Photographer documents prevalence of goods made by prison labor across U.S. public institutions
A photo project published in partnership with The Marshall Project documents how goods made by incarcerated people appear in public institutions across the United States, from college dorms to libraries and municipal buildings, photographer Daniella Zalcman said.
The Marshall Project reported that incarcerated workers produce more than $2 billion in goods annually and that state-run programs typically pay between 33 cents and $1.41 an hour, while workers in six states receive no pay, according to the project.
Many of the images in Zalcman’s series show products made by state prison industries. Zalcman said mattresses made by workers at the Mississippi State Penitentiary are distributed by MAGCOR and end up in dorms at Mississippi State University. She also photographed metal benches, trash cans and tables produced through MAGCOR on the university campus.
Zalcman’s work includes other examples: a burn ban flag listed on the Texas Correctional Industries website; goalpost padding at Bauxite High School made by Arkansas Correctional Industries; and a 2018 restoration project at the Winder Public Library that involved powder-coating, shelving modifications and refurbishing by Georgia Correctional Industries, according to Zalcman and state agencies.
Advocates for prison work programs say the jobs can offer skills and income, Zalcman noted. But Carla Laroche, Felder-Fayard associate professor of law at Tulane University and the Murphy Institute, told The Marshall Project that prison labor is rooted in a history of enslavement and often lacks voluntary choice, including consequences for refusing work in some facilities. Zalcman’s project also highlights braille programs run through the National Prison Braille Network, custodial supplies from Alabama Correctional Industries and maintenance of the Captain Joe Byrd Cemetery by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, according to Zalcman and the agencies cited.
Source: Original Article
