311–320 of 391 posts
Earlier quoted context omitted.
IANAL but a naive reading of that could justify community service may be. These prisoners were not convicted and sentenced to be firemen.
Are you implying one could be convicted and sentenced to be a slave ?
The modern prison labor system varies from this in degree, but not really in kind. Inmates are still compelled to work in the US.
For reference, here is the linked list of demands by the national organizers [1]: > 1. Immediate improvements to the conditions of prisons and prison policies that recognize the humanity of imprisoned men and women. > 2. An immediate end to prison slavery. All persons imprisoned in any place of detention under United States jurisdiction must be paid the prevailing wage in their state or territory for their labor. > 3…
As someone from Australia who doesn't understand the prison thing in the US. Is it essentially modern slavery? They choose non-white demographics, send them to prison for minor offences, and use the for cheap/free labour. Is this right?
Earlier quoted context omitted.
It's a real shame you are being down-voted. Before forming an opinion on the role that "Rehabilitation" should play in parole hearings, HN readers should talk with (or at least read about) someone who has been through that process. Even when the intent is sincere, the implementation in American prisons can be downright draconian. "Rehabilitation" means learning what you are supposed to say/do and saying/doing it in a…
I don't think most people here arguing for a more rehabilitation-based prison system think it works perfectly or even good in the US. But on the other hand the US prison system has more inmates per capita than any other, so clearly something in either the legal system or the prison system has gone wrong. Reform is needed, and IMO more punishment and less opportunity after exit will probably not help.
I do think some of the sentencing in the US is too high. But also that people deserve punishment for their crimes.
I never understood the idea of paying prisoners absurdly little “because prison”. Why, because they’re not paying rent? And there’s no way they will find a job on Day 1 after release, meaning they essentially have not enough money while in prison, no way to save money, and poverty at release. Given that, they’ll probably be forced to steal to survive after release and...end up back in prison. It’s inhumane garbage, a…
A relevant snippet: “California inmates were sent off to fight what has become the largest wildfire in the state’s history for just $1 an hour. These firefighters, who volunteered for a vocational training program offered by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, are often disqualified from the work after release because a required credential is denied to anyone with a criminal record. Hundreds…
s/employed/enslaved/g One thing we can do right now is start to use the correct language. Involuntary labor is not employment and we shouldn't call it such. There is even a market where you can buy their products. https://unicor.gov/index.aspx You can even outsource work to prison slaves. https://vimeo.com/125010485 There are even private companies that have prison slaves work for them and keep the profits. http://vl…
Earlier quoted context omitted.
>Given that, they’ll probably be forced to steal to survive after release and...end up back in prison. But that's precisely the thing, isn't it? For-profit prisons, a multi-billion dollar business, are precisely incenctivised to bring and keep and many prisoners inside as possible. It's an economic incentive that works precisely against the social goals we as a society would like to achieve (for the great gain of a s…
> For-profit prisons, a multi-billion dollar business, are precisely incenctivised to bring and keep and many prisoners inside as possible. For-profit prisons are obviously a bad policy, but only 8% of America's prisoners are incarcerated in them ( http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/04/11/u-s-private-... ) and it's not clear that they are either necessary nor sufficient as a cause for these problems.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
s/employed/enslaved/g One thing we can do right now is start to use the correct language. Involuntary labor is not employment and we shouldn't call it such. There is even a market where you can buy their products. https://unicor.gov/index.aspx You can even outsource work to prison slaves. https://vimeo.com/125010485 There are even private companies that have prison slaves work for them and keep the profits. http://vl…
Are prisoners forced to work? What happens if they physically refuse? End up having to serve more time?
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Unfortunately, the 13th amendment allows it...
> Unfortunately, the 13th amendment allows it... The 13th Amendment doesn't prohibit it, the way it prohibits (most forms of) chattel slavery. But there's nothing preventing Congress (or state legislatures) from passing laws prohibiting it.
A relevant snippet: “California inmates were sent off to fight what has become the largest wildfire in the state’s history for just $1 an hour. These firefighters, who volunteered for a vocational training program offered by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, are often disqualified from the work after release because a required credential is denied to anyone with a criminal record. Hundreds…
However, as someone whose Dad is in prison, a lot of these guys really do want to get out there and do something useful and want this experience. Many times the people complaining are privileged elites who are inferring what these populations want, but I would caution them to not make assumptions and do their research. It is not unambiguously bad to do this. We can talk about the long-term reforms of prison, but ther…