Not to mention the forced prison labor market. Felons get to learn "valuable skills" (for third world countries) and make products to sell at full value while getting paid a pittance. Refuse to work? No problem, 3 months in solitary will cure that, or you'll just go nuts. Really, the prison system is just slavery by another name.
you know, they are in prison, right? they already have TV, books, internet in some cases, gyms, organized sports, vocational programs, college degree programs, consensual sex, conjugal visits in some cases, access to illegal drugs. they shouldn't get paid anything, and they shouldn't have most of those freedoms. let them have a mentally-scarring experience in prison. it's supposed to be a deterrent.
yeah you'll probably bring up the injustices in the legal system, for-profit prisons, unfair sentencing, and so on. the solution to those things isn't to make prison a country club. 49% of convicts are violent offenders. you think those people should have a comfortable stay? you don't think they should be put to work to repay their crimes? if someone raped your daughter, do you think they should get to watch cable TV and smoke marijuana in their cell?