Series: Work Behind and Beyond Bars — Improving Job Quality During and After Incarceration
The US currently has the highest incarceration rate in the world, with over 2 million people in jails and prisons, including over 1.2 million in prisons. Many prisoners will work while incarcerated, producing billions of dollars of goods and services and often contributing significantly to the operation of the facility in which they reside. Many will be forced to work without choice and be punished if they refuse. They will work for no or very minimal pay, and sometimes labor in dangerous conditions. While incarcerated, they will not be protected by some labor laws like other workers. At the same time, many will find deep meaning and purpose in the work they do behind bars, and some may find through their work a path to opportunity once released.
Even those fortunate enough to be released from incarceration will find a new set of barriers as they attempt to resettle into society, including discrimination, restrictions on the types of jobs they are able to hold, and challenges working while under house arrest or monitoring. These conditions inside and outside of prison highlight the divide of a system that promises rehabilitation and redemption, but too often delivers only punishment and condemnation. In this two-part discussion series, hosted by the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program, we’ll explore the history and conditions of work for people who are incarcerated, both before and after release, and ideas for creating systems and policies that provide people with safe and dignified work.
Event #1 – A Hidden Workforce: Prison Labor, Human Rights, and the Legacy of Slavery
The passage of the 13th Amendment following the American Civil War abolished slavery and involuntary servitude, but it included a crucial exception: “except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted.” This exception allowed southern governments to institute an early version of prison labor called convict leasing. Black Americans arrested for minor offenses, once imprisoned, were effectively purchased from state and local governments by individuals and companies looking to continue using cheap labor. This allowed individuals and companies to keep slavery in action. Though the practice of convict leasing ended in the mid-20th century, its infamous traits can still be seen in today’s incarceration system.
Today, the majority of incarcerated workers in the US, who are disproportionately Black and people of color, are often required to work or face retaliation such as solitary confinement, denial of opportunities to reduce their sentence, and loss of family visitation. They work jobs that might pay pennies on the hour, if they are paid at all, and are often not protected by labor laws. Many work in dangerous conditions. At the same time, some find deep purpose in their work behind bars, an opportunity to build skills, and support in making a successful transition to life after incarceration. In this first part of a two part series, the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program will explore the history and conditions of work for incarcerated people and ideas for creating more humane and dignified work for those behind bars. Our second conversation will explore the opportunities and challenges of work for returning citizens after they have been released from incarceration.
In this webinar — which took place on October 10, 2024 — we explore the history and conditions of work for incarcerated people and ideas for creating more humane and dignified work for those behind bars. Our speakers include:
- Andrea Armstrong, Dr. Norman C. Francis Distinguished Professor of Law, Loyola University New Orleans College of Law; Founder, IncarcerationTransparency.org
- Anthony Cantillo, Deputy Commissioner, Maine Department of Corrections
- Fred Redmond, Secretary-Treasurer, AFL-CIO
- Terrance Winn, Founder and Director, Priorities, Intentions, Practical Exchanges (PIPES)
- Margie Mason (moderator), Investigative Reporter, The Associated Press
- Matt Helmer (opening and closing remarks), Managing Director, The Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program
For more information about this event, including a transcript, speaker bios, and additional resources, visit: https://www.aspeninstitute.org/events/a-hidden-workforce-prison-labor-human-rights-and-the-legacy-of-slavery/
For highlights from this discussion, subscribe to EOP’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@AspenEOP
Or subscribe to the “Opportunity in America” podcast to listen on the go: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/aspeneop
EVENT #2 – Re-Entry and Good Jobs: Building the Second Chances We All Believe In
Today approximately 77 million Americans, or 1 in 3 adults have a criminal record. While not everyone represented in this statistic has experienced incarceration, it serves to highlight that the barriers formerly incarcerated people face finding quality jobs are far more commonplace than we might think. Many returning citizens, who worked for little or no pay while incarcerated, will struggle to find quality jobs after release. Discrimination against those with a record, restrictions on what occupational licenses are available to those with a record, existing debts, punitive court supervision policies, and lack of support to meet basic needs in areas such as housing can force those leaving incarceration into dead-end, low-paying, and exploitative jobs. Some will find they are barred from doing the jobs they worked or were trained to do while incarcerated. And many more lacked opportunities to participate in education or training opportunities while incarcerated.But across the country, innovative efforts are underway to revamp our re-entry system by opening up access to good jobs. New laws to wipe criminal records and address occupational licensing barriers, legal action aimed at discrimination, and a growing coalition of employers and union leaders are showing that providing a second chance is possible.
In this part two of our series “Work Behind and Beyond Bars: Improving Job Quality During and After Incarceration,” the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program will explore the opportunities and challenges accessing good jobs for people after incarceration.
Opportunity in America
Opportunity in America, an event series hosted by the Economic Opportunities Program, considers the changing landscape of economic opportunity in the US and implications for individuals, families, and communities across the country. The series highlights the ways in which issues of race, gender, and place exacerbate our economic divides, and ideas and innovations with potential to address these challenges and broaden access to quality opportunity.
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