Prison Industrial Complex Flashcards
Prison labor
Third world standard
Companies are now using prison labor because it is cheaper to use prisoners instead of third world workers.
No means of protest
September this year nationwide prison work stoppage
Result: went into lockdown, transferred organizers to other prisons.
Prison slave labor
Angola plantation
2 cents an hour
People working there now high chance they descended from slaves that worked their.
Privatization Arguent
They argue that “States save money while providing same level of services and security”
CCA & Geo Group
- biggest private contractors
- run federal, states prisons, local jails
65% assault more likely in private
Understaffing, underpaid guards, undertrained
Political Influence
Profit motive to increase prison population
Vested interest in harsher penalties, lingers sentences, higher recidivism
Bribe people
$$ & corruption
Kids for cash scandal
2008, Pennsylvania
Judge closed a public Juvi home and then sent kids to the private home to make money off them.
Legal Political Influence
lobbying by ALEC
“American Legislative Exchange Council”
- Private companies and elected representatives
- Direct and indirect connections
ALEC legislation
Three strikes laws
- life in prison after 3 felonies
- passed in 13 states
- needed 20 new prisons
- mandatory minimums
- “truth in sentencing act” (must serve high percentage of sentence)
- fights decriminalization of drugs
ALECs current target
Strict immigration policy to increase population of detention centers
Arizona’s SB1070 law : can arrest anyone who “looks illegal” and can’t prove citizenship & hold for 20 days
- 30/36 legislators got complain contributions from CCA & GEO
- Unconstitutional but pushing in 25 other states
- 5.2 billion to hold immigrant detainees
Prison Labor
13th amendment:
Involuntary:
Very low wage:
13th amendment: Abolition of slaver exempts prison labor
Replaced slave labor after the war
- all inmates must work
-very low wage 12-40 cents per hour
Some states don’t pay at alll
