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In reply to the discussion: Is forced prison labor 'slavery' under color of the law? [View all]Solly Mack
(90,764 posts)18. It is. It's allowed legally.
Some papers and articles worth reading.
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2012/03/02/18708582.php
http://www.historyisaweapon.com/defcon1/gilmoreprisonslavery.html
http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/database/article_display.cfm?HHID=214
Convict leasing began in Alabama in 1846 and lasted until July 1, 1928, when Herbert Hoover was vying for the White House. In 1883, about 10 percent of Alabama's total revenue was derived from convict leasing. In 1898, nearly 73 percent of total revenue came from this same source. Death rates among leased convicts were approximately 10 times higher than the death rates of prisoners in non-lease states. In 1873, for example, 25 percent of all black leased convicts died. Possibly, the greatest impetus to the continued use of convict labor in Alabama was the attempt to depress the union movement.
Convicts were invariably leased to prominent and wealthy Georgian families who worked them on railroads and in coal mining. Arkansas actually paid companies to work their prisoners for much of the time the system was in place. No state official was empowered to oversee the plight of the prisoners, and businesses had complete autonomy in the disposition and working conditions of convict laborers. Mines and plantations that used convict laborers commonly had secret graveyards containing the bodies of prisoners who had been beaten and/or tortured to death. Convicts would be made to fight each other, sometimes to the death, for the amusement of the guards and wardens.
Unlike the other Southern states, only half of Texas inmates were black. Blacks were sent to sugar plantations.
The Southern states were generally broke and could not afford either the cost of building or maintaining prisons. The economic but morally weak and incorrect solution was to use convicts as a source of revenue, at least, to prevent them from draining the fragile financial positions of the states. The abolition of the system was also motivated mostly by economic realities. While reformers brought the shocking truths and abuses of this notorious system before the eyes of the world, the real truth was far different. In every state, the evils of convict labor and abuses were in newspapers and journals within two years of implementation and were generally repeated during every election cycle.
The convict leasing system was not abolished but merely transformed. Prisoners, who labored for private companies and businesses increasing their profits, now labored for the public sector. The chain gang replaced plantation labor.
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Color of law is now 'green' (as in money). Corporations OWN this fucking place. -eom
Huey P. Long
Jun 2012
#1
So has 'slavery' slipped back in through the prison system, in your opinion?
coalition_unwilling
Jun 2012
#3
Yes. And taken lots of jobs with it. More heads of households could be employed if
nanabugg
Jun 2012
#50
I've heard of chain gangs, but thought they were a distant relic of
coalition_unwilling
Jun 2012
#21
One theory of prisons is that they should be so unpleasant that no one wants to come back
FarCenter
Jun 2012
#25
Oh, I get the deterrent principle behind 'hard labor' but it should be tied to
coalition_unwilling
Jun 2012
#26
I think that historically prison stays were short; you got out quickly dead or alive.
FarCenter
Jun 2012
#28
It was due to high recidivism rates and the need to "get criminals off the streets"
FarCenter
Jun 2012
#34
Citizenship, Labor, and Human Rights are denied to Slaves of the State, see Ruffin...
prisonslavery1
Jun 2012
#52
First of all, thank you for the link.Will read later today. Your points and stats
coalition_unwilling
Jun 2012
#14
I will admit some ignorance, but I thought work programs in prisons were voluntary
aikoaiko
Jun 2012
#12
You and I both (on the "some ignorance" front), but I have heard and
coalition_unwilling
Jun 2012
#13
The 13th Amendment explicitly exempts forced labor as punishment upon conviction of a crime.
backscatter712
Jun 2012
#29
It may be constitutional, but there was a time before passage of the
coalition_unwilling
Jun 2012
#30
May be a little off topic, but your comment on 23-hour-a-day lock down is something Senator
sad sally
Jun 2012
#37
Not off topic at all, espeically if the penalty for refusing to work
coalition_unwilling
Jun 2012
#41
Interesting points you raise. Up thread you will find a sub-thread between
coalition_unwilling
Jun 2012
#40