U.S. Prisoners Strike, Seek ‘End to Modern Slavery’

The story

Today, prisoners in at least 17 states are beginning a 19-day strike to protest prison conditions in the U.S.

The demonstrations are planned to take place from August 21 to September 9, which marks the anniversary of the bloody uprising at the Attica Correctional Facility in New York.

The strikers “are demanding humane living conditions, access to rehabilitation, sentencing reform and the end of modern day slavery.”

Details

The strike is being spearheaded by incarcerated members of Jailhouse Lawyers Speak (JLS), a group of prisoners providing mutual help and legal training to other inmates. JLS released an anonymous statement several days ago laying out their reasons for calling a protest that carries the risk of substantial penal retaliation:

“Fundamentally, it’s a human rights issue. Prisoners understand they are being treated as animals. We know that our conditions are causing physical harm and deaths that could be avoided if prison policy makers actually gave a damn. Prisons in America are a warzone. Every day prisoners are harmed due to conditions of confinement. For some of us it’s as if we are already dead. So what do we have to lose?”

During the strike, inmates plan to refuse to work and, in some cases, refuse to eat, to draw attention to poor prison conditions and what many view as exploitative labor practices in American correctional facilities.

Background

Inmates work to produce goods or perform services for private companies, nonprofit organizations, and state or federal agencies that partner with prisons.

The 13th amendment of the U.S. constitution outlawed slavery, except for forced labor as punishment for a crime. As a result, nearly every able-bodied inmate works in some form of labor while incarcerated.

Inmates receive very low pay — wages range from $0.23 to $1.15 per hour — are sometimes forced to work, and/or are working under inhumane conditions.

According to a recent report:

"Prison labor in the U.S. started with convict leasing during slavery and has ballooned into a billion dollar industry that is rooted in the racially-skewed nature of excessive incarceration. The abundance and use of prison labor, rather than being challenged by legislators, has been monetized through the sale of cheap labor to companies and state-funded entities, thereby supporting the expense of expanded incarceration and providing a hidden slave labor force."

Prison labor issues recently received attention in California, where inmates have been voluntarily recruited to fight the state’s record wildfires for $3 per day. 

What they want

Organizers have published a list of 10 national demands. They include improved prison conditions, an end to life without parole sentences – which they call “death by incarceration” – increased funding for rehabilitation services, and a reinstatement of voting rights for the 6 million Americans with felony convictions who are barred from voting.

Prison reform

President Donald Trump is reportedly collaborating with other government officials to overhaul elements of the U.S. criminal justice system.

No formal plan has yet emerged, so it’s unclear to what extent a future prison reform package might align with the strikers’ demands. However, Trump has voiced support for lowering mandatory sentences in some cases and increasing funding for rehabilitation programs.

What do you think?

Do you support the prisoners’ strike? Why or why not? Hit Take Action to tell your reps what you think, then share your thoughts below.

—Sara E. Murphy

(Photo Credit: iStock.com / zudin)