Why do inmates get paid so little?

Prisoners are paid just enough to help them to be self-supporting upon release until they can find a permanent job. They are in prison as punishment and rehabilitation, not for profit.

Do prisoners make minimum wage?

Each prison system and state legislature determines how prison labor is regulated and paid. Typically, wages range from 14 cents to $2.00/hour for prison maintenance labor, depending on the state where the inmate is incarcerated. The national average hovers around 63 cents per hour for this type of labor.

Why can’t prisoners be forced to work?

Penal labor in the United States is explicitly allowed by the 13th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution: “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.” …

What happens if prisoners refuse to work?

If they refuse, they can be punished with solitary confinement, revoking visitation, or other measures. Inmates receive very little pay for their labor—in federal prisons it ranges from $0.12 to $0.40 an hour. The majority of inmates work on prison maintenance and upkeep—cleaning, cooking, etc.

Why do prisoners make money?

Earning money is just as important for an inmate in prison as it is for someone in the free world. Other than that, an inmate has to rely on their own income to get the items they need to survive. Prison jobs pay pennies an hour, so most inmates rely on family and friends on the outside to send them money.

Do inmates pay taxes?

Like anyone else, prison inmates are responsible for paying federal income tax on all taxable income. The threshold amount, before taxes must be paid, is determined by the inmate’s marital status, but, in general, the rate paid by a inmate who receives only income from a prison job would be 15 percent.