Jail_Taxes_Persuasive_Speech

Burke Hallam Mrs. Caine Adv. English 10 3 May 2011 No Jail Taxes Doing taxes is arguable one of the most stressful times of the month for anyone. Any unnecessary taxes would be a nuisance and outright annoying. Did you know every year about 5 billion dollars are put into a fund that benefits everyone is this room in no way what-so-ever. That money goes to the United States jails. When a prisoner is put into jail, they are assigned cells. Sometimes they will be isolated in their cells, or may share with other jail-mates. Either way they are receiving sheltering every night they are convicted to stay for. A decent hotel room cost $100 a night, and even a shabby one costs about $40, while a jail cells costs the user $0. The case is not the same for the American tax-payers. On average it costs about 5 billion a year per state to run their prisons. That is 5 billion dollars directly out of the working man’s pocket. When in jail, prisoners are given 3 meals a day. The prisoners pay absolutely nothing for their food, nor for any of the staff who makes it. Imagine this, I am a hard working American with a clean slate, but every day I have to pay for my food, water, house, and countless other bills. Now let us say I murder someone and then I am caught and convicted. Besides the fact I have got someone’s death on my conscience, now I will be treated with three meals a day, a bed at night, and a roof over my head, all for free. Does this sound like the type of punishment that should be expected of a murderer' Granted while in jail there are some expected chores that need to be done, like washing the dishes, or doing the laundry, but otherwise not much is expected besides a few community service projects which are minimal and quite easy. In the given free time, one could spend their free hours lifting weights, or enjoying the courtyard, or even playing in organized baseball/football teams within the jail. It is understandable that after being cooped up leisure activities such as these seems alright, but when it is considered the circumstances in which any of the prisoners wound up in jail, the thought of paying for any of their meals, beds, and especially their free times are way out of mind of any tax-paying American. Some state jails have already begun to implement laws making prisoners have to pay for their time, and although the price is low, it is the start of a trend hopefully soon to be followed. Writing letters to senators and congressman about your personal feelings on why such laws should be brought to your state could be quite beneficial when they are seen in large quantity. Simply by showing your concern with the caring we give to criminals you are making your community and your state one step closer to ridding itself of taxes you should never have seen in the first place.