Technically it is not slave labor, but then neither are sweat shops then, as the people CHOOSE to work there. The US government is setting a bad precedent by hiring 1 dollar a day workers.
And, no, prisoners are not stripped of their rights in such a way as Phred suggests. And further more, I say that no prisoner should be forced to do a job that any non prisoner could do for pay. Why take a job away from a person that did not commit a crime and have the government profit on incarcerated labor. Whats next, prisoners selling shoes? Paving the streets? How about $1 a day Postal Workers? I mean it is cheep, it will set a postive example for prisoners, but at the end of the day, it lowers salaries, and takes away work from people that are not arrested.
If prisoners want to feel positive and work for early release, they can dig holes half the day, and fill them the other half. This is something that takes away work from no one.
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