Inmates in the U.S. Prison System Have Launched a Nationwide Strike

[Beet]

Strike organizers have spelled out 10 demands, including improving living conditions to “recognize the humanity of imprisoned men and women” and ending racialized sentencing that discriminates against “black and brown humans.” They are demanding an end to “death by incarceration,” or sentences without parole, and calling for increased spending on rehabilitation support.

The strike also hinges on prison labor, which is often compulsory and remunerated in just pennies. Thousands of captive laborers go to work each day for the multi-billion dollar, for-profit prison industry, yet some reportedly earn as little as 4 cents an hour.

http://time.com/5374133/prison-strike-labor-conditions/?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=social-button-sharing

[PSOL]

When we have forced labor permissible by law if people are imprisoned, it isn’t surprising that we have such poor rights and so many in the system. I hope the strike makes the system slow and raise awareness so voters can repeal this unjust loophole

[NewYorkExpress]

You know, last time we discussed this, the thread got locked. I'd hate for it to happen again.

[Beet]

The U.S. prison population of 2.2 million is just insane. That's 1 in every 150 people.

[Progressive Pessimist]

Good. Prison reform needs to be taken seriously. It will have to be when we get a new administration though. I justifiably have no faith in this administration to address this issue (or any issue, really) and no one else should either.

[Take your vitamins and say your prayers, Brother!]

Good. Prison reform needs to be taken seriously. It will have to be when we get a new administration though. I justifiably have no faith in this administration to address this issue (or any issue, really) and no one else should either.

These disturbances put law-abiding citizens that work in prisons in jeopardy.  Correctional Officers are paid to deal with these situations, but there are teachers and instructors, clerical employees, food service and maintenance staff, medical personnel, and counselors (I was once a counselor in several different prison settings.) that are affected by these things.  To cheer these actions on is ignorance, and runs along the line of those who root for gang leaders to escape prison and remain at large.

Now I DO believe that prison confinement ought to be humane.  I believe inmate housing ought to be properly climate controlled.  I believe that inmates ought to be free from harassment from staff if they are following the rules of the institution and the directives of staff.  Prison is not a place where people are sent to be punished; imprisonment, itself, IS the punishment.  It's not a prison employee's job to decide to inflict sanctions because THEY think they are necessary, and it's deviation from this principle that results in the vast majority of incidents of injustices, and the following lawsuits.  And I believe that legislatures need to ensure humane confinement; I view this as something that is in the interests of all concerned, including the staff that work at prison facilities at jobs that are, indeed, dangerous by definition.

But prison confinement does have rules.  These rules are for the safety of inmates, and one of those rules is, indeed, work.  A good deal of the work is the work of the facility.  Maintenance of the grounds.  Food Service.  Some inmates do work on HVAC or perform auto mechanic work.  Some (in Florida) work at outside worksites for the Transportation Department; they are not "chain gangs".  (I first visited Florida in 1969 and actually saw a chain gang; this is not what we're talking about today.)  I am not a big advocate of letting people contract out inmate labor given the potential for abuse in such a system, but I do not believe that inmates are entitled to the kind of workers rights that people at large are.  Working at reasonable, lawful tasks to maintain their own confinement, working at a job as part of building the habit of work (which some prisoners have coming in and some don't) is hardly an unreasonable expectation.  

Having worked in prison settings as a counselor, having completed psychosocial assessments of inmates and having explored with them their own personal backgrounds, I can truly say that the vast majority of inmates I spoke with were justly imprisoned; they engaged in acts that violated the rights of others, and this was the only means by which society could protect law-abiding persons from these people.  It is somewhat sad to think of this, because some of the young men I worked with seemed to be good people in bad situations (although their crimes were real).  I envisioned many straightening out and living productive adult lives.  Some have done so.  One young man who seemed as if he could do so have gone on to murder others, and will never be free again.  

[Torie]

I don't see how anybody could argue in good conscience that forced labor is acceptable. I also believe that cameras need to be put everywhere in prisons. When I spent a night in jail for a DUI rap, I found the behavior of the jail personnel to be unconscionable. They seemed to enjoy being personally cruel. For example, when due to the fact I had my foot wrapped after surgery, and could not walk very fast, they got angry and shoved me to the ground, yelling epithets at me. That was just one incident. I tried to secure an appointment with the county sheriff over this matter, but was ignored.

[Sic Semper Tyrannis]

Good. Prison reform needs to be taken seriously. It will have to be when we get a new administration though. I justifiably have no faith in this administration to address this issue (or any issue, really) and no one else should either.

These disturbances put law-abiding citizens that work in prisons in jeopardy.  Correctional Officers are paid to deal with these situations, but there are teachers and instructors, clerical employees, food service and maintenance staff, medical personnel, and counselors (I was once a counselor in several different prison settings.) that are affected by these things.  To cheer these actions on is ignorance, and runs along the line of those who root for gang leaders to escape prison and remain at large.

Now I DO believe that prison confinement ought to be humane.  I believe inmate housing ought to be properly climate controlled.  I believe that inmates ought to be free from harassment from staff if they are following the rules of the institution and the directives of staff.  Prison is not a place where people are sent to be punished; imprisonment, itself, IS the punishment.  It's not a prison employee's job to decide to inflict sanctions because THEY think they are necessary, and it's deviation from this principle that results in the vast majority of incidents of injustices, and the following lawsuits.  And I believe that legislatures need to ensure humane confinement; I view this as something that is in the interests of all concerned, including the staff that work at prison facilities at jobs that are, indeed, dangerous by definition.

