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Bill: Prison Labour
Details
Submitted by[?]: Liberal Party for Equality
Status[?]: passed
Votes: This is an ordinary bill. It requires more yes votes than no votes. This bill will not pass any sooner than the deadline.
Voting deadline: July 2074
Description[?]:
| We believe that it is an infringement of human rights for prisoners to be forced to work, without being paid. Therefore this bill proposes to remove the mandatory labour of prisoners, while setting up a good behaviour scheme whereby prisoners who work hard are released sooner than those who do not. The wages will be very low - the minimum wage shall not apply for prisoners - and if the prisoners owe any outstanding fines it will be mandatory that their wages be put directly into paying these off. |
Proposals
Article 1
Proposal[?] to change Prison policy concerning prisoner labor.
Old value:: Able-bodied prisoners have to work during the day.
Current: Prisoners can do certain jobs in prison, voluntarily, for a small wage.
Proposed: Prisoners can do certain jobs in prison, voluntarily, for a small wage.
Debate
These messages have been posted to debate on this bill:
| Date | 19:57:49, June 26, 2005 CET | From | Edelweiss Party | To | Debating the Prison Labour |
| Message | This proposal suits every moral principles of my party and for that I have no argues to debate this proposal. I will support it in any way. |
| Date | 20:50:53, June 26, 2005 CET | From | People's Party | To | Debating the Prison Labour |
| Message | We don't think early release is a good option ... all we're asking is that prisoners work just like normal people. Whats so bad aabout that? They're always ome lazy slobs who won't work no matter what the incentive. They're getting free meals, free lodging, exercise, and medical care. The least they can do is work for it. |
| Date | 23:06:44, June 26, 2005 CET | From | mutt Party | To | Debating the Prison Labour |
| Message | No. They commited a crime then they should pay for it. |
| Date | 11:05:08, June 27, 2005 CET | From | National Centrist Party | To | Debating the Prison Labour |
| Message | This actually deals with our prior objections to paying them a wage. It requires them to pay off all fines before being paid directly. It still seems expensive, but we can stomach this. One question, though. What jobs will be valid for prisoners to work on? |
| Date | 18:30:14, June 27, 2005 CET | From | Liberal Party for Equality | To | Debating the Prison Labour |
| Message | Anything that they are doing at present. This should have been decided in the previous legislature. As long as it poses no significant danger to their lives, and can be carried out in an environment that ensures against escape, I presume. It would be wise to include in this public projects, ect, but I am sure if there was nothing governmental to work on their labour could be contracted out - that way the government could make a little cash out of it. |
| Date | 06:32:15, June 28, 2005 CET | From | People's Party | To | Debating the Prison Labour |
| Message | LFP - some people would work, but what about the others who would rather do nothing? We will have to use force on them anyway, so lets just introduce incentives within a force system. Those who are willing to work of their own accord, can choose what they wish to do. |
| Date | 14:23:27, June 28, 2005 CET | From | National Centrist Party | To | Debating the Prison Labour |
| Message | And, there went my support for this bill. The People's Party has a better handle on this. |
| Date | 17:23:57, June 28, 2005 CET | From | Liberal Party for Equality | To | Debating the Prison Labour |
| Message | With the exception of it involving slave labour. I was really trying to be non confrontational about this and make compromises towards the general view, but it makes me feel like screaming and eating my monitor that you can think that it is ok to force people, with violence and pain, to work against their will. I am putting it to the vote now, as all objections are unavoidable differences of opinion. |
| Date | 16:08:42, June 29, 2005 CET | From | National Centrist Party | To | Debating the Prison Labour |
| Message | If you feel that strongly about it, then I'm grateful for the warning. Antagonizing you on this, or anything else, isn't my goal; and if it really bugs you that badly, then it's better to cut debate short than to have tempers explode. |
| Date | 22:09:52, June 29, 2005 CET | From | National Centrist Party | To | Debating the Prison Labour |
| Message | Alright, I'm in favor. As long as we're contracting these workers out to other employers to pay for their wages. Voluntary labor is of greater efficiency than forced labor and therefore more valuable. |
