I happened on this piece and thought didn’t we do that a long time ago , but it turns out to be penal labor the disingenuous media is describing, not slavery.
After measures to ban slavery appeared on the ballot in five states this November, activists said they expect even more states to adopt similar amendments to their constitutions in the next year.
Although Congress ratified the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution abolishing slavery in 1865, a loophole clause means work without pay as “a punishment for crime” is still legal in the majority of states.
Voters in four states – Alabama, Oregon, Tennessee and Vermont – recently approved amendments to eliminate that exception from their constitution. A similar measure was also on this year’s ballot in Louisiana but was rejected by a margin of around 20%.
Of course there is a huge racial aspect to this, but the fact is penal labor is a mild punishment and a very moral way of making criminals pay a debt to society. It could be much worse.
In response to the first point: Basic necessities are provided by the prison. Earning money to spend at the commissary is a privilege. Not a necessity.
As for the other points: Penal labor is menial. It very rarely requires training or safety rules out of the ordinary. And being forced to work is the whole point.
You really do not know about the prison system, do you?
Have you never had a family member in prison? You sound like you’ve never had anyone related to you incarcerated, because you have no idea what you are talking about.
Yes. I’ve had several relatives in prison, but that’s irrelevant. The point is prisons have to provide basic necessities – food, shelter, medical treatment – to prisoners by law. It’s in the constitution.
The Eighth Amendment imposes certain duties on prison officials: (1) to provide humane conditions of confinement; (2) to ensure that inmates receive adequate food, clothing, shelter and medical care; and (3) to “take reasonable measures to guarantee the safety of the inmates.” Farmer v. Brennan , 511 U.S. 825, 832 (1994) (citing Hudson v. Palmer , 468 U.S. 517, 526-27 (1984)).
Both punishment and rehabilitation. Inmates are paying a debt to society by providing some service like cleaning litter off the side of highways or making candles and license tags.
And at what point do they “earn their keep”, instead of enjoying a resort environment as guests in a public facility?
Do you know how much it costs taxpayers per year per inmate?
Annual Determination of Average Cost of Incarceration Fee (COIF)
Based on FY 2020 data, the average annual COIF for a Federal inmate in a Federal facility in FY 2020 was $39,158 ($120.59 per day). The average annual COIF for a Federal inmate in a Residential Reentry Center for FY 2020 was $35,663 ($97.44 per day). (Please note: There were 365 days in FY 2020.)
Ken Hyle, Assistant Director/General Counsel, Federal Bureau of Prisons. Federal Register :: Annual Determination of Average Cost of Incarceration Fee (COIF)
