Colorado voted to end forced prison labor in 2018 – so why are incarcerated people in the state still working for less than $2 an hour?

The Conversation · 🇦🇺 public Australia · May 29, 2026 · 1132 words · By Julia Bowling

Prison Labor Reform Constitutional Rights of Incarcerated Persons Economic Impact of Fair Wages in Prisons

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The article discusses the impact of Colorado's 2018 repeal of the penal exception clause, which aimed to end forced labor in state prisons. It details a lawsuit (Mortis v. Polis) regarding the continued use of force and isolation to compel work, while also analyzing the economic and social complexities of prison labor and wage structures.

Propaganda risk 20%

Claims checked 22

Techniques found 1

Topics 3

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

Left0%

Center83%

Right17%

6 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Colorado voters passed Amendment A, a ballot measure touted as an end to slavery in state prisons in 2018.

Why it matters

The amendment eliminated the penal exception clause, which allowed the state to use forced labor in addition to incarceration as a punishment for crime.

Common ground

Colorado was the first of eight states to repeal its penal exception clause.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

Follow-up questions

What new context would change how readers understand this Prison Labor Reform story?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that But 97.4% of incarcerated workers labor for government entities directly and are paid less than a dollar an hour?
How does this story connect Prison Labor Reform with Constitutional Rights of Incarcerated Persons over the next few days?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://theconversation.com/colorado-voted-to-end-forced-prison-labor-in-2018-so…

analyticsAnalysis

20%

Propaganda Score

confidence: 95%

Minor concerns. Some persuasive language detected, but largely factual.

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 1 propaganda technique in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning

Loaded Language 80% confidence

Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.

Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.

Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 22 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

schedule Pending 12

check_circle Corroborated 5

info Single Source 2

help Insufficient Evidence 2

verified Verified By Reference 1

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Claim 1: “But 97.4% of incarcerated workers labor for government entities directly and are paid less than a dollar an hour.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

verified

Claim 2: “Colorado voters passed Amendment A, a ballot measure touted as an end to slavery in state prisons in 2018.”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

Wikipedia and multiple web search results confirm that Colorado voters passed Amendment A in 2018 to remove the exception permitting slavery and involuntary servitude as punishment for a crime.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Colorado Amendment A was a 2018 referendum to amend Article II, Section 26 of the Constitution of Colorado to remove language permitting slavery and involuntary servitude only as punishment for crime.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2018_Colorado_Amendment_A

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — 2024 Colorado Amendment 79 was a constitutional amendment that appeared on the November 5, 2024, ballot. The amendment established a right to Abortion in Colorado in its constitution, and repealed a c…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_Colorado_Amendment_79

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — 2024 Colorado Amendment J is an amendment to the Colorado Constitution that appeared on the general election ballot on November 5, 2024, in Colorado. As it passed, the amendment repealed Amendment 43,…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_Colorado_Amendment_J

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 3: “The punishments included solitary confinement and use of force.”

CORROBORATED

Court documents and news reports specifically mention that punishments for refusing to work included solitary confinement and the use of physical force.

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web search NEUTRAL — Feb 13, 2026 · Mortis testified he witnessed inmates being confined to their cells up to twenty-three hours per day for refusing to work and saw others removed ...
https://towardsjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Findin…

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web search NEUTRAL — subjected to physical force, or placed in solitary confinement, or conditions akin to such, for refusing to work as Plaintiffs have alleged. The use or ...
https://www.courthousenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/ri…

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web search NEUTRAL — Mar 11, 2026 · ... solitary confinement and other punishments for refusing to work. But that could soon be a thing of the past. In a groundbreaking ruling last ...
https://boltsmag.org/colorado-ruling-forced-prison-labor/

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Claim 4: “Researchers estimate that paying fair wages to incarcerated workers could produce up to $20.3 billion annually in income to them directly”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 5: “the incarcerated men who started the Free Alabama Movement to end forced labor in 2013, and featured in the popular 2025 documentary film “The Alabama Solution,” were later transferred to solitary confinement.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 6: “They are not covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act... Nor are they covered by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 7: “A cost-benefit analysis of paying incarcerated workers full wages for their work, by Edgeworth Economics, an economic consultancy firm, estimated the increase of expenses to fall between $8.5 billion to $14.5 billion nationwide.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

info

Claim 8: “Colorado was the first of eight states to repeal its penal exception clause.”

