Afternoon Hot Take: California’s Prison Pay Hike Puts Inmates Above Taxpayers

Bills to pay jailed workers $19 an hour while victims’ restitution goes unpaid show Sacramento’s warped sense of justice.

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California lawmakers, led by Assemblymember Isaac Bryan (D-Los Angeles), are proposing bills to raise wages for incarcerated workers, contending the state's low prison wages—typically under $1 an hour—are a "relic of slavery." Assembly Bill 247 would pay incarcerated firefighters $19 an hour, and AB 248 lifts a $2-per-shift cap for those employed in county jails, many of whom haven't yet been tried. These efforts, ongoing despite voters' 2024 rejection of a “so-called” anti-slavery ballot initiative, depict prisoners as victimized and oppressed. This mindset disrespects victims of crime and taxpayers, elevating inmates above accountability.

Bryan's extreme-left campaign demonstrates a progressive obsession: depicting convicted criminals as "victims of society," failed by a flawed system. It overlooks the presence of free will and personal responsibility. No one is compelled to violate the law—people choose to commit crimes, understanding the difference between right and wrong. The point of incarceration isn't first and foremost rehabilitation; it's punishment, justice, and deterrence. Jail or prison should be a severe penalty, not a comfortable landing spot for people who disregard the law. But Bryan's bills coddle inmates as being worthy of dignity more than discipline, without regard for the pain they've inflicted and the adverse effect of their crimes on their communities.

The "slavery" comparison is a caricature. Prison labor—such as cell maintenance and firefighting—isn't exploitation but rather a privilege that grants structure and skill. The California Supreme Court ruled in April 2024 that jail workers aren't owed minimum wage, citing sentence credits and rehabilitation as sufficient compensation. Bryan's contention that a week of work should be able to buy more than "toothpaste and Cheetos" overlooks victims' unpaid restitution, a bill that most inmates skip despite their labor. His victimhood mentality minimizes historical oppression, which insults victims of crime.

The expense is reckless. AB 247's $19 hourly price tag could total millions, taking funds from schools or public safety amidst a $12 billion state deficit. AB 248, currently cost-neutral, allows counties to raise wages, potentially burdening local budgets. Republican Assemblymember Heather Hadwick warned rural counties cannot afford this, threatening to undermine work programs that cut recidivism. The California State Sheriffs' Association opposes AB 248, citing that it would result in fewer jobs for inmates and potentially derail rehabilitation efforts.

Taxpayers who are already paying $132,860 per inmate per year are entitled to fairness, not new expenses. Assemblymember Carl DeMaio appropriately contended that inmates should "chip in" toward their maintenance and not seek raises. Bryan's concern for inmates' "dignity" disregards the suffering of victims and the expense to taxpayers, which is typical of Sacramento's misplaced priorities.

This coddling of criminals at the expense of Californians who follow the law is a choice. If you're fed up with Democrats in Sacramento making us less safe and disregarding victims, remember you get what you vote for. Demand leaders who believe in justice and hold those who break the law accountable.

The “Afternoon Hot Take” is where I provide a write-up about something current in the news.