Modern Slavery?

Many people believe that slavery ended years ago, but, in reality, traces of it still exist today. An article tells of one extreme case: the Louisiana State Penitentiary, also known as Angola, which forced inmates into labor through threats of cruel punishment. While at the prison, inmates worked in fields, manufacturing warehouses, and kitchens fulltime with almost no pay. Additionally, they were also treated as lesser beings by authorities working there. Surprisingly, this was considered fine by some people because, as the Thirteenth Amendment states, “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.” Therefore, the prison took advantage of a small exception and in a way, limited a form of slavery to just convicts.

So what does this have to do with racial issues? Well, Angola prison is comprised of mostly black prisoners and, when asked, some claimed that they did not commit the crime that they were imprisoned for. While there’s no way to guarantee that they were telling the truth, there is enough evidence to question the processes that led to these excessive punishments. Furthermore, the case also calls attention to the lack of fair treatment and judgment in prison systems, possibly caused by a feeling of superiority within prison authorities over the convicted prisoners as well as slight racial superiority. Angola Prison is an amalgamation of numerous criminal justice issues, including false convictions, unjust treatment, and inappropriate punishments for mainly African Americans.