But prison confinement does have rules.  These rules are for the safety of inmates, and one of those rules is, indeed, work.  A good deal of the work is the work of the facility.  Maintenance of the grounds.  Food Service.  Some inmates do work on HVAC or perform auto mechanic work.  Some (in Florida) work at outside worksites for the Transportation Department; they are not "chain gangs".  (I first visited Florida in 1969 and actually saw a chain gang; this is not what we're talking about today.)  I am not a big advocate of letting people contract out inmate labor given the potential for abuse in such a system, but I do not believe that inmates are entitled to the kind of workers rights that people at large are.  Working at reasonable, lawful tasks to maintain their own confinement, working at a job as part of building the habit of work (which some prisoners have coming in and some don't) is hardly an unreasonable expectation.  

Having worked in prison settings as a counselor, having completed psychosocial assessments of inmates and having explored with them their own personal backgrounds, I can truly say that the vast majority of inmates I spoke with were justly imprisoned; they engaged in acts that violated the rights of others, and this was the only means by which society could protect law-abiding persons from these people.  It is somewhat sad to think of this, because some of the young men I worked with seemed to be good people in bad situations (although their crimes were real).  I envisioned many straightening out and living productive adult lives.  Some have done so.  One young man who seemed as if he could do so have gone on to murder others, and will never be free again.  

Good to know that you oppose peacefully protesting unfair conditions and support prison slavery.

[JA]

I don't see how anybody could argue in good conscience that forced labor is acceptable. I also believe that cameras need to be put everywhere in prisons. When I spent a night in jail for a DUI rap, I found the behavior of the jail personnel to be unconscionable. They seemed to enjoy being personally cruel. For example, when due to the fact I had my foot wrapped after surgery, and could not walk very fast, they got angry and shoved me to the ground, yelling epithets at me. That was just one incident. I tried to secure an appointment with the county sheriff over this matter, but was ignored.

See: Stanford Prison Experiment. This is what happens when humans are given such authority of overs, especially when that authority isn’t well regulated and monitored by independent sources.

[Badger]

Good. Prison reform needs to be taken seriously. It will have to be when we get a new administration though. I justifiably have no faith in this administration to address this issue (or any issue, really) and no one else should either.

These disturbances put law-abiding citizens that work in prisons in jeopardy.  Correctional Officers are paid to deal with these situations, but there are teachers and instructors, clerical employees, food service and maintenance staff, medical personnel, and counselors (I was once a counselor in several different prison settings.) that are affected by these things.  To cheer these actions on is ignorance, and runs along the line of those who root for gang leaders to escape prison and remain at large.

Now I DO believe that prison confinement ought to be humane.  I believe inmate housing ought to be properly climate controlled.  I believe that inmates ought to be free from harassment from staff if they are following the rules of the institution and the directives of staff.  Prison is not a place where people are sent to be punished; imprisonment, itself, IS the punishment.  It's not a prison employee's job to decide to inflict sanctions because THEY think they are necessary, and it's deviation from this principle that results in the vast majority of incidents of injustices, and the following lawsuits.  And I believe that legislatures need to ensure humane confinement; I view this as something that is in the interests of all concerned, including the staff that work at prison facilities at jobs that are, indeed, dangerous by definition.

But prison confinement does have rules.  These rules are for the safety of inmates, and one of those rules is, indeed, work.  A good deal of the work is the work of the facility.  Maintenance of the grounds.  Food Service.  Some inmates do work on HVAC or perform auto mechanic work.  Some (in Florida) work at outside worksites for the Transportation Department; they are not "chain gangs".  (I first visited Florida in 1969 and actually saw a chain gang; this is not what we're talking about today.)  I am not a big advocate of letting people contract out inmate labor given the potential for abuse in such a system, but I do not believe that inmates are entitled to the kind of workers rights that people at large are.  Working at reasonable, lawful tasks to maintain their own confinement, working at a job as part of building the habit of work (which some prisoners have coming in and some don't) is hardly an unreasonable expectation.  

Having worked in prison settings as a counselor, having completed psychosocial assessments of inmates and having explored with them their own personal backgrounds, I can truly say that the vast majority of inmates I spoke with were justly imprisoned; they engaged in acts that violated the rights of others, and this was the only means by which society could protect law-abiding persons from these people.  It is somewhat sad to think of this, because some of the young men I worked with seemed to be good people in bad situations (although their crimes were real).  I envisioned many straightening out and living productive adult lives.  Some have done so.  One young man who seemed as if he could do so have gone on to murder others, and will never be free again.  

You are broad points have some truth to them, look for you Hostess strike I think you need to research more exactly what is being protested and what is being demanded as changes. Admittedly, opposition to harsh sentencing laws and mandatory minimums part of it, which I partially agree with, but it seems separate from the direct issue of prison labor reform. Still, I think you need to read up more about this strike before condemning it. I think you would find a fair bit of agreement in their goals.

If you were questioning that the overwhelming vast majority of inmates are rightfully convicted oh, even if some drug sentencing laws are unnecessarily harsh, but that doesn't mean that they should be considered as a chattel corporate and / or statist labor Supply.

[Beet]

Good. Prison reform needs to be taken seriously. It will have to be when we get a new administration though. I justifiably have no faith in this administration to address this issue (or any issue, really) and no one else should either.

The Obama administration didn't do anything about it either, and he had 8 years (other than pardoning a handful of people for warm and fuzzy news stories.)

[Progressive Pessimist]

Good. Prison reform needs to be taken seriously. It will have to be when we get a new administration though. I justifiably have no faith in this administration to address this issue (or any issue, really) and no one else should either.

The Obama administration didn't do anything about it either, and he had 8 years (other than pardoning a handful of people for warm and fuzzy news stories.)

You're not wrong about that but he didn't actively make the issue much worse either. Sessions as Attorney General has been the least help of all.