I gave it some thought and I think that the other people here actually do make a compelling argument for why domestic labour should be paid and optional as well.
That being said, I’m sure it isn’t controversial that free room and board for prisoners seems somewhat… unfair? On the part of the taxpayer, that is. Yes, it’s true that the State is already depriving a person of their freedom, but the status of imprisonment is also not intended to be an equal trade. It is intended to separate a person from society for rehabilitation (by giving them the skills and resources they need to succeed and re-integrate after release), to prevent further offences from being committed during the term of imprisonment, to repair the damage caused by the offence, and to punish the offender.
While I agree that the US places too much emphasis on the aspect of punishment, that isn’t to say that it should be eliminated. While it doesn’t stop all criminals (obviously), it’s still true that the fear of going to prison does stop a good number of rational-thinking people from committing minor crimes. The problem arises when the system relies on deterrence as the only way to prevent crime.
I think the punishment aspect is pretty intrinsic though. You don’t get to enjoy normal things. You get stripped searched. You’re separated from loved ones. You have no privacy. You can’t go outside on a whim. And the food sucks. Being forced to work doesn’t need to be in the list.
I gave it some thought and I think that the other people here actually do make a compelling argument for why domestic labour should be paid and optional as well.
That being said, I’m sure it isn’t controversial that free room and board for prisoners seems somewhat… unfair? On the part of the taxpayer, that is. Yes, it’s true that the State is already depriving a person of their freedom, but the status of imprisonment is also not intended to be an equal trade. It is intended to separate a person from society for rehabilitation (by giving them the skills and resources they need to succeed and re-integrate after release), to prevent further offences from being committed during the term of imprisonment, to repair the damage caused by the offence, and to punish the offender.
While I agree that the US places too much emphasis on the aspect of punishment, that isn’t to say that it should be eliminated. While it doesn’t stop all criminals (obviously), it’s still true that the fear of going to prison does stop a good number of rational-thinking people from committing minor crimes. The problem arises when the system relies on deterrence as the only way to prevent crime.
I think the punishment aspect is pretty intrinsic though. You don’t get to enjoy normal things. You get stripped searched. You’re separated from loved ones. You have no privacy. You can’t go outside on a whim. And the food sucks. Being forced to work doesn’t need to be in the list.