Voters in California and Nevada Consider Ban on Forced Labor Aimed at Protecting Prisoners

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: US News and World Report/AP

Oct. 15, 2024, at 3:43 a.m.


SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California and Nevada voters will decide in November whether to ban forced prison labor by removing language from their state constitutions rooted in the legacy of chattel slavery.

The measures aim to protect incarcerated people from being forced to work under the threat of punishment in the states, where it is not uncommon for prisoners to be paid less than $1 an hour to fight fires, clean prison cells, make license plates or do yard work at cemeteries.

Nevada incarcerates about 10,000 people. All prisoners in the state are required to work or be in vocational training for 40 hours each week, unless they have a medical exemption. Some of them make as little as 35 cents hourly. Voters will weigh the proposals during one of the most historic elections in modern history, said Jamilia Land, an advocate with the Abolish Slavery National Network who has spent years trying to get the California measure passed.

“California, as well as Nevada, has an opportunity to end legalized, constitutional slavery within our states, in its entirety, while at the same time we have the first Black woman running for president,” she said of Vice President Kamala Harris’ historic bid as the first Black and Asian American woman to earn a major party’s nomination for the nation’s highest office.

Read more: https://www.usnews.com/news/us/articles/2024-10-15/voters-in-california-and-nevada-consider-ban-on-forced-labor-aimed-at-protecting-prisoners

[Jerry2144]

1. I just voted yes on our measure to remove slavery as an

Approved punishment from our state’s constitution. Can’t believe we even had it in there since we became a state during the civil war. Hence our nickname of Battleborn State.

[GregariousGroundhog]

2. Prisons should be required to pay prisoners the market rate for the work they do.

Ideally:

Prisoners in entry level jobs would be paid $10-12 an hour or whatever the market rate is
Room and board and restitution payments would be capped at 80% of their wages,
Prisoners would be forced to save 15% of their income for when they get out
The remaining 5% or more could be used on commisary
Financial literacy programs would be offered

I feel like that would be a fairly sensible reform.

[cstanleytech]

3. There's also the cost to run prisons though so that needs to be resolved as well.