| Date | 22:33:50, June 29, 2005 CET | From | People's Party | To | Debating the Prison Labour |
| Message | Jeez LFP...if nothing else the overwhelming majority of voters in Hukatai who think coddling prisoners is a bad idea should convince you to vote against this. If that doesn't then let me just say this ...if prisoners wish to work voluntarily, they may at market wages (for private companies) Those that don't want to will be forced to - so that we can pay their bills. What's wrong with that? How are you going to handle the problem of freeloaders...without some kind of force? It doesn't have to be beating, it can be removal of things...like less exercise time, more hassles etc.. |
| Date | 00:41:05, June 30, 2005 CET | From | National Centrist Party | To | Debating the Prison Labour |
| Message | I love being the uncertain swing voter. It forces people to debate things properly and consider viewpoints that they would not otherwise consider. PP: My decision is not based on popular opinion, and very rarely is. My politics are always first moral and then economic, and only populist when the first two do not dictate a course. This decision does not need an either-or, but rather, needs an entirely third option like the one you just suggested. In the absence of an officially formatted bill to that effect, though, this system is better. "Freeloaders" on the prison system? That's what education and job training is for. If you want to keep people from committing crimes just to go into prison, then ensure that the pure internment conditions are truly horrible. Let prisoners who work buy better accomodations, while we're at it. Before you complain of the expense, think of this: These people are working for pennies. The money we make contracting them out will provide a surplus. We keep most of the contracting fee, and then they give much of their money back to make conditions better. Prevents free-loaders, doesn't force people to work, and increases government revenue without raising taxes, all three in one stroke. |
| Date | 00:42:34, June 30, 2005 CET | From | National Centrist Party | To | Debating the Prison Labour |
| Message | One note, we're not really suggesting paying people pennies. That was an exaggeration, and a relative statement; prison labour will be undeniably cheaper than regularly employees, even with the government adding maintanence and personnel costs on them. |
| Date | 10:02:38, June 30, 2005 CET | From | Right Wing Liberals Party | To | Debating the Prison Labour |
| Message | We feel they should lose theys so called Human rights. although the compensation to victims families is a good idea if that was actually proposed. But when it boils down to it there living in an acceptably furnished abode should be enough for them to be happy for after all they commited a crime and should now do the time. Good behaviour should be encouraged though it should not be tarnished by the idea of incentives. It is the responsibility of the perpertrator of crimes to become a better person not our job to 'make' them. A form of indentured servitude is fitting and acceptable in my eyes and my parties if a hill must be demolished they can do it pick and shovel if we need a road it will be there backs that make it if and when it is required. There is no need to pamper these criminals with wages they are paying a debt to us not the other way around. I oppose i hope you do the same. |
| Date | 16:28:55, June 30, 2005 CET | From | National Centrist Party | To | Debating the Prison Labour |
| Message | They wouldn't get a wage until they've paid off any monetary debt assigned to them. Someone could be assigned unpaid labour permanently if they were penalized with a high enough fine. In any case, we aren't going to 'make' them a better person; that's what you're proposing to attempt. We give them an honest and economic reason to be better. They give us a boost to the treasury and the local economy. Sounds like a good way for them to pay off their debt to society to me. Oh! One more thing. Corporate criminals should not be allowed to use their monetary assets to buy themselves cushy lodgings. Prisoners should only be able to use money earned outside the prison to pay off fines; and incentives have to be paid for with prison-earned wages. |
| Date | 10:50:46, July 02, 2005 CET | From | Liberal Party for Equality | To | Debating the Prison Labour |
| Message | Its a good idea and I would have added it if you had said so in time. |
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Voting
| Vote | Seats | |||||
| yes |
Total Seats: 107 | |||||
| no |
Total Seats: 93 | |||||
| abstain | Total Seats: 0 |
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