Forced prison labor on the docket this election cycle
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On November 5, voters in Nevada and California have the chance to outlaw forced labor in prisons. Ballot measures in both states would close an exception in the Thirteenth Amendment, which allows slavery and involuntary servitude as punishment for a crime.
The fight to end forced prison labor
For millions of Americans, slavery is still on the ballot in 2024. While many believe slavery ended with the Civil War, the 1865 ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment left an exception. It allows forced labor as a punishment for crime, and advocates have been fighting to close this exception ever since.
Due to this exception, incarcerated individuals across the U.S. are still forced into labor for little or no pay. A 2022 report showed that incarcerated workers generate more than $2 billion in goods and $9 billion in services annually, while earning as little as thirteen to fifty-two cents per hour. Over 75% of incarcerated workers say they are not allowed to refuse the work.
In California and Nevada, the tide could soon turn. Both states will vote on measures that, if passed, would ban the use of prison labor. Activists, including those directly impacted by forced labor, are pushing for these changes to be part of a broader national effort.