Lamont Gross and other prisoners at Louisiana’s state penitentiary, known as Angola, work under harsh conditions on former slave plantation fields. Gross described extreme heat and minimal breaks, leading to incidents of heat stroke among inmates, many of whom had health issues. In September, incarcerated workers and the advocacy group Voice of the Experienced filed a class-action lawsuit to end this labor, citing cruel conditions. U.S. District Judge Brian Jackson issued a temporary restraining order, criticizing the state’s “deliberate indifference” to prisoners’ health risks.
The order mandated improvements, including sunscreen, shade, and frequent breaks during heat alerts. Louisiana’s corrections department challenged this, but the 5th Circuit Court upheld Jackson’s order. The state has since started providing some heat relief measures but warned that shutting down the farm line could halt work in many Southern institutions during high temperatures.
Other Southern states also operate prison farms on former slave plantations, using prisoners to produce crops for major companies. Some companies are reconsidering their links to prison labor. Prison labor is legal in the U.S. due to a loophole in the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery except for convicted criminals.
However, a U.N. investigator is set to report it as modern-day slavery. Correctional officials claim these work programs reduce recidivism and provide valuable skills, but prisoners argue that extreme heat is used as punishment. Many prisons lack air conditioning, worsening conditions.
The class-action suit in Louisiana is set for September. Prisoners described the work as backbreaking, with inadequate water and frequent health issues. The judge found merit in their grievances, criticizing claims by prison staff and challenging the reported economic losses from shutting down the farm line. The judge emphasized the need for humane working conditions for incarcerated workers.
Link: AP News
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