Voters in Alabama, Louisiana, Oregon, Tennessee, and Vermont will be asked to consider whether their state constitutions permit slavery or indentured servitude for people convicted of crimes. "None of the proposals would force immediate changes inside the states' prisons, though they could lead to legal challenges related to how they use prison labor," points out the Associated Press, noting that nearly 20 state constitutions still permit slavery or indentured servitude as a punishment.
These statutes can be used to justify exploitative practices for prison labor, such as paying prisoners less than $1 per hour for their work or threatening them with a loss of privileges if they don't work.
