Fact: There are More Black Men Working in Prisons Than Were Enslaved in the 1850s

[The Straight Story]

...

Surprised? I sure was.

Whenever I think of prison labor, the first thing in my head is license plates. Turns out, prison labor has come a long way from its humble roots of license plates and linen. While these industries are still prevalent, they are not big breadwinners.

The industry that takes the cake when it comes to prison labor is military supplies.

It is estimated that the federal prison industry produces 100 percent of all military helmets, ID tags, bullet proof vests, canteens, night-vision goggles, ammunition belts, tents, shirts, bags and pants.

And what company is there to oversee production of all these items? UNICOR.

UNICOR was previously known as Federal Prison Industries, which is a for-profit organization, and the 39th largest U.S. contractor. It operates 110 factories at 79 federal penitentiaries and the Department of Defense is one of their largest contracts. In 2001, UNICOR sales were $583.5 million — about $388 million of which was to DOD or 66.5 percent of all business.

With wages as low as $0.23 per hour and no unions, safety regulations, pension, social security, sick leave nor overtime, prison labor is a growing and economically competitive sector. Prison labor is competitive with sweatshop labor prices and, since production is domestic, incurs lower shipping costs. Plus, overhead is pretty much paid for by U.S. taxpayers. With all these economic incentives, it’s no surprise that 37 states have legalized the contracting of prison labor by private corporations who bring their operations inside prison walls.

...

Racial inequality: The U.S. has more than 2.3 million prisoners. People of color make up just 30 percent of the total U.S. population, but account for 60 percent of those locked up. There are now more Black men in prison, parole or probation than were enslaved in the 1850s.

http://thecontributor.com/prison-labor-new-slave-labor

[OneGrassRoot]

1. K&R n/t

[KamaAina]

2. "They hate us for our freedoms"

Or not.

[madinmaryland]

6. They just hate our "freedumbs". nt

[Initech]

3. How are for profit prisons and prison labor even remotely constitutional?

[AnotherMcIntosh]

4. K&R

In the meantime, let's have an Administration whose policy it is to continue to ship and have manufacturing jobs in foreign countries.

/sarcasm off

[galileoreloaded]

5. thats a fucked up situation. nt

[Catherina]

7. K&R with thanks n/t

[DirkGently]

8. Bears repeating. Slavery is a real goal for a subset of capitalists.

It's attractive because the dream of the uber-capitalist is to pay nothing for labor. We can look around today and see the deep hostility against paying anyone a living wage.

The logic from a certain direction has always been that somehow we all do better if those in a position to exploit others are allowed to do that. We're asked to participate in it. "Your stock values will rise."

Underneath it all, simple greed and the human capacity for heedless cruelty.

[RainDog]

9. Slavery by another name

has been repeated, again and again in this nation.

I'm sorry we didn't execute everyone who was part of the confederacy back in the day.

we should have classes on the confederacy that deal with it like Germans deal with Hitler because it's the same genocidal bullshit.

[CrispyQ]

10. Kick.

Private industry making profit by locking citizens up at taxpayers expense. And don't forget the part where they spend some of that profit to pay off our legislators to pass draconian laws that lock up citizens.

I don't think there is one major institution in America that isn't corrupt & rotten from the influence of money.

[malaise]

11. It's the new slavery

so they're inventing new laws to lock them up.

[The Straight Story]

13. Great minds think alike, I said the same thing here earlier:

Reporting live from just this side of the Berlin wall.....

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023168428

[malaise]

14. Brilliant

Gave it a rec

[HiPointDem]

12. kr