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Prisoners or Slaves?

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The 13th Amendment outlawed slavery, but did you know that it carved out an exception? In actuality, the 13th  Amendment says that it forbids slavery and involuntary servitude, “except as punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted.” Translation:  the Constitution permits enslavement of convicted prisoners. This has meant that current prisoners,… Read More

Prison Reform Mississippi Style?

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Given the South’s problematic history with equal justice issues, this may be surprising: a Mississippi county may be on its way to becoming a national leader in local prison reform. In May 2015, the Justice Department found that Hinds County, Mississippi’s jails were “in crisis” (which says a lot, considering the very low bar of our poor… Read More