Court rejects bill that would require inmates to work while serving time

July 22^nd, 2013 (InsideCostaRica.com) The Full Court has rejected a bill that would require prisoners to work while serving their sentences.

Judges felt that the measure could be interpreted as “forced labor” and further noted that the prison system could not provide workspaces for all its prisoners.

“Costa Rica cannot risk being seen as a state that imposes forced labor.  As a result, persons deprived of their liberty must be given the highest chance of working, to have a job option, but this should never be confused with forced labor,” Judge Jose Manuel Arroyo stated.  Arroyo also mentioned that such a measure would raise questions about minimum wage and social security for the inmates.

Currently, prisoners are given the option to perform jobs in the prison system by consent.  In return, one day is deducted from their sentence for every two days worked.

The bill, which first came to the Legislature in 2009, proposed that prisoners required to work would be compensated in three ways – one part of their compensation would be used to cover the expenses of their incarceration, the second part would essentially be restitution, and a third part would go to the inmate’s family.