The Prison Industrial Complex in America:
Investment in Slavery

by Kobutsu Malone

The United States Constitution Permits Prison Slavery and Involuntary Servitude

AMENDMENT XIII - SECTION 1.
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.

The Prison Industrial Complex - A Reality

The prison industrial complex is a self perpetuating industry based on the subjugation of an increasing segment of our communities by racial and economic scapegoating. The economic angle of this is immediate, bottom line, material gain for the corporations supporting and profiting from the prison industrial complex.

Political values, largely molded by globalized corporate media providers, play into the industrial complex by supporting the unquestioned growth of the industry. "Hard-on-crime" political posturing is almost considered indispensable in the political climate in America.

Leadership is absent from the political arena. Public opinion sampling has replaced leadership due to the materialistic notion that being reelected is the ultimate goal of a term in office. Leadership involves making unpopular decisions for the common good. A good leader challenges society and questions the people's attitudes, such actions are absent in American politics. Pleasing the most people for the most time is the number one priority, there is something wrong with this picture.

I have often held that we ought to create legislation that recognized that if any person showed any interest in a political office, he or she should be disqualified from holding that office -so much for professional politicians. People should be dragged kicking and screaming into the Whitehouse, not spending tens of millions of dollars seeking the position. Let's drag Walter Cronkite out of retirement and make him President. He doesn't want the job, is popular, and would probably do a darn good job.

Social structures die hard. Changing, even abolishing social structures takes time and effort. The Prison Industrial Complex is a social structure of grand scale. It has only recently come into focus as a reality in American society. Many people I have encountered are not yet even familiar with the term "prison industrial complex." I often receive looks of incredulity when I speak about this man-made structure which self perpetuates imprisonment at an ever-growing rate in America. We now have over 2.2 million people, human beings, citizens, behind bars in America. We have the unique distinction of being the largest incarcerator of human beings in the world, bar none. Prison is big business, very big business.

The secure housing, minimal support, minimal medical care and feeding of 2.2 million people is a costly endeavor consuming billions and billions of dollars of taxpayer's money every year in America. Corporations are lined up to receive a portion of the public funds used to support the self-perpetuating incarceration industry. States such as California spend more public funds, tax dollars, your money, my money, on prisons than for education and schools.

Prison Defined

Prison by definition as codified in the thirteenth amendment of the United States Constitution can hold people in slavery and involuntary servitude. Prison labor is slave labor at worst and coerced cooperation at best. It is a growing phenomenon in the prison industrial complex. Some of the advertisements listed below deal with prison labor issues. One, a 1/4-page advertisement, by Illinois Correctional Industries, appears to be seeking out of state prisoners for its prison labor programs. It is an industry and it is indeed complex, as a look through the December 2000 copy of "Corrections Today," the "industry's" trade magazine, reveals 117 corporate advertisements placed by 98 corporations. Each one of these companies to a greater or lesser extent is making profit from the 2.2 million people being held captive within the prison industry. Many of the following companies listed are solely concerned with prisons, others such as the drug company Bristol-Myers are advertising to just one aspect of the industry. The telecommunications providers make a huge profit from prisoner telephone calls, the vast majority of which are collect to the prisoner's family and loved ones. A prisoner's family may be charged a "connection fee" of over $3 for each call and the privilege of spending over ten times the normal rate for telephone calls.

Telecommunications contracts in the prison industry are highly prized and lucrative "deals" that invariably entail legal kickbacks to the prisons euphemistically labeled "attractive commission and incentive programs." An initial telecommunications contract with a state department of corrections can involve a million dollars or more in "incentive" up front.

Slavery in your portfolio?

Take a good look at the list below...own any stock in any of the companies listed? Patronize any of the telecommunications companies? Verizon? MCI? Think about it, these companies are all making profit from the incarceration of human beings under conditions which cause suffering to the prisoners, their families and loved ones, the guards and administrators who hold them captive, and the social fabric of our communities. Socially responsible investment demands that capital be moved elsewhere in support of the common good – the social economy, that which supports the community of all people, that which underpins the materialistic economy. Think of investing in the PIC as being bad-business in the long run...

