By James Kirkup
9:00AM BST 05 Oct 2010
Inmates will effectively be required to do full-time jobs in jail, the Justice Secretary will say.
In exchange, they will earn a "real" wage. Much of the money will be withheld and paid to victims' support funds.
Prisoners who work are paid at least £4 a week, but several schemes allow inmates to earn much more. The average prisoner who works is paid about £10 a week.
The Justice Secretary will announce that under his plan, prisoners could get the minimum wage of £5.60 an hour.
Much of the money they earn will be withheld by prison governors. Some money will be used for a new Victims' Fund and some could help pay for the prison system.
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Mr Clarke's aides said last night that prisoners would not be substantially better off.
The average working prisoner might keep about £20 for a 40-hour week, they said.
However, the prospect of inmates getting large pay rises could prove controversial.
Prisoners are not paid in cash but receive "credits" to buy controlled items including phonecards and tobacco.
Most prisons offer inmates the chance to do paid work in kitchens, laundries and gardens. Attending education, training and rehabilitation programmes also earns payments.
Mr Clarke will tell the Conservative grassroots today that making prisoners work will ultimately make it less likely that they will return to jail.
A prisoner incentives scheme which pays inmates as little as 20 cents an hour for work should be reconsidered by the Government, a prison reformist says.
The Department of Corrections operates the Prison Incentive Framework, which aims to improve the work habits of prisoners and their participation in vocation training, documents obtained by Stuff under the Official Information Act show.
Established in 2002, the nation-wide framework provides six levels of paid incentive, at between 20c to 60c an hour depending on an inmate's assessed work habits, skills and level of responsibility.
Does the US pay more out than the rest of the world combined?NZ same as USA basically
Prisoners paid 20 cents an hour under Ministry of Corrections incentives scheme
Hrrmmm, that's a good question but the answer only matters if we find out why. Do most countries not pay? If so, I'm sure the USA pays more due to our high prison rate and then paying anything will be a lot. Do most countries pay the same? Then its our high prison rate alone?Does the US pay more out than the rest of the world combined?
Hrrmmm, that's a good question but the answer only matters if we find out why. Do most countries not pay? If so, I'm sure the USA pays more due to our high prison rate and then paying anything will be a lot. Do most countries pay the same? Then its our high prison rate alone?
Inmates in government prisons are paid pennies to manufacture clothing, license plates and office suppliesDoes the US pay more out than the rest of the world combined?
Damn you could end up owing them money. Next excuse for the parole board " I can't afford to stay locked up"
What I meant was...who cares if we spend more. We aren't broke poors like the rest of the world that have to deal with criminals running free because they can't afford to enforce the law.You know I don't care.
Just
I think he said he was paid about.....@yuki2054 , how much were you paid while locked up.
I've been detained in secure hospitals. No pay day sadly. I get benefits now though. I kind of deserve them!?!@yuki2054 , how much were you paid while locked up.
Hell yea you do. Its not easy to be batshit crazy.I've been detained in secure hospitals. No pay day sadly. I get benefits now though. I kind of deserve them!?!