Inmates deserve minimum wage

[Chuck U. Farlie]

I am surprised no one brought this up before now, at least not that I could find when I searched for it:

Cons' pay blasted

UPDATED: 2006-11-27 01:22:09 MST

Prison investigator says inmates aren't paid enough

By SUN MEDIA

TORONTO -- Canada's prisoners need a raise, says the correctional investigator of federal penitentiaries.

In his annual report to Correctional Services of Canada, Howard Sapers claims Canada's inmates are underpaid, saying compensation for their work and participation in programs hasn't increased in nearly 20 years.

The maximum wage is set at $6.90 per day. This rate is paid for participation in prison programs, working in the laundry department, and in certain workshops such as metal, wood and textile.

"An enormous adjustment is required," Sapers said, noting increasing prisoners' wages would help them develop a sense of responsibility and improve their chances of reintegrating into society.

The Prisoners' Rights Committee is asking inmates get paid at least minimum wage.

"They will be better prepared to resume their lives on the outside," said Jean-Claude Bernheim, a criminal-law specialist with the committee.

Bernheim said prisoners should also be subject to income taxes and employment insurance.

What are your thoughts?

If something like this were passed, I could see it result in more crime - an incentive to be incarcerated.

Think about it... you can't find work no matter how hard you try, and you are going further and further into debt paying your rent, utilities, food, etc.. However, if you commit a serious enough crime to be locked away you not only get your food and housing for free, but you could potentially save $10000 a year (after tax)... spend 20 years in and you could save $200000 not including any compounding interest. Could be a career move!

[Charles Anthony]

The incentive you identify (free rent, utilities, food, etc..) already exists anyway. The extra incentive of minimum wage is not likely going to change a poor person's decision to commit crime.

Should they be paid anyway?

Sure. Do you think they would work better if they did NOT get paid?

If we do not care how well they work, why are they doing it?

If they did not get paid and they did not have work, do we think they would not create their own form of currency??

Of course they will -- unless they are each in solitary confinement.

[geoffrey]

I think you underestimate how rough prision is. Sure, there is minimum security for the tax violators and stuff, but I don't know many people that'd chose to give up their freedom for a meagre $10k a year.

That said, desperate times create desperate people, making prision too financially rewarding might draw in a few of society's most desperate.

[Remiel]

Does a person in prison still have to pay child support based on what they earn at their prison jobs?

[Renegade]

Cons' pay blasted

UPDATED: 2006-11-27 01:22:09 MST

The Prisoners' Rights Committee is asking inmates get paid at least minimum wage.

"They will be better prepared to resume their lives on the outside," said Jean-Claude Bernheim, a criminal-law specialist with the committee.

Bernheim said prisoners should also be subject to income taxes and employment insurance.

If they are workers they should absolutely get the same wage conditions as workers on the outside. Of course in order for them to "be better prepared to resume their lives on the outside", they should also have to pay for accomodation, board, dental care, and all other services provided. After paying for all that, I doubt that they woudl have anything, let alone $6.90 left at the end of the day. (That too, will condition them to "be better prepared to resume their lives on the outside".

[gc1765]

If they are workers they should absolutely get the same wage conditions as workers on the outside. Of course in order for them to "be better prepared to resume their lives on the outside", they should also have to pay for accomodation, board, dental care, and all other services provided. After paying for all that, I doubt that they woudl have anything, let alone $6.90 left at the end of the day. (That too, will condition them to "be better prepared to resume their lives on the outside".

I agree.

Let's pay them a decent wage, then take off food, accomodations, compensation for the victims (or families) etc... heck, I'll even be nice and give them a choice: The above OR $6.90 per day with free food & accomodation.

[FTA Lawyer]

If they are workers they should absolutely get the same wage conditions as workers on the outside. Of course in order for them to "be better prepared to resume their lives on the outside", they should also have to pay for accomodation, board, dental care, and all other services provided. After paying for all that, I doubt that they woudl have anything, let alone $6.90 left at the end of the day. (That too, will condition them to "be better prepared to resume their lives on the outside".

I agree.

Let's pay them a decent wage, then take off food, accomodations, compensation for the victims (or families) etc... heck, I'll even be nice and give them a choice: The above OR $6.90 per day with free food & accomodation.

Couldn't say it better. I'm all for giving them min. wage so long as they are expected to cover all of the same expenses that an average Joe working at McDonalds has to cover...if cost of living expenses aren't there, then there is absolutely no basis for min. wage to be paid.

That all being said, if there truly has been no increase for 20 years, then I'd back an adjustment of some kind, even without any additional obligations for expenses.

FTA

[cybercoma]

Cons' pay blasted

UPDATED: 2006-11-27 01:22:09 MST

The Prisoners' Rights Committee is asking inmates get paid at least minimum wage.

"They will be better prepared to resume their lives on the outside," said Jean-Claude Bernheim, a criminal-law specialist with the committee.

Bernheim said prisoners should also be subject to income taxes and employment insurance.

If they are workers they should absolutely get the same wage conditions as workers on the outside. Of course in order for them to "be better prepared to resume their lives on the outside", they should also have to pay for accomodation, board, dental care, and all other services provided. After paying for all that, I doubt that they woudl have anything, let alone $6.90 left at the end of the day. (That too, will condition them to "be better prepared to resume their lives on the outside".

BINGO!

