Toe Jam Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 http://jobs.aol.com/articles/2011/03/15/state-takes-away-prisoners-earnings/?ncid=txtlnkuscare00000002 Excuse me sir, but the state wants its money back. The state of Illinois says that Kenley Hawkins owes the entire $11,000 he managed to save earning $75 per week since 1982.The catch: Hawkins is a prisoner at the Stateville Correctional Center in Joliet, and the state paid him those meager wages while he's been incarcerated. The total cost of his stay in prison is estimated at $455,203.14. The 60-year-old prisoner is going to court to keep the state from seizing the funds in his bank account to partially satisfy that debt. It will be up to the Illinois Supreme Court to determine whether or not the state can repossess the wages paid to inmates. This will be the first time the court will address this particular issue. click link for more Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G.A.C.O.L.B. Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 I mean they pay you to work. So it's his money. Edit: Point being that's it's not like they were just giving him money. He earned it working for miniscule wages. I'm beyond impressed that he saved that much. Paychecks are normally gone entirely by the next store day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rictus58 Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 So then the prison system should start trying to recover costs from every prison under their care and since released if that's their line of thinking. That's just not right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Predicto Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 I have a great idea. If a prisoner works hard in prison and saves a tiny bit of money, let's take it away from him when he gets released so that he goes out into the world completely destitute. Make sure that he can't buy a car to get to a job, or put a security deposit down on an apartment, or afford to take a class to learn some useful job skills, or buy any nice clothes for an interview. You want him completly flat broke, wearing rags and lying in a gutter. That way he surely won't revert to a life of crime. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Destino Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 So the state mandates that they have to pay wages but the prison is arguing it's ok for the state to take all of it back. How someone in charge of ANYTHING can come up with something that stupid should surprise me. Time has taught me that morons run all sorts of things and the intelligence is not the best indicator of success. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karmacop Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 You want him completely flat broke, wearing rags and lying in a gutter. I bet those rags are worth something! He doesn't need rags -- he could just move to Florida and lie naked on Miami Beach. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hubbs Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 Yeah, this couldn't backfire at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Predicto Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 I bet those rags are worth something! He doesn't need rags -- he could just move to Florida and lie naked on Miami Beach. Nope. In Miami, the cons have to live under a bridge. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julia_Tuttle_Causeway_sex_offender_colony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TD_washingtonredskins Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 Seems ridiculous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bang Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 That's outrageous. ~Bang Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koolblue13 Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 He's 60, been in prison for 30 years and has nothing but $11k and that's an amazing amount to save and they want to take it away? *******s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Jones Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 First, the state has to honor it's obligations. Second, why is the state paying a prisoner money in the first place? 1. You committed a crime that put you in prison for 30 years. 2. The people have been paying for your stay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Predicto Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 First, the state has to honor it's obligations.Second, why is the state paying a prisoner money in the first place? 1. You committed a crime that put you in prison for 30 years. 2. The people have been paying for your stay. If you get people working in prison, there is a benefit to society. Something gets made. If you take away the money, they won't work. If they have no money when they leave prison, they are more likely to commit future crimes. This is a short sighted policy on many levels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popeman38 Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 If you get people working in prison, there is a benefit to society. Something gets made. If you take away the money, they won't work. If they have no money when they leave prison, they are more likely to commit future crimes. This is a short sighted policy on many levels. Our entire prison system is short sighted, so this shouldn't surprise anyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G.A.C.O.L.B. Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 Besides all that, you actually save money by paying prisoners to work. Say a prisoner works in the kitchen and makes a $1 an hour. That sure as hell beats paying a civilian $10 an hour to come in and do the same job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sacase Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 This needs to get thrown out of court. The man worked in prison and because he was able to be frugal and save $11,000 (most Americans out of prison can't save the much) you want to take it away from him, then justify it by saying that well we ran up a bill keeping him in prison. Unless we are going to make all prisoners pay for their incarceration, then I don't see how this even has merit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AsburySkinsFan Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 That's absurd....I'm apparently not allowed to call things moronic anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thiebear Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 The person who tried to pass it should spend 30 days in the hole and then pay the state back for the stay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Destino Posted April 9, 2011 Share Posted April 9, 2011 Second, why is the state paying a prisoner money in the first place? Because otherwise it would be called slavery? The man's work is to build furniture that is then turned around and sold. He makes about 2 bucks a day plus a small commission if the piece is sold. It could be CORRECTLY argued that $8.25 an hour (state's min wage) minus his $2 bucks a day and possible commission are already going to the state. Criminals aren't slaves and trying to make them such in a nation filled with private run prisons would be unwise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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