13th Amendment Loophole Fuels Forced Labour in US Prisons, Violating Human Rights and Benefiting the Government and Companies

Modern slavery remains legal in the United States and the government is profiting from it.

A loophole still in the 13th Amendment to the US Constitution allows slavery and involuntary servitude as punishment for a crime.

This exception fuels a system where incarcerated people are forced to work for little or no pay, often under threat of punishment, while the state and private companies benefit.

Instead of rehabilitation, forced prison labour in the US has become a driver of mass incarceration.

This disproportionately affects people of colour and reinforces cycles of poverty and exploitation.

People who refuse or are unable to work, whether it’s due to disability, chronic illness, injury, or unsafe and abusive conditions, can face serious consequences.

These include loss of family contact, solitary confinement, and denial of parole, further entrenching their vulnerability.