COVID-19 has shuttered countless U.S. businesses, putting millions of people out of work. But inmates inside more than 40 prisons are now making masks, hand sanitizers, and other protective gear. (Corrects style on COVID-19)
May 8, 2020 GMT
Those same men and women have been cut off from family visits for weeks, but they get charged up to $25 for a 15-minute phone call — plus a surcharge every time they add credit. The coronavirus outbreak has put an unlikely spotlight on America’s jails and prisons, which house more than 2.2 million people and have been described by health experts as petri dishes as the virus spreads.
“Even though that wasn’t life threatening, it was serious,” he said. “With COVID-19, I could actually lose my life.” Proponents of for-profit prisons say the government relies on contractors for services it cannot always provide on its own, from the brick and mortar of a new facility to phone time and food for those inside. And because it’s easier to cancel contracts, there is greater incentive to provide better service, said Alexandra Wilkes, spokesperson for Day 1 Alliance, a trade group that represents the country’s three leading private prison operators.
“The industry behind mass incarceration is bigger than many appreciate. So is the harm they cause and the power they wield,” said Bianca Tylek, the group’s founder and director. Incarcerated people also work, making everything from license plates to body armor vests and mattresses. In California, some even serve as firefighters. But in some places, they are employed by major corporations such as Minnesota-based 3M.
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