• themeatbridge@lemmy.world
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    4 days ago

    Worth including the percentage of the entire world population, as well. People might mistakenly assume that, because the US is a big world leader with lots of people, maybe 25% of all people live in the USA, or maybe it’s like 21% and we are just slightly overrepresented in prison population. aybr it’s 17%, or even 12% would make that number seem less shocking.

    But it’s 4.2%. We have six times more slavesprisoners with jobs per person than the rest of the world.

    • gustofwind@lemmy.world
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      4 days ago

      No they’re slaves

      The 13th amendment specifically says slavery is only abolished except as punishment for a crime

      They’re legally just slaves. Getting a small and conditional pay doesn’t make them not slaves.

            • untorquer@lemmy.world
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              3 days ago

              Pretty much exactly that plus a market. Prisoners held for torture are still slaves. They turn a profit for the prison as long as they’re not dead. They’re just funded by your tax dollars instead of private wealth.

                • untorquer@lemmy.world
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                  3 days ago

                  Unless they’re run by a state entity it’s extremely unlikely they’ll operate at a loss.

                  If you’re talking about the “Whoopsy doodle! #redacted :3” portion of the US military budget then yes it’s possible only the tortured prisoner title applies.