In today's serious economic difficulties, states and local governments find it impossible to deliver even some of the basic services to its citizens. Some of these services could be provided at little or no cost by using non-violent prison inmates for labor. The cost to taxpayers to incarcerate these individuals is more than the average worker earns in a year. Why not make them earn their board and keep? To silence those who complain that they would be taking jobs away from other citizens, we could "hire" the prisoners and deduct their "earnings" from the cost of their keep. This winter they could have provided snow removal and pot hole repairs which have been poor in quality yet very expensive.
Crime prevention, police activities, the courts, jails and prisons and their staffing and upkeep are a serious expense for the taxpayer. I see nothing wrong and everything right about using prisoners as a pool of labor to reduce costs for all political jurisdictions. If this opportunity were offered to prisoners on a voluntary basis, I'm certain it would be very popular. Who wouldn't want to be out doing something other than whatever they do in a cell or prison yard?
As someone we all know is fond of saying, we have an "investment" for which we should receive a return.
Crime prevention, police activities, the courts, jails and prisons and their staffing and upkeep are a serious expense for the taxpayer. I see nothing wrong and everything right about using prisoners as a pool of labor to reduce costs for all political jurisdictions. If this opportunity were offered to prisoners on a voluntary basis, I'm certain it would be very popular. Who wouldn't want to be out doing something other than whatever they do in a cell or prison yard?
As someone we all know is fond of saying, we have an "investment" for which we should receive a return.
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