HEY , Now This Is COOL.. . . Do You Know What Colorado Is Doing About Immigration ?

Question

Colorado has amongst the toughest immigration laws in the country . As a result , farmers are reporting that only 50% of Immigrant Workers have returned there this year . But that's just the beginning of the story . It seems that Colorado is also smart . They now offer prisoners jobs to harvest the fields(as long as they weren't convicted of a violent crime) .

Here's how it works- -- The farmer pays $9.60/hr and the state gets a large percentage to off-set the cost of travel , man-power(guards) , and meals for the prisoners . And the prisoners get the rest . The left-over amount is deposited in a bank account of which the prisoner can access when they get out . It's not much , but it's a job . One prisoner commented that it totals to about $4.00/day . (no mention was made about how many hours they work) .
It was also noted that some of these prisoners have never worked an honest job in their lives . The prisoners said it felt good to work !!!!!

Would You Like That For Your State ?

Chez - That was 'forced' labor , but thanks for attempting to rain on everyone's parade !!!

Answer 1

Sounds great to me...and they'll be making more than they would working at a job inside the prison!

Answer 2

I think that is an excellent idea.
But since I live in Cesspool California where prison inmates are viewed as victims I seriously doubt that idea would be adopted and put into effect by anyone running this state.

I also wonder why our produce is shipped off to other countries while other countries ship their produce over here.
Why can't we consume the food we produce ourselves instead of selling it to China and Mexico and everywhere else they send it.
I also recently found out that most of the food we grow is sent over seas and is stored in warehouses where it rots.
Only a small percentage of the food we send over seas to feed the impoverished actually makes it into the communities that need it the most.
And the reason why they send more food than is being distributed among the poor is to create a shortage of food here in the United States so they can mark up the price of food and keep it as expensive as they want it.
The Government also pays farmers not to grow anything so as to maintain a reasonably short supply of food and therefore keeping the cost of living at a maximum.
I think having prison inmates work and earn their keep is an excellent idea and an honorable one at that.
And it eliminates the excuse used to justify having illegals invade and take over.
It's definitely a step in the right direction and if I see Colorado continues to make progress trying to improve the standard of living I might even concider moving there when I leave this God forsaken state.

Answer 3

I am amazed that this hasn't ended up in some 'red tape' mess. This is a smart program and actually makes sense. I feel, like several others, that some of these prisoners have no idea how to live outside the walls once released. This is a great way to help them learn and grow as a person before they are released. The state saves money and the farmer gets the work done. Maybe my state would get to quit raising taxes to add on and build more jails.

Answer 4

I saw that report too. Awesome idea. The nicest part is that these women will have some actual cash when they get out (depending on how long they work and how long their incarcerated). I do think inmates should be required to work while serving their debt to society. They should be paid minimum wage and their housing/meals would be deducted from their paychecks. The remainder is deposited into their accounts to be disbursed to the upon release. Wouldn't hurt to 'fine' them for infractions while in prison (ie--you fight $20 fine). These people should be learning a skill to gain vaulable work experience while in prison so they can actually work when released. The three hots and a cot mentality breeds laziness and contempt for hard work!

Answer 5

Now that is someone that is thinking. It appears to be a win, win, win situation all around. Perhaps honest work will aid in those convicts making a better life when they leave... it helps to subsidize the cost to imprison them and the farmers can have fairly cheap labor to work the fields.

The only down side I can see to it is... the elimination of jobs for HONEST law abiding people. I guess they would have to regulate the percentage of "state" workers that can participate in the program. Remember... back in the days of the "chain gangs" businessmen were in with the wardens and had prisoners perform the labor and they were able to underbid other contractors while pocketing a huge profit.

*edit* I just read Chez's response and I agree with Earnest... that was forced labor and no... it's not cruel and unusual punishment to make convicts work.... at that point they are leaching off the taxpayers... they should work for it. I'm just saying it should be closely regulated. Other than that it seems like a great plan.

Answer 6

That solves two problems at once. For a bit, I was a prison guard. They clean up trash in the parks and along roads here in my small town. And it is an envied position. They love getting out, and even if they are in prison garb, they feel more human out there. There has never been an escape attempt from an outside crew, escapes were from prison grounds at night.

They get bored in prison, one of the major reasons for the more minor problems in prison. The bigger conflicts come from more major issues, such as stealing contraband. Being out for the day is going to stop some of that boredom, and the "restless energy" they get from nothing to do.

Lots of the inmates are back in for the second, third, fourth time. Some don't know how to work. Honestly. My mother still works at that prison, and she had one inmate, who was due for release, tell her his plans for his "future". He was going to rob a store, then sit out front and wait for the cops. Had he been in a program like this, and possibly have a reference for a real job, and some money put back, he might have decided differently. He might have built some self respect while in prison, instead of feeling like a dog at the pound.
Prisoners would be some of the many Americans who can use the work done by illegals. This benefits the farmer, the state, the prisoner, and if it helps straighten out the life of a prisoner, their future victims if they had not gotten a chance to prove themselves while in prison.
I am going to look that up on the net, I am answering totally on your post, but am curious enough to check into it. Then urge my government to do the same for my state.
Thanks for the question, and thanks to my contact for starring it.


I just get it posted and already I have to edit it.
CR, I worked in a prison, and while we have plenty of inmates who are illegal, we have plenty that aren't. Don't tell me no citizens in your state are in prison???
Can you get me those stats with a link?

Answer 7

it truly is in basic terms one small state, making use of in basic terms 3 factors. once you upload all of it up it quantities to just about 4 hundred billion in step with year and that doesn't evaluate each and every thing that the illegals are taking from our united states. It additionally does not evaluate the over 60,000 lifeless human beings killed via unlawful extraterrestrial beings over the final 7 years. and it certainly does not evaluate the hundreds of thousands upon hundreds of thousands of lives harmed the two bodily or monetarily or the two in step with annum!!! we've paid someone-friendly procedures to extreme a cost on the palms of this concern and it needs to quit quickly!!!

Answer 8

Great idea.
Prisoners get out and work for their living.
I can't see a down side to this but I know some liberal out there will find a way.

Answer 9

While the state is trying to do something about it, socialist senator salazar has introduced to the 2007 Farm Appropriations bill, AMNESTY for illegal farm workers, behind the backs of Americans.

He could not make it happen with Kennedys lame bill so he is sneaking it in. Guess how many illegals according to salazar work on farms?

all of them.

This is AMNESTY people same as it was before.
http://www3.capwiz.com/caps/issues/alert/?alertid=10009191

Answer 10

I disagree with a lot of your posts, but this is actually a good idea. Do you have a link about this with more info?

Agreeing with "Mr. Perfect", wasn't this tried in "The Shawshank Redemption"?