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: Grits for Breakfast

Why not allow youth, adult inmates to earn money for victim restitution, child support?

I'd commented the other day that prisoners could pay more of their own freight if they are allowed to earn, so I'm particularly disappointed at the reaction of some legislators to news of a program that they themselves authorized. Reports the Statesman's Mike Ward ("Texas youth inmates paid for work," March 31):Adults locked in Texas prisons work for free, helping in the kitchen and doing maintenance around the lockup.But teenagers in most Texas Youth Commission lockups are paid for doing many of the same chores, and Texas taxpayers are picking up the tab.This year alone, several hundred youth lawbreakers are expected to be paid more than $167,000, according to state records.Offenders are using the tax-free earnings to pay child support, buy snacks and other items from the canteen, and pay court costs and fines, said top commission officials, who defend the program as being like an internship in vocational training...continue to full post

Full post as published by Grits for Breakfast on April 01, 2011 (boomark / email).