Many of us borrow our understanding of prison labor from pop culture. Think Shawshank Redemption, men tarring roofs paid in cigarettes and beers. But, as we recently learned, the truth is very different.
The Slow Death of a Prison Profiteer: How Activism Brought Securus to the Brink
Last week, the nation’s largest prison and jail telecom corporation, Securus, effectively defaulted on more than a billion dollars of debt. The slow death of the largest player in this space is not accidental. It follows six years of intense advocacy to expose the vulnerability of the prison telecom industry’s business model on both ethical and economic grounds.
Correctional Industries: How Governments Exploit Prison Labor to Subsidize Their Budgets
There is a common misconception that private corporations are the primary beneficiaries of forced prison labor due to viral exposés of corporate exploitation by brands like Burger King. However, while private corporations may be the most vile beneficiaries of prison labor given their for-profit interests, federal, state, and local governments are the primary beneficiaries.
Prison Labor and The Private Sector: The Corporate Exploitation of Prison Labor Reaches Deep into the Supply Chain
When Congress passed the Thirteenth Amendment in 1865, they included a crucial exception clause that allows for slavery and involuntary servitude as punishment for crime. This clause has resulted in the forced labor of millions of people in our prisons and jails since, and the first beneficiaries of this labor were private corporations.
Series: Understanding the Many Forms of Prison Labor
People who are incarcerated and detained across our country are disproportionately Black and brown and forced to work for little to no pay under the threat of additional punitive measures, such as the loss of family visits and solitary confinement. This forced labor is pervasive and takes many surprising forms: farming crops, fighting wildfires, staffing call centers and DMV offices, stamping license plates, and much more.
Only Ending Prison Call Surveillance can Protect Our Constitutional Rights
Imagine you are accused of a crime and assigned a lawyer. Think about everything you might tell them to help in your defense. Now imagine that everything you said to your lawyer in moments of trust and vulnerability is handed over to the very prosecutor who is building a case against you.
Financials Reveal Securus Cashed in on the Pandemic to Revive Struggling Business
Recently released financial statements for Aventiv Technologies – the parent company of Securus Technologies – reveal that the prison telecom corporation capitalized on the COVID-19 public health crisis to rake in massive gains on the backs of struggling families.
Securus Pulls Out of Merger with ICSolutions Following Pressure From Worth Rises
Yesterday, industry behemoth Securus pulled out of its agreement to purchase ICSolutions. This transaction would have further consolidated the prison telecom industry and given Securus unprecedented control, hurting competition and, in turn, public interest.
2018 National Prison Strike: Statement of Solidarity
As an organization dedicated to decommercializing justice, we call specific attention to the National Prison Strike’s second demand: “An immediate end to prison slavery. All persons imprisoned in any place of detention under United States jurisdiction must be paid the prevailing wage in their state or territory for their labor.”
Will the FCC Finally Stop a Prison Telecom Merger?
In May 2018, Securus Technologies announced the acquisition of Inmate Calling Solutions (ICS). But a closer look at the relationship between Securus and ICS may raise serious anti-trust concerns that will cost incarcerated people and their support networks much more.