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THE REST OF THE NEWS by
Lorenzo Komboa Ervin
PRISON: THE NEW SLAVERY?
Leave it to capitalism to find a way to make a profit from someone
else's misery. Over two million of our friends, neighbors, and
relatives are in state and federal prisons, for whatever reason,
right now. The Prison-Industrial Complex, as it is called by some
activists is really a "new" form of slavery with a "twist", it's
highly profitable several different ways.
I only call it "new" advisedly because chattel slavery in the early
days of this country also had a profit motive, but today's slavery is
corporate slavery run by some of the biggest businesses in the
country. Its motive is to take a mass prison population of poor people
and to make money by : (
1) charging rent and fees for being in jail,
(2) private prisons,
(3) setting up prison corporations to compete with "free" labor, and
(4)exploitation of prison labor by "factories behind fences".
With the rise of the current right-wing (anti-crime) political
agenda by both of the major political parties in this country, more
and more prisoners have been preyed upon by a vindictive public,
egged on by the greedy politicians. For years, the masses of people
have been told that prisoners are being "coddled" and treated better
than the average worker outside, and in return they want to inflict
pain on them more. "Take away their tv sets and radios, seize their
weight lifting equipment, stop their visitation with their families, lock
'em in their cells 24 hours-a day, and while you're at it make 'em pay
rent just like we do!" These are poor people, many of whom committed
crimes in the first place because they couldn't pay their own rent, less
known paying the state's rent while in prison. It's a foolish idea, and is
even more punitive than the politicians called for, but they were quick
to latch on to it. "What a great idea, we *can* get blood from a
turnip!"
The idea of creating a private corporation to run the prison system
began in 1980 with a Nashville-based company called Corrections
Corporation of America. After taking over the Hamilton County (TN.)
workhouse for its first contract in 1981, CCA has now spread to 32
states, and several foregin countries. It is traded on the New York
and American stock exchanges, and has made its investors billions
of dollars in profits. The way it works is that it takes over a prison or
series of prisons, promising local government and state officials that
it can save substantial amounts of money by running the prison as a
more efficient "business". This has yet to be proven, even though it
slashes the wages of prison guards, and cuts back on prisoner expenses
for food, medicine and other supplies. What we do know is that the
conditions for the people inside worsens drastically, when a private
company takes over. In fact, ten persons have died at the Silverdale
workhouse outside Chattanooga since CCA has taken over, and similar
artrocities have befallen CCA facilities all over the country, whether the
beating or deaths of prisoners, escapes, riots, or strikes. But the
mistreatment of prisoners or their protests did not affect the bottom line
at all of the CCA prison capitalists. In fact, smelling money, other corporations,
especially its main competitor Wackenhut Correctional Services, have
entered ther fray like sharks feeding on a bloody carcass. The market
between all the corporations is $4 billion dollars in contracts now, and
they don't intend to be left out!
Another bulding block of the prison-industrial complex is prison
industrial corporations such as the UNICOR, run by the Fedral Prison
Industries. UNICOR, based in almost all the federal prisons, makes
everything from guided missle parts to clothing and furniture for
the military and federal agencies, in fact they make over 500 items.
It may surprise some to hear that they have almost $100-500 million
dollars in sales, and $30-$50 million in profits each year. By contrast,
the prisoners make about $1.00-$2.00 per hour. For years, federal law
forbade them from competing with free labor, but this has now been
changed, and the low waged prison labor is being used to not only
undermine free labor, but drive companies out of business in the
private sector. The state prisons have now formed similar companies
to run their own prison businesses. One thing for sure, it's not
just license plates they make any more!
Finally, so called "factories behind fences", where a company is
allowed to hire or rent a prisoner sales force or customer service team, is
becoming more and more common. Some of the largest companies in
America: Microsoft, TWA, Sears Roebuck and others are using
prisoners as customer service agents, seamstresses, airline
reservation agents, assemblers, and other workers. This even
includes the creation of unique brands of clothing and other
products such as "Prison Blues" denim jeans, which are made
exclusively in prison workshops. This slave labor has not yet been
vehemently objected to by either organized labor, civil rights
groups or prisoners rights organizations, though a number of exposes
have been done by the radical press. But an effective coalition must be
built before it will stop.
The upshot of all this is that this is slavery, and even though the
13th amendment to the national constitution allegedly outlaws
slavery, ("except for commission of a crime") it is permitted
because these slaves don't belong to a plantation owner, but to the
state. They are just "rented out" to capitalist corporations. It is
also popular because of the anti-crime hysteria, and putting the
prisoners to work is a popular idea. Yet, nobody is seeing the real
picture.
Although we want to end prison slavery entirely, prisoners' rights
activists, civil libertarians and the Black community generally,
must demand that these prisoners be given the same rights as
workers outside: that they be covered by OSHA regulations to
ensure a safe workplace, that they be given the same rights to
organize labor unions, and that they not be exploited by their
keepers with their eyes on a fast buck. They should be paid
the same living wage as workers on the outside.
Ultimately the whole question the outright abolition, or at least of
a moratorium on the building of prisons has to be factored in, but
this will do for now. Some fairness in the current system.
-END-
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-- Kathleen "Under any conditions, anywhere, whatever you are doing, there is some ordinance under which you can be booked." -- Robert D. S precht www.ctrl.org DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance—not soap-boxing—please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'—with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds—is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED] http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ ctrl ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
