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Mahira Alula
Nov 168 min read

Boiled Alive: Prison Economy


A grotesque dance of agony piercing the skin. Blood boiling bubbles from steam in your lungs. Eyes, once filled with life, now ripe like meatballs. Would this punishment create betterment to society? (even if it’d make a great soup).


Instant Noodles, the stuff dreams (and deals) are made of—become a staple in prison. Ramen, a $1 commodity, worth 5 packs of cigarettes behind bars. It’s just like living in two different worlds. 


Ramen Economy

There was an entire informal economy based on ramen (which they often referred to as 'soups'). "Some people will never eat them, but they use them — that's their funny money." (NPR, Alvarez, 2016). Inmates in the US and most Asian nations use ramen to pay for services from other Inmates like laundry and cleaning. Ramen are a good currency with intrinsic value, are easily traded, and are nonperishable (Hustle, 2019). 


After government budget cuts, prisons led to poorer quality food, making high-calorie ramen a valuable commodity for hungry prisoners (NPR, 2016). “You can tell how good a man's doing [financially] by how many soups he's got in his locker. “Twenty soups? Oh, he’s doing good” (Gibson-Light, 2016).


In a twisted sense, prisoners are pretty smart in controlling a unique market of trade. The irony of a system that keeps skilled workers and prospective entrepreneurship minds confined in a cubicle, as a sobering reminder— Damn, What a Loss of Potential!


Criminal minds

"Crime" and "Economic crisis" are the news’ favorite topic. Crimes are divided into ’felonies’ (serious crimes like murder or rape) and ‘misdemeanors’ (theft or vandalism). The severity of the crime determines the severity of the punishment.


The Strain Theory by American sociologist Robert K of criminal motivation, implies illegal actions are caused by structurally induced frustrations derived from low wages and unemployment. (Britannica, 2024). Along with this, the Criminal Motivation Theory suggests that economic stress may increase the incentive for people to engage in criminal activity as a means of coping with their difficulties— like stealing bread out of hunger. 


“Economic stress” is further defined as a resort of poverty, which creates excuses for robbery and corruption (UNODC, 2010). Thus, countries like Brazil, Italy, Mexico, and Thailand have the highest correlation of poverty and criminal rates.

figure 1. UNODC Long term relationship between crime and unemployment


Figure 1 displays a long-term correlation between Canada's unemployment rates and robberies based on annual data from 1962 to 2009. The annual data show that longer-term increases in unemployment are linked to higher rates of robbery. It fluctuates seasonally, while crimes peak during holidays and financial crises. 


The idea of a natural-born killer does not exist. The majority of criminals have underlying mental health conditions (substance abuse or depression), which may result in school shootings, serial killings, or cannibalism. These traumas can be passed down from family dysfunction, or community violence. Growing up in an abusive environment can have a profound impact on a child's development, increasing their risk of influence in criminal behavior— The question is, who is truly responsible: the villain or the society that creates them?


The Villain

Previously talking about the Ramen economy—wouldn’t it be funny to know that they produce their ramen with their bare hands? 


Private prisons, which are for-profit, often exploit inmates by underpaying them for labor. This practice not only violates workers' rights but raises questions about the allocation of taxpayer funds. As US taxpayers spend billions annually on prisons, in reality, private prisons profit from cheap inmate labor (Princeton, 2023) Where does our tax money go then? 


Johnny Perez, a US ex-prisoner called it the “Slavery loophole”. There is no way out (literally) of forced labor— because there will be consequences if refused. In the US there are roughly 8 hundred thousand prisoners exploited for free labor (Guardian, 2022). It’s no doubt that the government acknowledges the potential of this natural skilled labor— but this may be the malicious intent of why the judicial system keeps prisoners in longer jail time, is it for a zero cost labor?


Boiling 100 celsius!

Punishment system is a barbaric relic of a bygone era. Even from the beginning of time, the witch trials in Massachusetts burn women, which not only degrade human dignity but also fail to address the underlying reasons for criminal behavior. 


It's paradoxical that a government can overlook the rights of prisoners (they’re your citizens too). In 2023, Louisiana built an extreme heat air-conditioner, by arguing that “prisons shouldn't be comfortable”. With 16 prisoners' heat-related deaths from dehydration, and 30% rise in suicide attempts. Additionally, 2,231 prisoners attempt to escape in the US (Statista, 2024). How sadistic and inhumane—So why is Luoisiana behaving the same like murderers? (lailluminator, 2024). 


Consequently, imprisonment does not deter ‘recidivism’ (refers to an ex-prisoner relapsing into criminal behavior) (Vera, 2023). UNODC suggests that harsh prison conditions can traumatize individuals, increasing their likelihood of recidivism or being socially isolated after release. Therefore, if public safety is the primary goal, imprisonment is not the answer. Additionally, larger punishments with lengthy sentences are not effective in making prisoners feel remorse or retiring to crime (UNODC, 2010). 


