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In Maine, prisoners are thriving in remote jobs

(www.mainepublic.org)
245 points voxadam | 1 comments | 22 Sep 25 22:51 UTC | HN request time: 0.238s | source
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cl0ckt0wer ◴[22 Sep 25 23:04 UTC] No.45340714[source]▶
On the one hand, prisoners being coerced to work is payment for their crimes. On the other hand, that job would have gone to someone else at market rates. This kind of thing drags down the market rates.

We really need to get rid of the exception in the 13th amendment.

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charcircuit ◴[22 Sep 25 23:37 UTC] No.45340984[source]▶
>This kind of thing drags down the market rates.

Why would the prison / prisoner charge below market rates for their labor?

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1. johnnyanmac ◴[23 Sep 25 01:08 UTC] No.45341692[source]▶
Because it's free money for them either way, and they can undercut the competition, even minimum wage workers, due to the 13th amendment excluding prisoners.

The prisoner doesn't really get too much choice in the matter other than taking/rejecting the offer.