2. it’s technically not but is a living wage mainly because this is being operated out of shelters. shelters handle their basic living costs, so they can better pocket the money they get from this to get better clothes, decent food, and save up to move out to an apartment (like the person mentioned in the article is doing).
3. yes
and yes, local governments prefer to use the prison system because our society considers prisoners second class citizens instead of what they usually are: vulnerable people in need of legitimate help, not social ostracism.
that’s not great, but they’re reaping what they sow: massive homeless populations and prison costs due to looping a ton of people into the prison system, ruining their lives, and then being surprised when they can’t return to society and function and thus make up their ‘costs’ to their society.
at some point there will be a realization that prisons are not “saving you money” so much as their cost/benefit table is so hard to stick numbers on that it looks more cost effective. and then the entire system will begin to crumble.
