It is a future where work is not punishment and everyone has the opportunity to complete meaningful work and education if they choose. Labor in prisons is never afflictive (i.e., never causes needless pain and suffering for punitive purposes); and failure to work does not jeopardize key mechanisms to regain freedom. It is also a future where segregation is not a punishment for work performance.
It is a future where labor is safe, and if someone chooses to labor in work that has safety risks, that person has access to quality safety training and protective equipment, and that person receives adequate value for the increased risk. It is also a future that recognizes that incarcerated people are often in a position where their basic needs (medical care, food, sanitation, etc.) are met by incarcerated labor, and that labor requires adequate supervision to ensure those needs are met.
It is a future where people receive something of fair value for the work that they perform, be it financial compensation or other value as defined through the perspective of those living in incarceration and their families.
We must take action to achieve the future we want. Go to Take Action to engage in one of our campaigns.
