> On the one hand, that makes it seem more egregious, but on the other, it maybe doesn't change the status quo for prison labor as much as one might hope.

Society is already paying to house, feed, and monitor prisoners. We should also pay them to work? How about if instead, we keep track of how much prisoners cost society while they're in jail and they have to pay it back when they're out (or while they're in and working). Do that and I'm all for paying them for their work.