Do you think prisons should be punishment or rehabilitation?

American prisoners do more than menial jobs, they produce thousands of tonnes of military equipment, parts for the automobile, food and textile industries.

You can't see how it may be a conflict of interest for a government (or even worse a private corporation) to be financially benefiting from prisoners?

Considering the number of criminals that are reoffenders, I would have said one of the most effective ways of reducing crime is to switch up the prison system...

Do you actually know the reoffending rates of both countries. I'm willing to make a strong bet the answer is no...largely because you wouldn't be making such a comment if you did.

Norway has one of the lowest reoffending rates in the world with 20%.

The UK, however, is really not that far off. We have a reoffending rate of just 25.6%, which is pretty excellent given our circumstances that I outlined above. Why change a system which is already pretty good?

Compare it to the US system, which is awful, at a 76%+ reoffending rate, and suddenly you become more appriciative.

Sources:

http://uk.businessinsider.com/why-norways-prison-system-is-so-successful-2014-12

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/563185/proven-reoffending-2014.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwiV9cGniNnZAhUCLMAKHQodAIQQFjAAegQIBxAB&usg=AOvVaw0vtvRsiIORvuds09q66NjC

You're right, reducing the re-offending rate by 20% is completely worthless and shouldn't even be considered

I consider assembly line work as a menial job.

Yes, prison labour can cause problems, but it doesn't have to cause problems. If a government is merely making enough money that the prison system at best breaks even, then what is there to gain from more prisoners?

You're right, let's spend billions to reduce the rate down to 20, rather than spending more money in education which will help more people, or spending more money on reducing poverty, which will help people. Ya got me, really making a convincing argument for rehabilitation here, which is vastly more expensive than punishment and benefits a limited number of people.

Urg, hate it when people can't admit there just wrong about certain things. Why must you double down when I've not only provided you evidence the current system is good, but also given you better alternatives, both of which you have failed to counter, yet you're still adamant on a pre-concieved notion backed up by nothing.

/rant.

You'd have to protect any value coming out of the prison system, so it could only be used to cover costs, even then it would take a huge burden off the national budget if prisons were self sufficient. The conflict of interest would still remain that more prisoners = more cash to play with.

Assuming the system could work as an insulated, publicly owned non-profit though it would still be unnaceptable to me to expect prisoners to work without the full legal protections available to normal workers like sick pay, holiday pay, the right to unionise and there must be no compulsion or incentive to work wrt time served then I think it might be viable... that is hardly a realistic proposition though is it...