Learn More

Bryant, Erica. “Why Punishing People in Jail and Prison Isn’t Working.” Vera, 24 Oct. 2023, www.vera.org/news/why-punishing-people-in-jail-and-prison-isnt-working.

The article, “Why Punishing People in Jail and Prison Isn’t Working” advocates for rehabilitation and humane treatment as alternatives to harsh punishments. It highlights successful programs that prioritize growth and health while advocating for the direction of resources to better the lives of individuals as they re-emerge into society. The author’s goal is to advocate for a more humane approach to rehabilitation. The article is credible as it uses factual information, and references, cites reputable organizations as well as the insights of experts in the field of criminal justice. This source helps the audience understand more about the criminal justice system, the conditions faced by incarcerated individuals, and the arguing for a better solution. It also highlights the success rates of past attempts to fix this issue.

Captive Labor: Exploitation of Incarcerated Workers | American Civil Liberties Union. (2024, April 3). American Civil Liberties Union. https://www.aclu.org/publications/captive-labor-exploitation-incarcerated-workers

The American Civil Liberties Union is an organization founded to ensure the United States promise of the Bill of Rights and to extend its safeguards to those who have historically been deprived of its protections. The ACLU research report, “Captive Labor: Exploitation of Incarcerated Workers,” examines the exploitation of incarcerated workers in the United States, calling for fair pay, proper training, and the safety of incarcerated individuals. The author’s goal is to spread awareness of exploitative practices in the prison system through the use of incarcerated individuals for labor. The source, the American Civil Liberties Union, is an organization known for its history of conducting research and advocating for change based on its findings. This report, specifically, uses reputable sources including the Bureau of Justice Statistics to support its claims. This source gave an introduction to the issue of incarcerated workers being exploited for labor and their treatment of them. This allows for an understanding of the justice system and possible solutions for the problem of prison labor.

“Forced Labor in Prisons - Freedom Network USA.” Freedom Network USA, 11 Aug. 2023, freedomnetworkusa.org/2023/08/11/forced-labor-in-prisons.

This source highlights how the 13th Amendment abolished slavery except for convicted criminals, which resulted in exploitative prison labor practices that disproportionately affect marginalized communities. FNUSA advocates for removing this exception to address systemic issues in the prison system and uphold human rights. The author’s goal is to advocate for the removal of the punishment clause in the 13th Amendment to address the exploitation of prison labor and its disproportionate impact on minority communities. Factual information, statistics, and references to reputable organizations such as FNUSA prove the trustworthiness of the source. The source helps gain a better understanding of the historical context of the 13th Amendment, the exploitation of incarcerated individuals, and the large impact it has on minority communities. It helped provide factual information and statistics to better support the issues it incorporates.

Godvin, Morgan. “Slavery and the Modern-Day Prison Plantation.” JSTOR Daily, Nov. 2023. JSTOR, daily.jstor.org/slavery-and-the-modern-day-prison-plantation.

This source aims to highlight the issues of The Prison System and the mistreatment of incarcerated individuals as they are being forced into a form of slavery. This uncompensated labor, often for private companies, demonstrates a loophole found in the 13th Amendment to re-establish slavery despite its abolishment. Institutionalized discrimination against African Americans in the South re-emerged. The author’s goal is to bring attention to and educate the audience about this issue of exploitative labor, which has become increasingly common and more popular despite the amendment. This source is trustworthy because it is published by a reputable organization and the author has experienced the cruelty of the prison system firsthand. The source helped me establish the context of the issue.

“How Atrocious Prisons Conditions Make Us All Less Safe.” Brennan Center for Justice, 23 Aug. 2021, www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/how-atrocious-prisons-conditions-make-us-all-less-safe.

This source provides an analysis of the different aspects and failures of the American Prison System by highlighting the negative effects on individuals and the horrible conditions and treatment they are subject to. The author’s goal is to shed light on the failures of the American Prison System while advocating for more humane treatment in jail. The source is trustworthy because it is under a reliable publisher, and is written by someone who is experienced in the field of criminal justice. With its detailed examination of the harsh realities within the American Prison System and the challenges faced by incarcerated individuals, the audience is able to obtain valuable context for understanding the parallels between prison labor and historical slavery. 

