Abstract
This paper analyzes the relationship between the government and the private prison industry, specifically examining how the exception clause in the Thirteenth Amendment permits conditions resembling modern-day slavery through exploitative prison labor. Neoliberalism and the War on Drugs have contributed to mass incarceration in the United States, which has led to an increase in prison labor. Mass incarceration has disproportionately affected people of color and those living in poverty. To address these issues, more intensive vetting processes are needed at all levels of law enforcement, particularly during hiring, to reduce racial bias and improve accountability.
Recommended Citation
Adams, Lindsey
(2026)
"The Prison Industrial Complex and the Exploitation of Prisoners Through the 13th Amendment,"
Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science: Vol. 14
:
Iss.
1
, Article 9.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.55917/2324-6561.1161
https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/themis/vol14/iss1/9
