Do you think prisoners should be allowed to work while in prison?

Question

I just left prison. Prison is a idle breeding ground for literal trouble where assaults are a constant reality. I know. I took that walk and I talked that talk in there. Southern California prisons are operated by two entities, the prisoners and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Peace Officer's Association (Union), and, in case you wonder why CA. Prisons continue to grow in violence is because there is no dignity there, and the guards are quick to be ruthless to maintain control should the security make an attempt to slip away from them. So, in answer to my own question, yes, I believe a prisoner should be allowed to work because there is dignity and positive activity there including modification and filtering of bad attitudes and behavior. If a man in prison is allowed to work he not only gets back a considerable amount of dignity, but he also begins to feel human again, because the Ca. Prison system is designed of idle time of cages and cold cells.

Answer 1

They should absolutely be allowed to work. Forced to, no, but hear me out. The prisoner would "earn" privileges as they work, and in some cases, could be "paid" in terms of commissary items, and have different tier levels, with commissary items given still having dollar values.

Inmates who refuse to work or perform poorly would have privileges stripped away, until they begin to work, or start performing to an acceptable level.

Yes there are people who should be punished. Prison is in and of itself a punishment. But when the inmates who refuse to work or who work but do a poor job, see others with privileges doing stuff they will want to do or have, it will be like an incentive.

Privileges can be anything from TV or library time, to # of commissary visits, to family/friend visitations, to 'yard time' to earning commissary dollars.

Prison should be more about rehabilitation than just punishment.

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

Truly a good question. There are many people who feel just as you do - lock em up forever, never let them out, put em on the chain gain. If you did a little research, you might find out that taking away books, schools, classes, etc. would do nothing but breed stupidity. These criminals will eventually get out and they'll have to land somewhere. Ever thought about them being your neighbor? Providing education, job training gives the criminal element a way out of crime. Not saying that providing the education will keep the criminal out of prison - but certainly provides them a way out of crime. This is truly a contraversial question. How do you feel about your hard earned tax dollars providing an education to a baby raper? baby killer? Some would suggest an eye for an eye - while others say lock them up forever, and yet others - give them the medical treatment so that they can get over this "disease". Your question: "What should prisoner's be allowed to have while in prison?" After reading up a bit on some of the sites I provided - you'll be able to answer your own question a little better. With all the education currently being provided - look at the repeat offenders. If I didn't know better, I would think you are suggesting to have our prisons like............Mexico or Iraq. How do you feel about having a your next door neighbor being a 14 time repeat offender - only life he knows is crime because we didn't afford him an opportunity to grasp a way out. (if he so chooses) You will talk to 100 different people and get 100 different answers on this. Good Luck.

Answer 4

I think that not only should they be allowed to work, they should be forced to so. It is ludicrous to me that these people are holed up in a penitentiary somewhere when they could be out cleaning up garbage or doing other unskilled labors. Things our government pays others to do could be done for free with the use of prison work teams.

And as you said, it could perhaps influence life after prison. When a person is forced to work, perhaps a little work ethic will rub off on them and perhaps they can develop some kind of ability to hold a job when/if they get released from prison. It also stymies the idle time by which these people have to plan attacks on other inmates or guards.

These people may be tired and actually sleep at night if they were given the opportunity to work for 8-10 hours a day. They will have their mind taken off of trying to kill this inmate or that guard because they will potentially have other things to think about.

I think full on that inmates should be allowed to work, and forced to in some cases. Work does so many things for people including raising self-esteem and self-awareness. It is something to be proud of most of the time and this is one of the things inmates need. They do not feel they can make it doing real jobs so they turn to lives of crime perhaps. Well these kinds of programs would afford them the ability to work and thus understand society in general a little bit better, which beats the hell out of sitting in the prison all day and lifting weights and getting angry about the situation. Anger breeds hate and when these people have no other outlet for their energies, it will come out as that.

Edit: Sherryline, you are right that prison is about punishment but it is also about rehabilitation. And the rehabilitation part is not working because inmates sit idly for 20 + hours a day. When nothing constructive is being done, then the chance at rehabilitation is slim to none. Showing these people how to work and letting them see the self-worth that comes from working could potentially be a big step in re-introducing them to society as productive members.

Answer 5

And exactly what SHOULD prison be like? A walk in the park? One guard to every 50 inmates is not very good odds. Especially when all the inmates want to do is kill one. The guards cannot carry guns,who protects them?Sorry,you made your bed,now sleep in it. Do you have any idea what it costs us as taxpayers to support just one inmate? You have a roof,3 squares a day,tough luck for you. Many people sleep on the streets. Quit feeling sorry for yourself.

Answer 6

I agree with you. Keeping them idle teaches nothing. Some of them (as I bet you'll agree) never worked an honest day in their lives, and wouldn't have a clue when they were released. I would think it would give them some dignity, as well as role modeling what life it SUPPOSED to be like as a free man (or woman). This would hold true especially if they had no parental role model. With no guidance or modeling, what's to stop or discourage them from resuming their prior way of life?

BTW - best of luck to you as you begin your new life. And never forget what got you in prison in the first place - don't repeat your past behaviors, y'hear???

EDIT: And to you who gave me a "thumbs down" - what did I say that you disagreed with? Yes, if they do the crime, they should do the time. Yes, they should definitely have to repay their debt to society by working off the debt. Yes, many of them have it far too easy in prison, with far too many perks and privileges. But how should prison be for them? Should we go back 100+ years to the way prisons were then? You say yes? Then what have they learned, if not more hatred? They certainly haven't learned job skills, let alone work or even life ethics, and they're bound to return to the system.

Answer 7

I worked with an x con for years. He went to prison with a HS education and came out with a BS. He said instead of doing time, he used time. He advanced into upper management on the job he acquired after his release, where he still works to this day. If you can't work, then study. It pays off.

Answer 8

I disagree only with the choice of the word "allowed".

It should be REQUIRED.

There's a lot of useful work prisoners could do, and they probably wouldn't like most of it, but if they really don't like it, they should try to not be invited back. Painting, farming, kitchen and laundry work, highway cleanup details, there's just no end to what could be done.

To keep them idle sends the wrong message.

Answer 9

Absolutely yes! They should be tending crops, making furniture, going to school, cooking, and whatever they can do under supervision. Instead of thinking of them as competition for industries on the outside, everybody should be supporting a prisoner's need to be constructively busy...and, to earn their keep in prison...and to feel self-worth.

Answer 10

Depends on the crime? If it's a severe crime then you should be severely punished. But if it's a minor crime, sure you should work,but for FREE, I don't agree any prisoner deserves to earn money when they are doing there time, too easy of a paycheck!