Prison time in the US is not as easy as you seem to think. I can't speak for other countries, and of course the news only prints the exceptions.

The local county lockup (sentences of less than a year) puts the cons to work, and it's heavy work. Stuff like cleaning up the roadsides -- ever think of that in July, in the high desert country like we have here? Cutting the grass and in general keeping the lawns of the county courthouse neat -- in August, here in the desert, by hand or with hand-propelled mowers. Shoveling the snow off the parking lots by hand. And they're available for governmental project -- we're looking into using them to move some library shelving in December.

The Women's Prison up the hill from town makes furniture, among other things. The women learn a trade and money made from the projects are credited to the account of those who did the work, but is only available to them a) to send to their children or family, if any or, b) credited to their account and available only upon release (less "canteen" purchases).

And "chain gangs" are now used in several localities, although they are not exactly what they used to be -- and I'm not talking only about the South.