Prison Labor for Private Industry- An Incentive for Mass Incarceration?
Some inmate labor is cleaning, preparing food, and upkeep of the prison grounds. But through a program called Federal Prison Industries (UNICORE), prisoners also work on behalf of private sector employers. These arrangements are often called rent a convict or factories with fences. These jobs can be doing nearly anything, from staffing call centers to producing body armor for the military.
Under this arrangement, prisons rent inmate labor to private industry which is required to pay the prison prevailing wages. Then the prison keeps approximately 80% of the inmates’ wages for itself, leaving the inmates a pittance.
This arrangement clearly has benefits for prisoners. They gain job skills and outside work breaks the monotony of prison life. But is the government leasing out prisoners to private, for profit employers and retaining their pay different than what slave owners have always done? And does profiting from prison labor provide an incentive for mass incarceration?
Learn More
An examination of the ethical problems caused by prisoners working for private industry from Al Jazeera.
An explanation of the vast number of prisoners working for Unicore from Salon.
Three Strikes and You’re Hired!- An explanation of the human rights issues raised by Unicore from the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights
Human Rights Haggadah Blog

Death Penalty for the Tree of Life Massacre?
On August 2nd a federal Jury recommended the death sentence for Robert Bowers, perpetrator of the 2018 massacre at the Tree of Life synagogue

Torah Burning Protests: Let’s Just Forget It
Today Sweden once again granted permission for a Torah burning protest outside the Israeli Embassy, this time by a woman concerned about children’s rights

Who Decides english and math in Yeshivas?
Last week the New York City Department of Education sent a warning letter notifying 18 yeshivas that they are failing to teach secular subjects at

Biden’s Plan to Counter anti-semitism: don’t judge this book by its cover
Recently, the Biden administration released an impressive 60 page plan titled “The U.S. Strategy to Counter Anti-Semitism.” It contains hundreds of detailed action items.