Should prisons be more self-supportive? Raise own food etc?

United States
January 9, 2007 11:23am CST
It often troubles me that so many tax dollars go to fund the cost of houseing prisoners. While some tax money is needed, I feel a great deal of tax dollars could be saved by making the prisoners and prison be more self-supportive. I realize that most have their own laundry facility that is run by the prisoners, and that prisoners help wash dishes and serve food. However, why can't the prisons do more to raise their own food? Why can't they have large gardens and raise vegetables? Why can't they have pigs that are fed and maintained by the prisoners and that are later slaughtered for meat? I am not talking about local jails and prisons, I am talking about the large federal prisons that are out in the country on large tracts of land.
8 people like this
8 responses
@villageanne (8553)
• United States
17 Jan 07
I too am greatly troubled by this. My Uncle puts in Dishnetwork dishes. He recently put them into a local reginal jail for the prisioners. I run a nonprofit foodpantry for low income families. These families do not have TV's or dishnetwork. They do not have enough food to feed their families. Many do not have a nice warm home or clean clothes and we are spending tax money on dishnetwork for prisioners. Where is the justice in this?
3 people like this
• United States
17 Jan 07
OH MY GOSH, no!?! Dish network for prisoners? That seriously makes my blood boil. Like you I see people each day who would be happy to have TV at all, let alone dishnetwork! Not only where is the justice....where are my tax dollars being spent!
2 people like this
• United States
20 Apr 07
I heard that! It makes me mad too but it happens all the time. We have no say so about what our taxes are spent for anymore. Thanks for Best Response
• United States
1 Feb 07
I have always felt as you have stated. Too much tax dollars to support them, and give them activities, and they go on strikes. Can you believe it? They should have gardens to raise their own food, an excellent idea. I just got an idea, really, why don't you go into politics, and run for a job in your state? Wow, you could do a bang up job.
3 people like this
• United States
1 Feb 07
Sure margieanne, will you come and be my running mate?! We'll whip this state into shape in no time!
1 person likes this
@carmat (2849)
• Canada
27 Jan 07
I hear they eat like kings in jail, I think it is a great idea to make them grow and raise their own food rather than be a further drain of the taxpayer. They screwed up why should they eat better than the average joe
2 people like this
@suscan (1955)
• United States
14 Jan 07
Absolutely, It does not make sense that prisoners should have comforts that the working citizen can not afford. So much money could be saved if the prisoners grew a lot of their own food.
@estherlou (5015)
• United States
1 Feb 07
I think that is an excellent idea! Another way to keep them busy as well as productive, and save tax payer money at the same time! It would also give them extra exersize too.
1 person likes this
@mari61960 (4893)
• United States
3 Feb 07
I've always thought that prisons should be self-supporting. They can grow their own food, farm animals etc. My town has one of the largest prisons in Mass. They used to farm and raise cows,pigs and sheep. The prisoners were required to work the farm.
• United States
20 Apr 07
I definitely think they should do a lot more to fend for themselves. I for one am always appalled at the way our elderly are treated compared to a prisoner. Perhaps if prison wasn't a luxury stay at a hotel they wouldn't as quick to come back. After all, I don't have a personal chef, place to work out, free schooling provided to me, a/c and heat at no cost, a full library at my house and free cable.
• United States
20 Apr 07
I've always thought those prisons should be on remote islands, where prisoners are air-dropped with a tent and basic survival gear (okay, so we'd teach them how to use the gear first). If they want to commit crimes and act like animals, fine, let's treat them that way. I bet it would be a much bigger deterrent than these prisons that have recreational facilities, weight rooms, satellite TV, better food than a lot of working families, etc.