SACRAMENTO, CA – Two days after the U.S. November Election, HOLD THE LINE released a YouTube video disputing the claims of the SF Chronicle and CalMatters regarding Prop. 6, arguing its passage would destabilize California detention centers, given provisions covered under California Penal Code section 4019.
The California Voter Guide states Prop. 6 is a constitutional amendment that would “remove (the) current provision that allows jails and prisons to impose involuntary servitude to punish crime.”
According to CalMatters, proponents of this amendment argue inmate refusal to work could be “dangerous and life threatening,” emphasizing that involuntary servitude is a form of slavery, and therefore should be removed from the California Constitution.
Opponents of Prop. 6 argue “the current work system helps inmates and promotes necessary order in facilities aiming to rehabilitate,” despite the absence of an official ballot argument against the measure, according to CalMatters.
At the time of the video release, election results were still being counted, and HOLD THE LINE expressed concern that “our detention centers are already in a crisis.”
The video was responding to claims made by the San Francisco Chronicle that asserted a vote “YES” on Prop. 6 would mean “prisons can set up voluntary work assignments where inmates can earn work credits to reduce sentences in exchange for work.”
HOLD THE LINE cited California Penal Code § 4019, stating “the SF Chronicle is making it seem like that option is not already available,” as “most people who get sentenced under credit are qualified to earn work credits and earn 50 percent off their sentence.”
The Legislative Analyst’s Office noted Prop. 6 would “not stop prisons from giving people time credits for working” but instead would ban the discipline process as a result of inmates refusing to work.
HOLD THE LINE argued the courts, not prisons, are responsible for prison labor, stating “the prisons are not forcing them to labor, it’s the courts, which is a completely different system.”
HOLD THE LINE displayed a graphic demonstrating the pay structure for working inmates, noting Penal Code § 4019.3 caps inmate earnings to $2 for every 8 hours worked, claiming that Prop. 6 does not take into account county regulations regarding inmate labor.
CalMatters raised concerns about inmates earning less than 74 cents per hour for their labor, which includes work such as “construction, yard work, cooking, cleaning, and firefighting,” and HOLD THE LINE noted human rights violations can occur, such as not having any days off while in custody.
HOLD THE LINE concluded the video with a personal anecdote from their experience working at a fire camp facility that operated for “many years,” and expressed concern that only one inmate was hired from the fire department, questioning effective “rehabilitation and opportunity for redemption by the program.”
