Comment on Breaking Into a Prison Tablet by hugh crawford

In reply to D.

Unfortunately, unlike the civilized parts of western civilization, the 13th amendment amendment reads:

Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.

So under federal law and most state laws convicts are considered slaves more or less. Not chattel slaves, but round up a bunch of people for vagrancy, stick them in jail, make up a bunch of rules they can be accused of breaking, and you have a slave for life. In practice, when they start incurring medical expenses, they get released so that they don’t cost money.