by Max Barry

Latest Forum Topics

Advertisement

Post

Region: Capitalist Libertarian Freedom Region

Rothbardian fantasy

Re Prisoners paying: This is a good idea in principle. Implementing it is kinda tricky though. I'd suggest the following:

1. As Spinoza says, prisoners awaiting trial are de jure innocent, and shouldn't have to pay.

2. Prisoners should be charged for goods and services at the market rate.

3. Following on from (2), it would be deeply unfair to charge prisoners for goods and services without also giving them the potential means to pay for them. Thus prison work should pay the market wage, or something very close to it.

4. Monies earned through prison work could be spent on necessities, with the excess (if any) being paid to the victims of the prisoner's crime by way of restitution (not saved). Making good restitution payments through prison work could lead to increased privileges, or maybe even sentence reduction (there needs to be an incentive here).

ContextReport