Improving In-Prison Rehabilitation Programs. 6 Dec. 2017, lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/3720.

This source aims to address the issues within this system of exploited labor through the use of incarcerated individuals. It highlights ways that prison systems could evolve, by showcasing efforts that have been made to better prepare prisoners for rehabilitation into society instead of exploiting incarcerated individuals. The author’s goal is to inform the audience of the various rehabilitation programs that the State of California is implementing. The source also states the various aspects of these rehabilitation centers that are not successful.  The source is trustworthy since it is a government website with information approved by the government. This source helps understand the current solutions that are being implemented, and the flaws they have. This will help the audience better understand the issue and know how to propose and advocate for solutions that will properly address all aspects of the issue. 

Kamen, Jacob. "Forced Prison Labor in New York State: Modern Slavery." University Wire, 

11/15 2023. ProQuest; SIRS Issues Researcher, 

https://explore.proquest.com/sirsissuesresearcher/document/2911502909?accountid=1933

22.

The article, “Forced Prison Labor in New York: Modern Slavery” includes how incarcerated people are forced to work for a few cents an hour under the threat of punishment. New York exploited prison labor to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, with no protections for the individuals themselves. The author’s goal is to raise awareness for incarcerated individuals by highlighting the low pay, dangerous working conditions, and forced labor which is legalized by the 13th Amendment. This is trustworthy because it references specific legislation and other legal efforts to address the issue, coming from governments directly. It also includes different perspectives, allowing it to not be biased, and becoming more credible. This source includes perspectives from incarcerated individuals, legislators, and stakeholders, allowing for a more complex understanding of prison labor. 

Prison labor – Tufts University prison divestment. (n.d.). https://sites.tufts.edu/prisondivestment/prison-labor/

This article overlooks the Prison Industrial Complex (PIC), which is a network of companies and politicians that profit from private prisons and incarcerated individuals. These people are paid very low pay, if any at all, exploiting people and prisons for profit. The author’s goal is to highlight the consequences of the PIC, focusing on the exploitation of incarcerated individuals. This references the Prison Policy Initiative and is from Tufts University, a very rigorous university known for its research and education programs. This source provides insight into the Prison Industrial Complex and funding of private prisons for labor. It dives into the inside of prison systems and how corporations and politicians are also involved in the exploitation of incarcerated individuals. 

Reps. Cleaver, Kamlager-Dove introduce legislation to guarantee minimum wage to incarcerated workers | Congressman Emanuel Cleaver. (2023, November 8). Congressman Emanuel Cleaver. https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/reps-cleaver-kamlager-dove-introduce-legislation-guarantee-minimum-wage

Emanuel Cleaver II and Sydney Kamlager-Dove, U.S. Representatives, introduce legislation to extend labor laws to incarcerated workers. This includes minimum wage, eliminating wage deductions, and worker safety. The author’s goal is to inform voters on Reps. Cleaver and Kamlager-Dove’s proposed act, the Fair Wages for Incarcerated Workers Act, to guarantee incarcerated workers' labor rights. This is an official press release from U.S. Representatives, a reliable source of information from elected officials. This also includes endorsements from credible organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union and the Economic Policy Institute, adding credibility to the proposed legislation. This source provided current legislative efforts to help solve the problem today, specified with goals to address the issue of Prison Labor. This outlines the Fair Wages for Incarcerated Workers Act and its clear objectives.

U.S. Senate: Constitution of the United States. (2023, August 7). https://www.senate.gov/about/origins-foundations/senate-and-constitution/constitution.htm

The United States Constitution gives the framework for the governments, laws of the land, and laws on how to execute power. The 13th Amendment specifically states that slavery shall not exist, except as a punishment for a crime. The author’s goal was to establish laws, limit government powers, and guarantee human rights. This source is trustworthy because it has governed the United States since 1788, with some changes, as time persisted. This source makes apparent the cause of the exploitation of prison labor as a loophole for slavery.