  1. Abel Screening, Inc. 1/3 page ad Sex offender dangerousness assessment testing.
  2. Allvest Information Services, Inc. Full page ad Prisoner management, "race neutral."
  3. ARAMARK Full page ad Maintenance, food service, commissary and laundry services.
  4. ARAMARK 1/3 page ad Maintenance, food service, commissary and laundry services.
  5. ASSA Abloy Group Company Full page ad Prison and school security locks.
  6. Bristol-Myers Squibb Immunology 1/4 page ad HIV/AIDS drugs.
  7. Bristol-Myers Squibb Company 1/3 page ad HIV/AIDS drugs.
  8. Brookfield Industries 1/2 page ad Security hinges for prisons.
  9. Canteen Correctional Services 1/3 page ad Commissary and vending machine service.
  10. Cashless Systems, Inc. 1/3 page ad Cashless commissary accounting system.
  11. CCA Correctional Corporation of America 1/3 page ad Private Prisons.
  12. CCA Correctional Corporation of America Full page ad Private Prisons.
  13. CCS Children's Comprehensive Services 1/3 page ad Juvenile behavioral health.
  14. CCT Correctional Cable TV Full page ad Prison cable television. .
  15. CGA Carter Globe Associates 1/3 page ad Prison design and construction management.
  16. CMS Correctional Medical Services Full page ad Prison health care provider.
  17. Commercial Maytag Full page ad Prison institutional laundry equipment.
  18. Community Education Centers 1/3 page ad Prison mental health assessment provider.
  19. Community Education Centers Full page ad Prison behavior modification company.
  20. Compu Dyne Corporation Full page ad Prison design, construction and security .
  21. Cooper Lighting 1/3 page ad Prison lighting fixtures.
  22. Cooper Lighting 1/2 page ad Prison lighting fixtures.
  23. Correctional Services Corp. & Youth Services International 1/3 page ad Private prisons.
  24. Cornell Companies ,Inc. 1/4 page ad Juvenile commercial behavioral health services.
  25. CPS Human Resources Services 1/4 page ad Prison guard recruitment.
  26. Craftmaster Hardware 1/3 page ad Prison high security locks and parts.
  27. Developing Leadership 1/2 page ad Drug treatment training fellowships.
  28. Dick Corporation 1/3 page ad Prison construction
  29. Dick Corporation Full page ad Prison construction
  30. DLR Group 1/4 page ad Prison design and construction.
  31. Durrant Justice 1/3 page ad Prison design and construction management.
  32. Durrant Justice 1/3 page ad Prison design and planning.
  33. Elocktronics 5/8 page ad Prison Security hardware.
  34. ETC Environmental Training Center 1/4 page ad Prison environmental safety training.
  35. First Defense Perimeter Security Barriers1/4 page ad Prison perimeter fencing.
  36. Gilbane 1/3 page ad Prison design and construction management
  37. Global Tex, Inc. 1/4 page ad Guard's uniforms.
  38. Hazelden Publications Full page ad Book promoting mandatory drug treatment.
  39. HDR Architecture Full page ad Prison design and construction management.
  40. HDR Architecture 1/3 page ad Prison design and construction management.
  41. Heery International, Inc. Full page ad Prison design and construction management.
  42. Heery International, Inc. 1/3 page ad Prison design and construction management.
  43. HKS Inc. 1/3 page ad Prison design and construction management.
  44. HLM Design 1/3 page ad Prison design and construction management.
  45. HLM Design 1/3 page ad Prison design and planning.
  46. HP Health Professionals, ltd. 1/2 page ad Prison health care provider.
  47. Illinois Correctional Industries 1/4 page ad Seeking out of state prisoners.
  48. Insulgard Corporation Full page ad Prison security glazing.
  49. Iriaian Technologies Full page ad Iris recognition security validation equipment.
  50. Jacobs Facilities, Inc. 1/3 page ad Prison design and construction.
  51. Jacobs Facilities, Inc. Full page ad Prison design and construction.
  52. James Enterprises Lockers 1/4 page ad Prison visiting room lockers.
  53. Kaplan College 1/4 page ad Criminal justice degree.
  54. Keef Supply Company Full page ad Prison commissary supply service.
  55. Kevlar® Dupont Full page ad Prison guard body armor.
  56. KOM Press Ames Color File 1/3 page ad Prison records maintenance systems.
  57. KZF, Incorporated 1/2 page ad Prison design.
  58. L.C. Doone Company 1/3 page ad Prison lighting fixtures
