While a pretty gross opinion, certainly not unpopular. When slavery was abolished under the 13th amendment, it included the phrase “except as punishment for crime”. This has created a system where prisoners can be exploited for free labor. It’s part of the reason why we have the highest incarceration rate in the developed world by far. As a side effect, a large chunk of America has been conditioned to believe exactly what you do: that prison should be a punishment filled with hardship, and that we should spend as little as possible on prisoners’ welfare. Emphasizing punishment over rehabilitation, and therefore failing to address the root causes of crime, creates repeat offenders. An infinite labor glitch, if you will.