Governments can’t afford to undo slavery in prisons. At least, that’s what we’ve been hearing for years. But maybe they can. This is the conclusion of a groundbreaking cost-benefit analysis conducted by economics firm Edgeworth Economics.

The study, titled “A Cost-Benefit Analysis: The Impact of Ending Slavery and Involuntary Servitude as Criminal Punishment and Paying Incarcerated Workers Fair Wages,” provides an in-depth analysis of the fiscal costs and benefits of ending the exploitation of incarcerated workers through fair wage practices.

How ending prison slavery could net billions

The findings of this first-of-its-kind analysis demonstrate that doing so will greatly benefit not only incarcerated workers but also their families, victims of crimes, and society as a whole.

Here’s what they found:

• Crime victims stand to benefit from increased victim restitution payments, estimated at $89 million annually for robberies alone.
• Tax payments by incarcerated workers are projected to yield between $1.5 billion and $3.2 billion annually, bolstering public revenue streams.
• A 5% reduction in the recidivism and reincarceration rates of incarcerated workers leading to
• A projected annual reduction of at least $1.3 billion in incarceration costs and $3.7 billion in crime-related expenses.
• Families and children of incarcerated individuals would save on support costs and receive additional financial support totaling $4.5 billion to $5.8 billion annually leading to greater societal and economic stability.

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