| Review of the Literature |
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| Bibliography: |
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| 1)Sellin, J. Thorsten. Slavery and the Penal System (19-29). Elsevier Scientific Publishing Co., Inc., 1976. |
The author of this book was inspired by two previously published historical works, which examined the social forces that shape penal systems. Sellin follows the same formula for research in her own book by examining slavery in society from ancient Greece through more modern chain gangs and prison farms. The chapter, Slavery and Punishment in Ancient Rome, makes clear the impact of slavery on society and its institutions, namely the modern penal system. Sellin emphasizes that slavery had both a direct and indirect influence on the penal system. Indirectly, the institution degraded the free laborer and essentially reduced him to a state of servitude, hardly distinguishable from slavery. Directly, Sellin continues, because the offending slave was subject to judicial processes and punishments originally not applicable to free men, but in time, applicable to all except the privileged aristocracy. Sellin argues that the modern penal system, though far more advanced than that of the ancient Romans, is just an expanded form of slavery. |
| 2)Alessi, Ryan; Star Washington Bureau. Firms: Prison Industries has lock on government business. Copyright 2002 Ventura County Star (California). |
This article includes the views expressed by both sides of the argument over the validity and worth of the Prison Industry Authority. Ultimately, the article puts sympathizes with those who are against the PIA, union leaders and business owners, those who initially agreed to the program, but are now questioning how the program goes about getting its business. These private companies feel that the PIA has an unfair hold on all government business. |
| 3)Los Angeles Times. Judge Deals Setback to Prisoners' Wage Fight... Copyright 2006 Los Angeles Times, Home Edition. |
This article is written in response to a recent decision by a California Superior Court judge not to order the California Department of Corrections to seek back wages for work performed by prisoners. The judge sided with the department, stating that the department does not have the authority to file a lawsuit on behalf of the prisoners, though the state will receive restitution from the company. The author doesn't seem to take any particular opinion on the situation, but does seem to feel that the judge was right in his decision; including a suggestion that the prisoners should file their own lawsuits against the company. |
| 4)Thompson, Don, Associated Press Writer. Prison industry's worth in question, audit says. Copyright 2004 The Associated Press State & Local Wire. |
The author of this article, Don Thompson, reports that California's prison industry program loses money in most of its enterprises and is unjustified in running its factories. He argues that the program unfairly competes with private businesses and doesn't appear to fulfill its obligation to saving money for taxpayers. The author also points out that most prison industry jobs go to inmates serving life sentences, those who will never be able to put their skills to use in the outside world. The article examines the response of the PIA to audits conducted in various years throughout its existence and finds that officials have failed to fulfill their promises. |
| 5)Wisely, Willie; California State Prisoner. California's Prison Industry Authority. http://www.geocities.com/Capitol Hill/1526/PIA.htm |
This article was written by Willie Wisely, a California state prisoner. The article accounts for both personal experiences inside of Prison Industry and the legal and statistical standpoints of the system. The main point of the article is to expose Prison Industry as "slave labor" and to personally evaluate the company that runs Prison Industry, the Prison Industry Authority. Wisely argues that the PIA fails to meet with its primary goals of decreasing the cost of the federal prison system and the rehabilitation of inmates. He states that even though the PIA loses money year after year, it is still protected from bankruptcy and government interference. He also claims that the PIA does not follow California Industry standards and that work within the facilities is unsafe for all laborers, both prisoners and civilians. |
| 6)Davis, Angela. Slavery with a New Name. http://prisonactivist.org/factsheets/pic.pdf |
This article, adapted from an address given by Angela Davis for Critical Resistance: Beyond the Prison Industrial Complex, argues that slavery 400 years ago and slavery today is no different. The article opens with the 13th amendment to the Constitution, pointing out that this amendment did not abolish slavery, but actually codified it. The author emphasizes three main points, the low wages earned by California prisoners, the conditions of the work environment, and the private companies which benefit from inmate labor. The author states that of the $5.75 per hour wage, prisoners only get to keep about 20%, most of which pays for their incarceration, leaving them with a wage of about $0.20 per hour. She also states that the conditions of the work environment are unsafe, unfair and inhumane. The last section of the article describes how private companies have come to benefit from prison labor, despite its primary use for the benefit of federal enterprises. Though the author is in favor of allowing prisoners to work and earn a wage while incarcerated, she makes the point that the system should be revised and more beneficial to the laborers, themselves. |
| 7)Goldberg, Eve and Evans, Linda. The Prison Industrial Complex and the Global Economy: Prison Labor. http://prisonactivist.org/crisis/evans-goldberg.html |
The authors of this article, Goldberg and Evans belong to the Prison Activist Organization. The main purpose of the article is to emphasize the unfairness of Prison Industry, in that prisoners are given no rights while incarcerated. The authors emphasize that prisoners are forced out of necessity to work within the prison facilities, due to charges accumulated for their crime and during their incarceration. They also describe the various jobs that prisoners are expected to perform and that they are given no rights to strike, form a union, or receive any type of worker's compensation. The authors apparently feel that the current conditions of Prison Industry are unfair and must be changed in order to continue. |
| 8) http://www.pia.ca.gov |
This is the official webiste for the California Prison Authority. The site describes the goals and purpose of the PIA and the Inmate Employability Program. Though the site is lacking in relevant information, it does provide some insight into what the PIA aims to provide for society and the specifically, the inmates. |
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