So because they are footing part of the bill they might as well just foot the whole thing? non sequitur much?
If anything we should be charging prisoners the full cost of their incarceration but in that case even if we paid them minimum wage it wouldn't cover their debt, not by a long shot. At least then people wouldn't falsely equate modern prison systems with slavery, but the imprisoned would be much worse off.
> So because they are footing part of the bill they might as well just foot the whole thing?
They are paying for the whole thing! Do you think private prisons raise money for donations to pay for prisoners to subsidize the public out of the good of their heart?
Are you assuming that prisoners deserve to be slaves and that their labor should be free?
Yes either prison labor should be free or they should foot the bill for their costs to society. The second is more fair to society but a worse deal for prisoners
And that's why insurance should be illegal! If someone gets sick, then let them pay for it. They should have gotten exercise and lived right. If someone's house burns down, they should have fixed the wiring and known better than to have old appliances. Get in a car accident, you should since more carefully.
For that matter we should get rid of public police and fire departments. If someone wants that service they can pay for it themselves.
It's your understanding of the world that is very limited. Prisons are not a punitive system, they are public services like police and firefighters and so on.
The innocent public is already paying for it. They're just paying for profits, too...