18 Photos of Prison That Look Exactly Like Slavery (Because It Largely Is)

And links to a lot of info about the American prison and criminal justice system.

A brief history and some stats on prison labor overtly reflecting slave labor from the Prison Policy Initiative.

An incredible book about how the modern criminal justice system is The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander.

The best documentary (in my opinion) about the War on Drugs and its systematic effectiveness of policing neighborhoods to search intently for an excuse to arrest rather than protect.

A list of every mandatory minimum prison sentence.

A quick overview of the prison industrial complex. Take it to the next level and read Angela Davis’ incredible book on the subject.

A TED Talk from human rights lawyer Bryan Stevenson about the “hard truths about America’s justice system, starting with a massive imbalance along racial lines.”

Here’s why “95% of felony convictions in the U.S. are obtained through guilty pleas.”

New York and North Carolina are two states that automatically prosecute as an adult at age sixteen. (50,000 kids tried as adults every year.) (Find out how to help change that here.)

A list of seven major companies who profit huge amounts from prison slave labor from US Uncut.

Democracy Now video interview with “Angela Davis on Prison Abolition, the War on Drugs and Why Social Movements Shouldn’t Wait on Obama.”

Here are four more articles about prison injustice.

And here is an in-depth article on the issue from Think Progress that is absolutely essential reading.

If you can, donate to any of these organizations to help make a difference. Volunteer if you’re particularly awesome. At the very least, show them support on social media. We should be working to abolish prisons. We’re doing the exact opposite.

(Personal favorites: Innocence Project, Prison Policy Initiative, The Sentencing Project.)

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