prisoners

Around 600,000 people are released annually from the U.S.‘s sprawling prisons network. Many face considerable barriers as a result of their convictions when it comes to essentials in life, like getting a job or a home. It can even be harder to feed themselves. Formerly incarcerated people are twice as likely to suffer food insecurity as the general population, with 1 in 5 ex-prisoners finding it difficult to obtain regular, nutritious meals. A 2013 survey of recently released prisoners came up with an even more stark finding: More than 90% were food insecure. Of the more than 100 formerly incarcerated people included in that study, 37% reported that they did not eat anything for a whole day at one point in the previous month. Lifelong ban on benefits Compounding the problem is that some ...

Efforts to beat back wildfires ravaging Western states in the U.S. have been hampered this year by depleted numbers of “orange angels” – incarcerated workers deployed as firefighters. Their lower numbers coincide with the early release for eligible prisoners and the quarantining of others to combat the spread of COVID-19. The potential impact that having fewer prisoners to draw upon highlights the crucial role that incarcerated workers play in disaster response. While many people are aware that prisoners work to help contain wildfires in California and elsewhere, less well known is the role incarcerated workers play as a labor source across a variety of disasters throughout the country. As a social scientist, I study the impact of disasters on incarcerated populations. I recently co-aut...

Tag: prisoners

Bans To Benefits On The Outside, Ex-Prisoners Are Going Hungry Amid Barriers

Disaster work is often carried out by prisoners – who get paid as little as 14 cents an hour despite dangers