Exactly. BECAUSE you are not in jail you are your own responsibility. When we put people in prison (usually for the best of reasons), we make them our responsibility. If we intentionally let them die, we killed them.

“It is not slavery for them to earn their keep”

Actually, it IS. That’s why the 13th Amendment has the exception: “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted”. It is lawful slavery. It does not apply to anyone but the convicted criminal, but let’s not pretend it is anything else.

“there’s plenty the prisoners can do to earn their keep, For one they can grow their own”

They might partially defray the expense of feeding themselves, but are unlikely to ever produce enough to cover the cost of locking them up. Prison is not a moneymaker or a break even thing. It is a “keep dangerous people away from our loved ones” thing.

David for counting the cost and the value

As a practical matter, if a convict fails to earn his or her own keep, you can’t evict them. And I can’t think of many jobs most could do which would pay what it costs to keep them. Most convicted felons aren’t trustworthy, reliable, honest citizens. WHODATHUNK??

(And I’m not talking about Na’Keetric. I mean as a general principle.)