rry with them credentials of achievement in job skills that meet requirements of todays business. In addition, the money that they earn carries several benefits; it can be used to buy daily amenities which will make their life in prison a little more pleasurable, they can also save money that will be extremely useful when they are released. Thus, not only are prisoners kept out of trouble by working, the money they earn benefits them in the present, as it will in the future and eases the burden on society that comes with housing prison inmates.The ideal purpose of incarceration is to have the guilty pay for their crimes and at the same time correct their criminal behavior. However the reality is very far from the ideal, inmates literally rot in jail until they are released just to return soon after and keep the never ending cycle going. So one useful way inmates can pay their debt to society is by prison labor. When inmates are working a percentage of their wages is withheld and that money goes to house inmates and run prisons, thus relieving the economic burden of the government and taxpayers. Since these people committed the crimes, there is no reason why the entire society should support them. Having inmates contribute to the costs, especially when it benefits the prisoners as well is a great way to reduce spending on prisons and use the money for something else. The fact is that in addition to reduced incarceration costs, potential benefits include restitution to victims and the opportunity to provide family support while still in prison. I am fully aware of the fact that most prison laborers are paid less than minimum wage, but what we must remember is that they are criminals. I am not suggesting that they should be exploited in every way possible, but when a person turns to the life of crime they providing them with exactly the same rights as those who do not commit crime will not be fair. Therefore with prison labor i...