  59. LearnatestT Learning Express Full page ad Prison guard testing tutoring.
  60. MARK Solutions 5/8 page ad Modular warehouse/prison conversion systems.
  61. Melco Embroidery Systems 1/3 page ad Embroidery equipment for prison labor.
  62. ModuForm 1/2 page ad Prison institutional furniture.
  63. Morse Watchman 1/3 page ad Security key rings for prisons.
  64. Morse Watchman 1/2 page ad Key control system for prisons.
  65. Mc Gregor Industries 1/3 page ad Steel construction for prisons.
  66. MCI World Com 1/3 page ad Prison telecommunications.
  67. Motor Coach Industries Full page ad Prison buses.
  68. Narcotics Anonymous World Services 1/3 page ad Prison drug programs.
  69. National Gypsum Company Full page ad Prison hi-impact wallboard.
  70. Norix Full page ad Prison institutional furniture.
  71. Norment Security Group Full page ad Prison design, construction and security systems.
  72. OPI Correctional Industries Full page ad Private prisons.
  73. Perimeter, Inc. Full page ad Prison perimeter fencing
  74. PHS Prison Health Services Full page ad Prison health care provider.
  75. PHS Prison Health Services 1/3 page ad Prison health care provider.
  76. Public Communications, Inc. Cincinnati Bell 1/3 page ad Prison telecommunications.
  77. Quality Lighting 5/8 page ad Prison surveillance camera s.
  78. Qwest Double page ad Prison telecommunications.
  79. RIT Dye 1/2 page ad Bulk dye for prison uniforms
  80. RNL Design 1/3 page ad Prison design and construction management.
  81. Rosser Justice Systems 1/4 Page ad Prison design and construction management.
  82. RR Brink Locking Systems 1/3 page ad Prison high security locks.
  83. SafebarT Inc. 1/4 page ad ADA safety grab bars for prisons.
  84. Santana Plastic Products 1/2 page ad Rest room and locker room fixtures for prisons.
  85. SBC Public Communications 1/4 page ad Prison telecommunications.
  86. SBC Full page ad Prison telecommunications.
  87. Schlumberger Global Tel Link 1/3 page ad Prison telecommunications.
  88. Security Fasteners 1/4 page ad Prison tamper proof security hardware.
  89. Securicor New Century 1/4 page ad Private Prisons.
  90. SIM Screened Images Multimedia 1/3 page ad Prison training systems.
  91. SMRT 1/4 page ad Prison design and construction.
  92. Star sprinkler, Inc. Tyco 1/3 page ad Tamper proof fire sprinklers for prisons.
  93. Tamper Pruf Screws Full page ad Tamper resistant fasteners .
  94. The Center to Prevent Hand Gun Violence 1/4 page ad Curricula for schools.
  95. The Corrections Connection Full page ad On-Line corrections website and store.
  96. The Corrections Connection 1/3 page ad On-Line corrections website and store.
  97. Transcor 1/3 page ad Private prisoner transportation company.
  98. Turner Construction Company 1/3 page ad Prison construction.
  99. U.S. Medical Group, Inc. 1/3 page ad Prison health care provider.
  100. U.S. Medical Group Full page ad Prison health care.
  101. U.S. Risk Underwriters, Inc. Full page ad Private prisons.
  102. Unicel, Inc. Vision Control 1/3 page ad Security window blinds.
  103. Vanir 1/4 page ad Prison design and construction management.
  104. Veriad Full page ad Labels for prison use
  105. Verizon Full page ad Prison telecommunications.
  106. Verizon 1/4 page ad Prison telecommunications.
  107. V.H. Blackinton & Co., Inc. 1/3 page ad Badges and uniforms
  108. Washington, Inc. Full page ad Prison design and construction management.
  109. Wausaw Tile Metal Form Division 1/4 page ad Prison institutional furniture.
  110. WCC Wackenhurt Correctional Full page ad Private Prisons.
  111. WCC Wackenhurt Correctional 1/4 page ad Private Prisons.
  112. Wexford Health Sources, Inc. 1/3 page ad Prison health care management recruitment.
  113. Wexford Medicine in Corrections Full page ad Prison health care provider.
  114. Well-Built Steel Products, Inc. 1/2 page ad Prison doors and frames.
  115. Westchester County New York 1/4 page Employment ad for Dep. of Corrections.
  116. White Conveyors, Inc. 1/3 page ad Prisoner property storage equipment.
  117. Zico 1/2 page ad SCBA breathing gear for fires and chemical weapons attacks.

The corporations above fall into the following categories:

Operational Hardware – 29
Design and Construction – 26
Medical Care – 13
Telecommunications – 8
Private Prison Corporations – 8