I can't believe these people are acually humouring this patently absurd idea. My god man, these people are incarcerated and are living off the taxes of the rest of us. We are supporting these people already and now they're demanding more. Do you know how much of an increase in taxes it would take to fund this stupid idea?

Bring back chain gangs, so than can repay society for the damages they've inflicted upon it. Give them minimum wage....holy crap, imagine.

[Army Guy]

Perhaps i'm the only one that thinks our current prison system is to soft, And prisoners have far to many rights as it stands. Perhaps it is a lack of understanding or education on this topic that drives my opinons, or perhaps it's because i've seen other prison systems around the world. No i'm not a convict but have dropped POW's and prisoners off to various prisons around the world.

I've got a problem with all this, 6.90 is higher than some min wages already set by some provinices. Below are the wages set out by military prisoners.

) (Entitlement) An officer or non-commissioned member, or a former officer or former non-commissioned member who is sentenced to imprisonment by a court martial and is committed to the CFSPDB is entitled, for each full day of imprisonment, to imprisonment allowance based on the member’s participation in rehabilitation and work programs, as determined by the Commandant of the CFSPDB, as follows:

$5.00 per day, if the officer or non-commissioned member or former officer or former non-commissioned member fully participates;

$2.50 per day, if the officer or non-commissioned member or former officer or non-commissioned member does not fully participate due to circumstances beyond their control; or

$1.00 per day, in any other case.

Here is my problem, why are we paying them at all for internal labour such as mopping floors, running thier libriary, doing thier laundry, things they need done to increase thier quality of life, not ours, but thiers.

These chores need to be done, and should be part of thier daily routine, as it is with us normal every day citizens Nobody pays me to clean my house or do my laundry etc etc...Basic housekeeping should be done by the convicts for convicts free of charge period...

i'm not a heartless bastard i do agree paying them a wage for work above and beyond such as building maintance, veh miantence(looking after the prison veh fleet perhaps even the police fleet, presently the army has a HLVW life extension project ongoing which is being done by convicts. There are thousands of productive things that could be done by these convicts to earn them wages...not full wages but wages...

...I'll explain.

By not paying them full wages would allow the prison to dump cash into running programs such as teaching convicts how to be veh mechs, electricians etc etc usable trades training.

Any other programs should be payed by the convicts, want a GED then it cost X amount, want a degree it cost X amount, want cable TV they pay, want sat TV they pay, want vidios they pay, etc etc.

It's time we stop treating them as if they all have special needs and start treating them like prisoners and convicts.

wages

wages

[cybercoma]

How much does a juror make per day?

Shouldn't we be demanding that when a person is called to jury duty they be paid minimum wage before we demand the criminals they're convicting get this?

[Jerry J. Fortin]

Okay, call me a heartless bastard but I don't think that prisoners deserve a red cent in wages. If it were up to me I would remove every damned luxury item from the jails. No swimming pools or movie rooms, no exercise centres or libraries. As far as work goes, I would have every damned one of them work all right, hard enough to earn the 70K a year it costs to keep them behind bars, but they wouldn't see a thin dime of it until that was covered first.

We need to give our heads a shake here. These people are supposed to be PAYING a debt to society, not earning money for their own benefit. Violent offenders should NEVER get out of jail unless their convictions are overturned. Look at the number of repeat offenders and then tell me how our soft punishment system of justice is working. Jail should be a place that they would fear to go, and not risk the consequences of breaking the laws of society.

On another note, I think that having guards inside jails is a little foolish given that guns would be pointing outside towards law abiding citizens, the guards should be on the outside pointing their guns inside trying to keep them in!

Oh well, I guess the bleeding heart society will find my notions off the hook. So be it, but I will still place more value on law abiding citizens than criminals and still believe that criminals need to be punished for their crimes. Making it easier on them at my expense will never fly with me.

[Wilber]

On another note, I think that having guards inside jails is a little foolish given that guns would be pointing outside towards law abiding citizens, the guards should be on the outside pointing their guns inside trying to keep them in!

I don't know if the Conservatives have changed it but the former government wouldn't even let them wear protective vests because it might upset the prisoners.

Whatever they make, half should go to the victims of the crimes that put them there.

[Remiel]

Unfortunately, Jerry, the reality is that the harder you make it for them to earn anything, the more likely they are to do nothing or worse, make (more) trouble. Your sentiments are perhaps not so very unreasonable, just unrealistic.

In my opinion, taking away the libraries would be wrong. I have never heard of swimming pools in maximum security prisons though... In any case, I don't think I'll ever quite see the logic of giving criminals access to weights...

[Charles Anthony]

Oh well, I guess the bleeding heart society will find my notions off the hook.

Your sentiments are probably shared by many Canadians.

However, like many Canadians, I think your frustration at our justice system is misguided.

So be it, but I will still place more value on law abiding citizens than criminals and still believe that criminals need to be punished for their crimes. Making it easier on them at my expense will never fly with me.

What if you found out that it costs more to keep a criminal incarcerated than it does to have them vacation in Cuba????

Would you object to offering them a permanent exile to Cuba with never the chance to ever return to Canada in their lives again?

[crazymf]

I've mentioned it before, but I think Canada should contract out the prison system to another country such as any South American or central american state. Let them handle the prisoners and just send us a current photo every month or year so we'll send a cheque.

It'd be cheaper and I would bet my last dollar that the reoffense rate would plummet.