Why aren't prisoners forced to work on public works projects?

It is very hard to secure the prisoners when they are allowed to perform work on public projects.

1

Some of the answers here were fair but not well informed. First of all, lifers have committed such crimes that they are not to be put in a position where they could possibly escape and become a threat again to society. They committed crimes of violence and therefore are sentenced to life and not eligible for access outside the "wall".

As for some of the other inmates, in my state, we do contract out extra help on these projects. This helps the Union get more contracts, the non-inmates get more money because they don't have to pay union wage to the inmates AND the union contractor's get a bonus for finishing the work ahead of time because of the inmates filling in the gaps. Additionally, the money that the inmates do make doing this work, they get 75 percent taken out of their checks and it is given back to DOC for their housing costs. So, it is happening to some degree in some places.

Dont know of any Legal cases BUT Id like to see Inmates do the following:

Remove Flood damage- New Orleans LA area.

Clear debris from Fires

Build sandbags to deter flooding

Remove Hwyside trash & litter.

Remove rocks etc debris for trails.

Burn illegal drugs??

Pave country roads.

Do Food Service in the Prison IE they Cook the food.

& work 10 Hour days X 5.

Then work another 8 hours.

Be 2 tirded to fight.

ALL Gangs involved & the Guards have OK SHOOT TO KILL orders.

& then see the AZ sheriff in Cochice County AZ & use his role model.

Or send inmates to Saudi Arabia.

Head lop off time.

Neat.

Although I do not have the time to do the research for you I can assure you that the government does indeed use inmate labor to build many public projects. They have put many privately owned companies out of business over the years and have never, to my knowledge, been successfully sued. They have been sued though. Unicor is the Federal Government inmate labor company.

It's got nothing to do with the law - the use of prisoners on work duty used to be common.

The reason is purely political - the Unions will NEVER allow it.

They give millions of dollars every year to politicians to make sure that the government doesn't even allow non-union companies to bid on government work - let alone have it done by FREE non-union labor!

Richard

In some states they try this style of paintings. besides the shown fact that, gangs of workers could desire to be watched and protected, its consistently a secure practices threat, and as a fashion to stay away from escapes they could no longer flow to an identical section with any fidelity or somebody ought to plot to break them out. it can result costing better than its worth. yet another element is how the loose hard paintings could be divided, could it flow to the richest or maximum related interior the section, the biggest political donors? does no longer that provide them an unfair income? So for reasons of risk-free practices and favoritism, its no longer a great theory. the 1st time a prisoner escapes and adult males are despatched to seek for him we might lose any financial income.

1) I would question the quality of work prisoners would do on bridges and roads, etc.

2) It would put a lot of Americans out of work.

3) Number 1 again.

Oh my gosh! I totally agree. What a great idea. Ya, i think community service would be great for inmates! Go suggest it to your Congressperson. If you get a petition with enough signatures, it could happen! Good Luck! :-)

because a lot of people will be scared to be around them... !!