Barriers to Re-entry

Do they deserve a second chance? And when they do, is there a chance of coming back to the economy? It's difficult for ex-prisoners, even those who have better, to be fully accepted back into society—just imagine the ones who were wrongfully convicted.


Ex-prisoners face significant stigma and discrimination in the job market. A person with a criminal record is often perceived as dangerous, dishonest and incompetent, leading to social exclusion—even for first-time offenders (Bushway et al, 2011). This stigma is even stronger than that faced by individuals with mental illness (Sciencedirect, 2019). When hiring ex-offenders, employers frequently worry about their social skills and the possible negative customer reactions, which results in discriminatory hiring practices (Giguere and Dundes, 2002).


Racial profiling has already resulted in discrimination against African Americans; just think of those with criminal histories. A study found that white applicants without criminal records had a 34% callback rate. For African Americans, the disparity was even more pronounced: a 17% callback rate (Pager, 2003). This highlights the compounded higher barriers to employment for African Americans ex-prisoners.


A Need of 2nd Attempt

People grow from their errors—Isn't that what gives society flavor? Giving ex-prisoners a second chance is not only a matter of justice but also of economic sense. When ex-prisoners are reintegrated into society, they contribute to the economy in various ways. They become taxpayers, consumers, and productive members of society. This not only reduces the burden on the criminal justice system but also boosts economic growth (Vera, 2023).  


Allowing ex-prisoners to reintegrate into the economy is a strategic move to increase the labor participation rate. By providing jobs to ex-prisoners, we not only free them from forced labor but also strengthen the overall workforce. This can lead to a more prosperous and inclusive society. After all, they have managed the ramen economy quite successfully.

Figure 2: The wage-setting curve: Labour discipline and unemployment in the economy as a whole (Coreecon, n.d)


Figure 2 showcases the Wage-setting model, which explains the relationship between the labor force/employment and unemployment. The labor force consists of the working-age population who are actively seeking jobs. With ex-prisoners being reintegrated to the economy, the employment rate will increase. Where an initial unemployment of 12%, reduces to 5% due to ex-prisoners reintegration to society as laborers. The firm’s profit-maximizing wage is therefore higher.


Trial to Change 

As ex-prisoners return home— they become someone’s coworkers, friends, and neighbors. Norway has its own way to turn criminals into friendly neighbors. Norway has one of the lowest recidivism rates in the world by shifting its punitive "lock-up" punishment to rehabilitation and reintegration into society. Prisoners are invited to rehabilitation activities like yoga classes at Norway's maximum security ‘Halden Prison’, where practicing the lotus position at peace (BBC, 2019)


The role of prison guards was totally redesigned as role models, with activities of daily training and educational classes. Ever since the reform, Norway's recidivism rate has dropped to 25% in 5 years (BBC, 2019). "If we treat prisoners like animals, we'll release animals into your neighborhood"- Halden's governor. 


With welfare entering the cabinet, the “Second Chance Month”, a Biden-Harris initiative promotes reentry and employment for ex-prisoners to fortify the US economy. Biden’s “Reentry Toolkit” offers federal job opportunities and loan programs, argues three pillars for a reentry transition by; providing education (math and language), job training, and career counseling before and after their release (Whitehouse, 2024).


The Gamble

“Should we forgive all criminals?”. Unconditional forgiveness is a noble ideal, but it's not always practical or fair for serial killers or rapists. It's crucial to understand that not all offenders are unredeemable. But that doesn’t mean, all of them do not deserve a concentration on rehabilitation and reintegration. 


The study by Toscher and Lubin (2011), which defined prison as a "college of crime," offers one of the best critiques on this matter, suggesting this environment acts as a melting pot for different criminal elements to mingle, allowing prisoners to share tactics and strategies.


To cover the loopholes and gaps, we must question "should we kill baby Hitler?". In order to create a safe and loving home, away from traumas and mental disorders, the government must make investments in social services, healthcare, and education to prevent the making of criminal behavior. 


The government must decode the motives. A second intrusive thought may not bother to steal if financial difficulties are supported through employment opportunities, microloans, and subsidies. To drill their entrepreneurship minds, equipping them with financial literacy skills in money management and investing, ex-prisoners can avoid debt and build a stable future on their own. Additionally, to prevent welfare hypocrisy, free labor exploitation for prisoners must be outlawed.


Governments may provide incentives on firms for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) practices on hiring ex-offenders, to improve staff retention, increase diversity and inclusion, and close the skills gap. Such initiatives not only benefit individuals but also strengthen the overall economy— after all, society broke them, society should fix them (Law, 2024).


The Recipe

We cook them alive, boil them in a pot of our own righteousness. Does this make any difference in morale compared to them? Or are we merely reheating the ancient cycle of pain? Perhaps it's time to learn a new recipe—- boiling it longer wouldn’t make it taste better. It should start from something simple— like forgiving.


References:



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