Prisoners should be required to work while serving their time

To begin with I would like to request that my opponent proof read her arguments before posting them. Communication is difficult enough without having to assume what the intended meaning is between grammatical mistakes: “However, I disagree that forcing inmates to earn a "living" while in prison is inefficient and unethical due to the inability of states to monitor […]” I will assume this means - I disagree with forcing inmates to earn a living, because it is inefficient and unethical... Re: Inefficient & Unethical Before we can discuss inefficiency behind mandating prisoners to work you will need to offer up some sort of argument for where it is inefficient and why this process cannot be made more efficient within the state system. Until you do this is simply an unfounded assertion. The ethics of this matter is actually a double edged sword. You are free to point to indentured servitude as you have, but this situation is not that simple. A prisoner has made a choice and the state removes their freedoms because of that. It is already commonplace to remove rights from Felons (I.E. Sufferage), let alone the issues they face given the opportunity to rejoin society. While in prison the most common activities are directed at their physical, mental and spiritual health, but they are all optional. They are free to work toward their GED, be taught to read, write or do arithmetic, let alone their room and board – none of which are free. [1] The problem is that all of this is a cost to the tax payer, and not to them. To look at the other side of the sword, how ethical is it for someone on the outside to be forced to pay for a prisoner’s way? As a person in the society of America we are expected to take care of ourselves, working, schooling and the like. The social programs that do exist have steep requirements and long lines, so many people don’t get to see the benefits. Those who do get access to such benefits, such as unemployment, are forced to jump through hoops. There are no free rides out here. On top of all of that we are forced to pay our taxes or possibly join these prisoners. Re: The states ability to monitor safe and ethical working practices This is an odd statement, and I need further examples/evidence/argument to understand why you are willing to put this forward. We trust the state to monitor the working practices and ethics of the businesses in the rest of society, so why wouldn’t it work out in this situation? Re: Taxes paying their wages This is not the case. They would be working to pay for their room, board and services, not for a wage. They could spend their days pushing a large millstone around, grinding up barley for a local brewery or running on treadmills to power a local city, or hell… we have them install the solar panels on a plot of federal desert and wire it back to their prison, which can sell that electricity back to the city. The point is not to improve their pocket books, but to lighten the load on the rest of society, and they do that by contributing back to society. Prisoners owe a debt to society, and this debate is about how well locking them away and supporting them with tax payer funding accomplishes the repayment of that debt. Re: Minimum Wage This is a bit of a side note, but ill address it. I dont think they should make a dime. That money should be directed back into their prison and be used to offset the cost of their room and board, as was discussed above. 1) http://www.ehow.com...