Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders just made an overhaul of the U.S. prison system part of his platform — but early feedback shows Americans are skeptical of the idea.
Across social media, critics of the Sanders plan have been quick to state that prisoners are in jail for a reason and they should not be spared every hardship that comes with incarceration.
The “Prisoner Bill of Rights” includes a goal to cut the total prison population in half, end mandatory minimum sentences, legalize marijuana, allow inmates to vote, and ban private for-profit prisons. It also proposes “free” phone calls, video chats, health services, education, vocational training, and more.
Other components of Sanders’ overhaul include that prison labor should be entitled to “a living wage,” which is $15 an hour according to Sanders. Some proponents of prison labor say that work, which produces upwards of $2 billion in economic value per year, is a way for convicts to pay society for the harm they caused.
Sanders wants to pay rapist, murders and all prisoners a living wage while in prison. Trump can't help but win in 2020.
— Louis Calabrese (@abrumpski) August 19, 2019
The proposal to allow incarcerated persons to vote has upset more than a few critics of this plan. One commenter counts that the change would allow hundreds of thousands of dangerous criminals to have a say in U.S. elections.
Bernie Sanders Plan Would Allow 183K Murderers, 164K Rapists to Vote from Prison#RadicalizedDemocrats #DemsAll4It #Bernie #Sanders
Dems Predict Huge Loss In 2020
Turn To Criminals, Illegals, & Minors For Voteshttps://t.co/7IwQZCS4rI— #Hangin’Hillary2019 (@ForPotus45) April 24, 2019
The Sanders plan also would ban solitary confinement due to a concern that the practice is “a form of torture and unconstitutional.” But some citizens argue that solitary confinement serves useful purposes.
I disagree with Bernie Sanders on this particular issue. We need solitary confinement for prisoners who are a serious threat to other inmates. Solitary confinement is for prisoners who violate serious rules while they are inside mainstream prisons. Sounds harsh but necessary. https://t.co/15LLIeEPYU
— Hunter White (@Hunt16White) August 20, 2019
Additional proposals include creating an Office of Prisoner Civil Rights and Civil Liberties within the Department of Justice, which will ensure that all complaints regarding their rights are investigated by an independent body. It also would end cash bail, create a “registry of disreputable federal law enforcement officers” to ensure that all abusive officers are known in the system, and ban the prosecution of children under the age of 18 in adult courts for any offense.
The U.S. prison system has been in the crosshairs for some amount of reform as it continues to have the highest per-capita prison population in the world, with around 1.5 million behind bars.
Some social media users support the massive reform plan.
Completely agree with #Sanders on the fact that the prison system is rigged against low socioeconomic areas and nonviolent criminals #Life16
— Michael Hirtzel (@MichaelHirtzel) October 14, 2015
Sanders also took to social media to weigh in on his own plan by tweeting a series of statements on what would change.
The criminal justice system must treat children as children.
No more children under age 18 tried in adult courts.
No more long mandatory minimum sentences for children.
No more criminalizing truancy.
No more juveniles housed in adult prisons.
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) August 18, 2019
Michael Bielawski is a reporter for True North Reports. Send him news tips at bielawski82@yahoo.com and follow him on Twitter @TrueNorthMikeB.
They should just kick all the criminals out, and let us live in the prisons, and have all the bennies…yeah, that’s the ticket! Let the criminals make their own way. That would be punishment enough.
What a great idea Bernie. That’s a super incentive to commit a crime, go to prison and live the good life with all the amenities of the working law abiding citizens that bust their butt for a living.
When are people going to wake up and just kick this fool out of office. I think he’s going senile but a rich one.
More lies coming out of the cult leader. Anything to get more votes. Just because Vermonters are stupid and keep reelecting him doesn’t mean everyone believes his BS. Maybe he and his wife Jane should be planning their next get rich scam. He stands a better chance of accomplishing that then becoming president.
Let’s see, fee tuition, free health care, forgive outstanding college loans, $15 minimum wage and NOW a kooky prison reform package. WOW, I hope he gets the nomination so voters can end his stupid political career once and for all.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again and again and again. This maniac will do ANYTHING to get votes.
Vermont’s own Socialist ” Buffoon ” now wants The “Prisoner Bill of Rights”, they already
have Rights ….The right to serve the time that was imposed on them for breaking the law,
why the push now…………….. Oh, yea……. Votes !!
Most of the fluff that Sanders is proposing already exists within the criminal justice system,
including Voting, something that’s already allowed in ” Vermont “. So Bernie is looking at the
big picture, 2.3 million are in incarcerated in the US !!
With Democrats wanting to eliminate the ” Electoral College ” and Socialist Sanders wanting
all prisoners to being able to Vote …….. he might just cross the finish line ……….. Shameful
Yes, Bernie and raise their work wages, so they can buy more contraband……. What an Idiot !!