Dell employs low-end, prison labor in its partnership with Unicor, a corporation that uses prison workers as part of the Federal Bureau of Prison
It is the mission of Federal Prison Industries, Inc. to employ and provide skills training to the greatest practicable number of inmates confined within the Federal Bureau of Prisons; contribute to the safety and security of our Nation's correctional facilities by keeping inmates constructively occupied; produce market-price quality goods for sale to the Federal Government
Wages paid : 20cents to $1.16 per hour.
Commentary From the Sidelines of history
Originally posted by Sriraj Rajaram:
Originally posted by herb slocomb:
Why not discuss the pros and cons of this arrangement?
If we allow prisoners to earn full market value for their labor is that really proper punishment?
(We already pay for housing, food, and education. When the innmates got out they would be in far better shape financially than honest working people).
Commentary From the Sidelines of history
Associate Instructor - Hofstra University
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Originally posted by Sriraj Rajaram:
The key phrase being "full market value"
At $1.16/hr, I'd be tempted to throw you in prison and then employ from there.
Originally posted by Thomas Paul:
It seems like the state is using prison labor to compete against the honest hard working guy on the street and what chance does he have to compete against these wages?
Originally posted by herb slocomb:
One of the arguments for justifying the massive illegal immigration crisis we have now is that the immigrants are doing some jobs that Americans will not, so why not allow the prisoners do those jobs so there is no competition with the honest working folk.
Commentary From the Sidelines of history
Originally posted by herb slocomb:
One of the arguments for justifying the massive illegal immigration crisis we have now is that the immigrants are doing some jobs that Americans will not, so why not allow the prisoners do those jobs so there is no competition with the honest working folk.
Associate Instructor - Hofstra University
Amazon Top 750 reviewer - Blog - Unresolved References - Book Review Blog
This used to be done all the time in the South. The police would sell prisoners (mostly blacks) to local farmers to do things like pick cotton and rice. When they ran low on prisoners they would simply round up a bunch of blacks, railroad them with trumped up charges, and they were back in business. Louisiana was especially famous for this because the death rate among the prisoners working on the rice farms was very high because of malaria, poor food, and lack of health care.Originally posted by herb slocomb:
Are we suggesting the police get kickbacks from this arrangement and that the kickbacks are sufficient to negate the risks of losing one's career in law enforcement?
Associate Instructor - Hofstra University
Amazon Top 750 reviewer - Blog - Unresolved References - Book Review Blog
Originally posted by Sriraj Rajaram:
Those include sweeping floors, cleaning toilets etc. So if you would like a convicted felon sweeping your office floors and cleaning your toilets, it may be justifiable.
Originally posted by Thomas Paul:
I don't think prisoners are being used to cut my lawns and helping contractors remove rubbish.
I also think there is a huge myth about "doing jobs that Americans will not do". Could someone please tell me what these jobs are? I have never found a job (unless it involves an illegal sweat shop) that all American workers would refuse to do.
Originally posted by Thomas Paul:
This used to be done all the time in the South. The police would sell prisoners (mostly blacks) to local farmers to do things like pick cotton and rice. When they ran low on prisoners they would simply round up a bunch of blacks, railroad them with trumped up charges, and they were back in business. Louisiana was especially famous for this because the death rate among the prisoners working on the rice farms was very high because of malaria, poor food, and lack of health care.
Associate Instructor - Hofstra University
Amazon Top 750 reviewer - Blog - Unresolved References - Book Review Blog
Obviously we need to do the research, don't we? Sriraj pointed out that a lot of prisoners were being used as cheap labor to compete against American workers. Now we need to see if there is any indication that innocent people are being imprisoned in Texas. I guess that could never happen, huh?Originally posted by herb slocomb:
One of my earlier questions was, is there any evidence of this happening now, meaning the year 2003?
Associate Instructor - Hofstra University
Amazon Top 750 reviewer - Blog - Unresolved References - Book Review Blog
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Originally posted by Thomas Paul:
Java programming at minimum wage?
Read these boards and you will find odzens of programmers looking for some experience who would gladly take a job at minimum wage.
Seasonal crop harvesting?
I was reading about a group in the Midwest that hooks college students up with farmers. I am sure that there are plenty of Americans who would gladly take these jobs.
Originally posted by Thomas Paul:
Obviously we need to do the research, don't we? Sriraj pointed out that a lot of prisoners were being used as cheap labor to compete against American workers. Now we need to see if there is any indication that innocent people are being imprisoned in Texas. I guess that could never happen, huh?
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