Still I strongly advocate prison labor. Otherwise we’re breeding career criminals. Let’s face it jail isn’t a deterrent it has become a hot and a cot, a criminal education and some clout in the hood for the destitute.

Many criminals are released with their minds warped and a more focused hate. If they did honest work and saw projects planned, implemented then carried out maybe those criminals could take pride in that they can maningfully contribute to society.

I don’t think we should let Corporate America exploit slave conditions to increase profit (probably tied to tax breaks for them too) but public works like restoring areas affected by urban blight is one place to start. No one else is going to do it because there is no real profit return there. They can be working in some of the areas affected by poverty, drugs and apathy that breed criminals and can be a deterrent to potential criminals who can observe the orange-suited chain gains cleaning up their neighborhood offering some hope to the criminals themselves and blighted ghettos.

Thats not to say there isn’t a segment of the prison, and as well the entire, population that are complete sociopaths and should just locked indefinitely period (or sent to Devil’s Island or something). But if inmates were encouraged to be contributers to society and maybe even offered education, at least through experience, the prison system, criminals, the economy and society would be better served.

Although yes this all starts with liberalizing the laws in the US to avoid chaining a guy who had one small bag of coke next to a murderer. Federal prison has to be amended as well, we all know that white collar crimes (and large time drug dealers who for some reason go to Fed prison) do not and probably would not face the type of forced labor as state and local prisons.

All crimes (especially drug crimes) are not the same and the evidence is abound throughout the world i.e. Amsterdam, Canada, Germany etc.

I would much rather see prison labor than the youth of America forced to labor under the Obama/Emanuel plans.

Great article except for the comparison to the Third Reich.
I saw on the news the other day that a woman who embezzled money from the company she worked for will spend 3-4 years in prison. What good does this do? Garner her wages, get the money back, do any form of humane rehabilitation, but there’s no reason to put her in prison. Yet this is what happens every day in America. Meanwhile, the Wall Street thieves and scum go free and collect their bonuses…

I’d like to see more by Dr. Bosworth

Oh fucking please! This nation was ‘founded’ on colonialism (including special ‘prison colonies’ down south,) slavery, indentured servitude, genocide, extremely unequal rights, religious bigotry, cheap labor, and poverty.

What we need is universal, comfortable, humane rehabilitation for everyone, not prisons.

thanks for the eye opening article. I was familiar with the high rates of incarceration but had no idea of the inflated sentences and plea bargaining, and even less so in regard to labor and testing issues.

It’s an unacceptable state of affairs and moving even more in that direction, just like everything else in “America” — care aim? Not likely.

Best to you.

Also, the cheap (free) inmate labor is possible because of the 13th Amendment. Slave Labor is still alive (and well) in this nation. According to the 13th Amendment:
Section 1. Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime where of the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.
Section 2. Congress shall have the power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

If this had become a Prison Nation, it is because the “sheeple” have allowed it to become so. Quit voting in the incumbents, quit voting for the “tough on crime” laws and start voting smart on crime!