Of all the problems to fix with the US prison system, forced labor is so far down the list anyway. And yes, I do believe in consequences for actions, as do most people over the age of 25.
Of course- there can be no well-considered arguments for things like prison abolition. No, even considering the idea of such a thing means you're too naive. When people break the rules, they need to have consequences- and, of course, those consequences must be "being locked in a cell". Nothing else is possible. Don't show me the data- don't show me the recidivism rates- don't show me the thinking. That's all just crazy. Grow up. Nothing can ever meaningfully change. We must only fine-tune our existing system- the structure, the heart of it all, is unquestionable, absolute, no less so that the divine right of kings. Can't you see that? After all of human history, we've finally figured things out. Don't question it. Moloch is powerful hungry, after all. We need to do what we've always done. Everybody agrees on that. Better things are childish fantasies. Don't dare question the hegemony, kid. Be realistic, we say, closing our eyes, developing new adaptive noise cancellation to blot out the sounds of the child in the basement, God have mercy we need to be realis
But maybe in a few years we'll, say, legalize weed. Would definitely keep a lot of non-violent people out of jail, and that's definitely something. Maybe by 2050 we'll have cut inmate labor by 10%. I think that's a fair compromise.