Exploited Prison Labor Is Being Used During This Pandemic

Prison cell
via Flickr
William Anderson
March 17, 2020

As Black people, we all know just how wrong slavery is. No matter what, it’s not acceptable. That’s why it’s so shocking to see how sinister people can get when a crisis hits. 

Now that COVID-19 is officially a pandemic, some people have set their sights on a very vulnerable population.

Prisons are using inmate labor to make products like hand sanitizer and masks due to the increased demand brought on by the pandemic. For example, people imprisoned in New York are now making “NYS Clean,” an extra strong sanitizer. This is happening despite a major risk.

Being locked in prison is a disaster waiting to happen when it comes to coronavirus. Prisons and jails have to show EXTREME caution because close quarters and unclean conditions mean it could spread at any time. Still, authorities are not as concerned as they should be.

Hand sanitizer is treated as contraband in many prisons and jails due to its alcohol content. Prisons are also often overcrowded, and restraints force people into close contact with others. This is dangerous for everyone, but especially for those locked into a crisis waiting to happen.

During a time of panic and concern, a lot of people will try to get away with things that are unacceptable. Prison labor is directly linked to the enslavement of our ancestors. Our people in prison are especially vulnerable and shouldn’t be exploited to clean up a mess they didn’t make!

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