[idoh]

The caveat is that I've never actually spent time in a prison, my understanding of the setup is that the base level experience is that you stay in your cell / rec room, and can go outside to the yard like an hour a day. Beyond that, you can volunteer (or get paid some small amount) to help out in various ways, like working laundry, barber shop, kitchen, library, etc. I don't think any of these pays minimum wage. Adding another thing that prisoners can opt into doesn't seem crazy or exploitive, if it is truly just another choice that they can make.

[lesuorac]

It's often not really a choice (i.e. work or received additional punishment) and sometimes not paid either. [1]

[1]: 2:01 ~ 2:30 https://youtu.be/AjqaNQ018zU?t=121

[idoh]

Agreed, and that's kinda what I was saying. Theoretically it could work, in practice, not so much.