Canada Pulls the Plug on Prison Call Centers

Reuters/Yahoo ^ | 12/19/2002

[ArcLight]

Canadian prisoners will have to find other ways to gain job skills after the government canceled a call center program that featured inmates pitching holiday time shares to U.S. residents over the telephone.

The government scrapped the program after an external review raised concerns -- and eyebrows -- about security and privacy issues

[ArcLight]

Can you believe this? I have no problem with putting these guys to work, but...telemarketing?

[ArcLight]

And best of all, these convicts were selling timeshares! Imagine the sales pitch..."That's right, ma'am. Leavenworth is lovely this time of year. The cons all get together and sing Christmas carols in the yard. Unforgettable. You'll hate to leave....

[Tennessee_Bob]

Well, I think that making them work in an incoming call facility would be considered cruel and unusual punishment.

[Paleo Conservative]

Can you believe this? I have no problem with putting these guys to work, but...telemarketing?

"First I need to get some information. What is your Social Security number, current mailing address, and your mother's maiden name?"

[TopQuark]

And Canadians look down on un because we are so... simple?

[kari72]

.....pitching holiday time shares to U.S. residents. It would have been more simple if they had let them call canadians.

[watcher1]

inmates pitching holiday time shares to U.S. residents over the telephone.

This is an act of war. I say start the bombing!