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Chris
05-01-2012, 06:14 AM
Great idea!

The Bottom One Percent (http://econlog.econlib.org/archives/2012/04/the_bottom_one.html)
We hear a lot about the top 1%. We don't hear a lot about the bottom 1%. There are about 313 million people in America today. 1% of 313 million is 3,130,000. In our prisons today are 2,200,000 people. So the people in prison are 2/3 of one percent. And their wages are typically about 23 cents an hour. They are, essentially, the bottom 1%.
Many of them are there for violent crimes, theft, fraud, and other such things. But hundreds of thousands of them are there for buying, selling, or producing illegal drugs. The drug war has put them there. And we taxpayers are paying $30,000 a year and more to keep them there.
So let me get this straight: high-income people are paying lots of taxes so that the government can put poor people in prison and keep them poor or put non-poor people in prison and make them poor.
We hear the occupy people advocate taxing the top 1% more. I've got a better idea: let's tax the top 1% less--they're already paying a disproportionately high share of taxes--and let a few hundred thousand of the bottom one percent out of prison and out of their grinding poverty in prison.

MMC
05-01-2012, 06:29 AM
Good piece Chris.....now you have found those who truly are the ones who All are biased or prejudice against. How many young guys 18 years old committ a crime then. Serve their time and never get into any trouble again? If they are convicted of Class X felonies. They cannot hold State Government Jobs. City Workers Jobs. Nor Work for the Fed.

No jobs like the Post Office. Federal Express or UPS. Banks and or places with high Tech security. Moreover you would be surprised as to how many Veterans get locked up and are serving time.

Mainecoons
05-01-2012, 06:34 AM
The War on Drugs = The War on Poverty = The non stop governmental stupidity that has put America in full scale decline.

MMC
05-01-2012, 06:40 AM
Prisons are a failure. There is no rehabilitation. Many I talk to seem to think there is so. Personally I think Prisons should be turned into Working facilities. Allowing these people to make money. Pay for their room and board, while being able to save money for when they are released. Teaching them to manage their money.

Course this would also apply to those that are there for life.

Conley
05-01-2012, 08:35 AM
Prisons are a failure? You guys are looking at it all wrong. Prisons are a huge success if you can get a piece of the action.

Let's see, 2.2M prisoners x $30k per prisoner = 66 Billion Dollars. That is a big chunk of change. You guys must just be jealous that you're not in on it. Yup. :rollseyes:

MMC
05-01-2012, 08:51 AM
Prisons are a failure? You guys are looking at it all wrong. Prisons are a huge success if you can get a piece of the action.

Let's see, 2.2M prisoners x $30k per prisoner = 66 Billion Dollars. That is a big chunk of change. You guys must just be jealous that you're not in on it. Yup. :rollseyes:

That what states get. Just think what Private Enterprises gets. :evil: As I hear it out by you they just going to release a bunch of them. Currently Chicago is about to Host the G20. The Cook County Sheriff has already stated that there is no room to put any Protestors or Demonstrators that plan on being heard for the Summit. So now they are thinking of re-opening Joliet Prison which closed in 02 as a place to hold them. 45 mins from Chicago.

Conley
05-01-2012, 09:04 AM
Yep, there are a number of for profit private prisons out here.

MMC
05-01-2012, 09:15 AM
Yep, there are a number of for profit private prisons out here.


They have been trying to get them in the Midwest. Which has been met with opposition. Still even if people do serve time they rarily end up with a good job. Most get out with nothing. Which leads them right back into whatever it was they were doing before. Then the repeat offender issue starts to take play. Costing the state even more money and time.

Conley
05-01-2012, 09:21 AM
They have been trying to get them in the Midwest. Which has been met with opposition. Still even if people do serve time they rarily end up with a good job. Most get out with nothing. Which leads them right back into whatever it was they were doing before. Then the repeat offender issue starts to take play. Costing the state even more money and time.

You're right on that. It just creates a cycle with no way out...they become more functional within the system than they would on the outside because they don't have the skills they need.

Conley
05-01-2012, 09:24 AM
There are some businesses that are capitalizing on them, I don't know enough about these guys to know if they're legit or not, but it's an interesting idea.

Homeboy Industries is a youth program founded in 1992[1] by Father Greg Boyle, S.J. following the work of the Christian base communities at Dolores Mission Church. The program is intended to assist at-risk youth and gang members with a variety of services, such as counseling, tutoring, and employment. The most distinctive feature of Homeboy Industries[2] is its small businesses, which gives hard-to-place individuals an opportunity to be employed in transitional jobs in a safe, supportive environment where they can learn both concrete and soft job skills. Among the businesses[3] are the Homeboy Bakery, Homegirl Café[4] & Catering, Homeboy Merchandise, Homeboy Farmers Markets, The Homeboy Diner at City Hall[5], and Homeboy Silkscreen & Embroidery.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeboy_Industries

MMC
05-01-2012, 09:32 AM
You're right on that. It just creates a cycle with no way out...they become more functional within the system than they would on the outside because they don't have the skills they need.

Some Prisons have industires and all get money even if they do nothing. All from the state. In Illinois it is like 10-15 dollars a month just for sitting and doing nothing. Cook County Jail holds more than All the Max and Medium Prisons in the entire State of Illinois. They tried going to a system where all the Max Prisons would be for People with 10 yrs or more. With a Couple for the most Violent And for those in Protective Custody. Didn't work due to the overcrowding and gangs.

How many are possession charges for repeat offenses with mary-jane? Young people, that get thrown in the system. Sure not Class X or Heinious Crimes. Still time done and served. Pretty much the rest of their lives they are screwed.