them for food, shelter, clothing, medical care, and everything else they get for free. I think they're getting a hell of a deal and wouldn't want to change it.
2006-12-13 13:59:52 · answer #7 · answered by Scott M 1 · 2⤊ 0⤋
WE tax payers are paying enough for prisoners keep already thank you very much.
They have accommodation, food, TV, a Library, education (if required), health care, craft facilities and religious a counselling
services. Plus the pay of the Prison Officers and maintenance of the prisons.
If they have families we have to pay to support them as well.
2006-12-13 14:38:51 · answer #8 · answered by AndyPandy 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
you dont need minimum wage in prison as you get a free room with electricity and water and heating you also dont have to pay for food unless you want stuff for chocolate
2006-12-13 14:01:02 · answer #9 · answered by mummy to thomas n summer 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
~You forget, if you're in prison, you have NO rights. You would probably be surprised how badly they are treated in there.
Anyhow, I don't think they should be paid at all. What else are they going to do?~
2006-12-13 14:02:11 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