The 13th Amendment barred involuntary servitude and enslavement more than 150 years ago. But there was one key exception: “as a punishment for crime.” So prisons can force inmates to work and pay nothing or just a few cents per hour. During next week’s midterm elections, five states have ballot measures that would ban that practice. California is not among them — it rejected that idea a few years ago because officials feared the state would have to pay billions of dollars to inmates.
Slavery on the ballot: Will voters say no to prisoner labor?
Prisons can force inmates to work and pay nothing or just a few cents per hour. On the midterm ballot next week in five states, there are measures that would ban that practice. Photo by Shutterstock.
Credits
Guest:
- Sharon Dolovich - professor of law, faculty director of the UCLA Prison Law & Policy Program - @UCLA_Law