A Form of Slavery is on the Ballot for US Voters in Five States

Once upon a time, there used to be things called P Farms or Prison Farms in every state for minor offenders. Drunk driver working off property damage, deadbeat dads, bouncing checks, petty theft, etc. The food produced by the P Farms fed the inmates. Some crops were for cash crops to buy other foodstuffs that were not grown. Because I know of no pineapple farms in Maine nor maple syrup farms in Arizona.

a reply to: lostbook

So, while it is a form of slavery, it only applies to the prison population. Apparently, this labor clause for incarcerated people is still active even today in some States so now there is a push to amend it. What does ATS think?

I read this story yesterday, and what a complicated issue this is.

Yes the prisoners
aren't being paid in cash, but they need to pay for their crimes.
Is sitting around in a cell playing cards payment enough?

I don't necessarily agree with profit making jail systems. We've seen how corrupt those areas are and need new "workers".

originally posted by: Gothmog
a reply to: lostbook

But ending the loophole which allows forced or free labor "Slavery" upon the prison population

Which the prison population gets paid for...
And the key word is prison.
Don't do the crime if ya can't do the time .

Sponsored by "I am not a liberal loon foundation"

Even if they aren't being "paid" cash, surely the prison is feeding them and providing beds, showers, rec areas. My grandparents lived in similar place, less prison bars but the food and accommodations were of similar quality. Only difference is my grandparents had to pay a few grand a month to stay there.

So with the American prison system having 1.9 million people in prison currently, I would say that is a very cheap and inexpensive labor force. I have mixed feelings about this because I have double standard feelings.

On one hand I can see the value if done honestly and with the same safety regards as we have out the workforce currently. As long as they are held to the same osha standards as everyone else. There is no need to use a cheap or inexpensive workforce if you will not consider their safety.

On the other hand. I can see how this can easily and clearly go very very wrong very very fast. The prison system is already a huge corrupt organization as it stands. More stupid laws will be created to get more people put in prison so there are more laborers and more will just keep coming to as long as people are getting paid, like they are now, to put people behind bars.

The latter is the most likely outcome of this based of natural Human wants and corruptibility. To easily swayed by things that glitter.

originally posted by: EternalShadow

originally posted by: scraedtosleep
a reply to: lostbook

I'm 100% against forced prison labor. All it does is incentivize putting people in prison. To much room for corruption.
For profit prison is deeply anti-freedom.

This shouldn't be a partisan issue.

Thing is, they don't force anyone into prison (yet), individual poor choices sort that out.

How do you feel about "community service", specifically court ordered weekend road cleanup for traffic violations?

You must have a lot of faith in the justice/prison system.

I thought criminals were in prison in order to pay their debt to society.


How much does it cost to house, feed and rehabilitate a prisoner for a year? Who pays for that?

a reply to: camain

Why not just send these people to club med?

Prison isn't supposed to be fun, it's not supposed to be like normal life.

It's supposed to be punishment.

They get a free bed while the rest of us got rent or mortgage to pay.

They get 3 meals a day while the price of food skyrockets for us.

They get free healthcare while we pay out the ass.

AND they can get jobs which give them some type of experience if they decide to straighten out when or if they get released?

15 cents and hour is too much.

a reply to: new_here

Most jurisdictions do have "pay-to-stay" fees, essentially room and board. Others go so far as to charge per-diem fees for meals, toilet paper, and clothing. Others go so far as to charge for routine medical care, dental visits, and hospital care. Beyond that, some jurisdictions actually charge inmates for participation in work release programs.

These fees can be very minimal to extreme, with the average being around $60 to $80 per day. That works out to about $22k to $29k annually for a year-long stay in prison charged directly to the inmate.

These fees are nothing new, having first been enacted back in the late 1880s in Michigan.

At $249 per day, prison stays leave ex-inmates deep in debt 27 August 2022
States Unfairly Burdening Incarcerated People With “Pay-to-Stay” Fees 20 November 2020
The US inmates charged per night in jail 9 November 2015
Paying for Your Time: How Charging Inmates Fees Behind Bars May Violate the Excessive Fines Clause 31 July 2014

a reply to: lostbook

Criminals in prison ?

Cry me a river.
How about some concern for the VICTIMS of these assholes.

And with respect to the libtard drivel about prisoners working for free, no, no, and NO !


WE, THE TAXPAYERS, ARE THE ONES UNDER INVOLUNTARY SERVITUDE AS WE HAVE FOR PAY FOR THEIR LODGING AND FOOD ALL COSTS OF PRISON OPERATION !!

Criminals should pay these costs, NOT US !!

Libtard whining, ENOUGH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

a reply to: EternalShadow

Any kind of forced labor just breeds corruption.

Who pays for them to be in prison? They chose to be there by their actions. If they don't want to eat, have a bed, access to gym and library and showers, dental and medical care on site then fine, you shouldn't have to work. You'll be gone in a week so we can cover that much as taxpayers but otherwise EVERYONE HAS TO WORK, sorry it's how the 99% live.

originally posted by: new_here
a reply to: lostbook

They don't pay for their food in prison. They don't pay for heating/air conditioning, laundry services, etc. They have TV's, weight rooms, opportunity for college degrees in some cases. It seems only fair they work for these things like the rest of us. They just can't roam around the world freely because they are locked up for a crime.

There needs to be more deterrence...prison needs to be the type of place nobody wants to be sentenced to living in.