Prisoners now take hotel reservations from prison. I think it would be great if they could operate equipment and processes remotely as well. Trash collection robots are mentioned elsewhere on this site. The robots would have a camera on them and the operators could be prisoners who would operate the machines from the prisons -- like unmanned aerial vehicle operators fly the machines in Iraq, from locations in the US -- rather than risk getting hit by a fast car as the prisoners manually collect the trash on the side of the road. Prisoners could also operate other machinery, such as a farm equipment and a multitude of other things remotely (under observation and management of course), in order to prepare for a later career after freedom is acquired. Via remote operation, the expense of transporting guards and prisoners to sites would be reduced or eliminated; the prisoners would have access to a much greater variety of training than the prison machine shop, laundry or kitchen, etc. The same principle could be applied to anyone needing to learn a trade such as the handicapped, those who cannot drive to a site, remote sites that need skills not available locally, etc. Of course this would also mean that the skill could be off shored to remote operators as well; unions may not like the idea either.
-- Sunstone, Mar 29 2009

Controversial trash man Controversial_20Trash_20Man
Robot trash collector [Sunstone, Mar 29 2009]

Made in the USA by convicts http://lpa.igc.org/lpv24/lp3.htm
Jobs held by prisoners [Sunstone, Mar 29 2009]

I don't know about that. People that are in for a long time might be persuaded with a little extra privilidge (sp?). I think it is a splendid Idea.

Could make an interesting movie also. When the prisoners make the farm equipment break down prison walls.
-- zeno, Mar 31 2009



random, halfbakery