In the midst of scorching summer temperatures, a federal judge has mandated Louisiana to safeguard the well-being of incarcerated laborers toiling on the grounds of a former slave plantation, citing a significant risk of harm or even death. The state has promptly appealed the ruling. U.S. District Judge Brian Jackson issued a temporary restraining order, granting the state’s corrections department seven days to devise a plan to enhance conditions on the farm line at Louisiana State Penitentiary, also known as Angola.
Judge Jackson urged the state to implement changes regarding heat-related policies, citing issues such as inadequate shade, insufficient breaks, and a lack of sunscreen and other protections for prisoners, including medical evaluations for those particularly susceptible to extreme temperatures. However, the judge did not completely halt operations on the farm line when heat indexes surpass 88 degrees Fahrenheit, contrary to what the plaintiffs had sought.
This order emerges at a time of heightened national focus on prison labor, a system deeply rooted in slavery that has evolved into a lucrative industry. An Associated Press investigation spanning two years linked major companies like Walmart and Burger King to Angola and other prison farms, where incarcerated individuals receive minuscule wages or no compensation at all. Some companies, like Cargill, have announced the severance or pending termination of ties with prison farms or entities utilizing prisoner labor.
Last year, a group of incarcerated individuals from Angola, alongside New Orleans-based advocacy organization Voice of the Experienced (VOTE), filed a collective lawsuit alleging inhumane treatment and forced labor at the maximum-security prison, originally a plantation covering 18,000 acres. The individuals, predominantly Black, recounted working with basic tools in extreme heat under the watch of armed guards. They faced solitary confinement or other penalties for refusal to work or failure to meet quotas.
As temperatures soar in the state, Judge Jackson emphasized the life-threatening nature of dealing with heat in Louisiana and decried the conditions on the farm line as posing a notable risk of harm or death. Lydia Wright from The Promise of Justice Initiative, representing the plaintiffs, praised the ruling as a historic denouncement of the harsh practices at Angola. Louisiana’s Department of Public Safety and Corrections expressed strong disagreement with the court’s decision and has lodged an appeal with the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals. Spokesperson Ken Pastorick stated they are reviewing the ruling and may provide further commentary at a later date.