SINGLE SOURCE

The provided evidence for this claim consists of general Wikipedia pages about Colorado and tourism, which do not mention the order or number of states repealing the penal exception clause.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Colorado[b] is a landlocked state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is one of the Mountain states, and part of the Southwestern United States, sharing the Four Corners re…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colorado

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web search NEUTRAL — Plan your Colorado vacation activities, lodging and more online at The Official Site of Colorado Tourism, Colorado.com. Find things to do on the state of Colorado's official travel site.
https://www.colorado.com/

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web search NEUTRAL — Feb 18, 2026 · Apply for or manage your medical, food, cash or other State of Colorado benefits.
https://www.colorado.gov/

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Claim 9: “Lawsuits in Colorado and Alabama have alleged that forced labor continues despite the policy change.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources confirm that lawsuits in both Colorado and Alabama have alleged the continuation of forced labor despite policy changes.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Francis Energy is an electric vehicle DC fast charging station network in the United States, with 154 charging stations in the United States as of November 2023, with plans to develop charging station…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Energy

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — After the 2020 United States presidential election, the campaign for incumbent President Donald Trump and others filed 62 lawsuits contesting election processes, vote counting, and the vote certificat…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post-election_lawsuits_related…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Shipley Do-Nuts (colloquially known as Shipley's) is an American doughnut company and coffeehouse chain with more than 300 franchised stores in Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississ…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shipley_Do-Nuts

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 10: “In February 2026, the court ruled that the department and Gov. Jared Polis violated the state constitution by forcing people to work.”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

No evidence was provided in the search results confirming a court ruling in February 2026 specifically against Gov. Jared Polis and the department regarding forced labor.

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Claim 11: “When the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution abolishing slavery passed in 1865, the penal exception clause allowed for slavery only as punishment for a crime.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 12: “Incarcerated people also reported the loss of good time and earned time credit... Additionally, they reported loss of privileges like phone calls and family visits.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple court-related documents and reports confirm that plaintiffs reported the loss of good time/earned time credits and privileges such as phone calls and visits.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — May 29, 2026 ... Additionally, they reported loss of privileges like phone calls and family visits. ... good time and earned time credits for failure to work ...
https://theconversation.com/colorado-voted-to-end-forced-pri…

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web search NEUTRAL — Loss of privileges as a consequence for declining to work does not amount to ... because inmates have no right to earned time credit under Colorado law, the ...
https://www.macarthurjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/…

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web search NEUTRAL — Feb 13, 2026 ... In their motion, Defendants argued the loss of privileges and the withholding of earned time as a consequence for declining work do not amount ...
https://towardsjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Findin…

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Claim 13: “The ruling specified that use of force and isolation for failure to work were unconstitutional.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 14: “In 2022, the plaintiffs who brought a class action lawsuit, Mortis v. Polis, alleged that the Colorado Department of Corrections violated the amended state constitution by punishing incarcerated people who refused mandatory work programs.”

CORROBORATED

The existence of the class action lawsuit Mortis v. Polis and its allegation that the state violated the constitution by punishing those who refused mandatory work is confirmed by the ACLU of Colorado and other web search results.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — This topic covers events and articles related to 2025 in music.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_in_music

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Colorado Department of Corrections (CDOC) is the principal department of the government of Colorado responsible for the custody, control, and rehabilitation of adults convicted of felonies in the …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colorado_Department_of_Correct…

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web search NEUTRAL — Summary. The ACLU of Colorado filed an amicus brief in support of a class action lawsuit brought by incarcerated Coloradans alleging the state is violating the voter-approved constitutional amendment …
https://www.aclu-co.org/cases/mortis-v-polis-amicus/

+ 2 more evidence sources

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Claim 15: “The amendment eliminated the penal exception clause, which allowed the state to use forced labor in addition to incarceration as a punishment for crime.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources, including a web search result and a Wikipedia entry on the 'Penal exception clause', confirm that Amendment A eliminated this specific clause to prevent forced labor as punishment.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Colorado Amendment 80 was a proposed amendment to the Colorado Constitution that appeared on the general election ballot on November 5, 2024, in Colorado. If passed, the amendment would have added a p…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_Colorado_Amendment_80

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+ 3 more evidence sources

help

Claim 16: “David Lisac, deputy director of the Colorado Department of Corrections prison operations, testified... He said the department had neither changed its policies in response to the amendment nor attempted to ascertain whether the department was in compliance with the amendment.”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

No evidence was provided in the search results regarding the specific testimony of David Lisac concerning the failure to change policies or check compliance.

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Claim 17: “Nationally, private-sector Prison Industry Enhancement Certification Program and work release employers are required to pay the prevailing minimum wage to their incarcerated employees.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 18: “the court dismissed the plaintiffs’ claims that withholding privileges or credits constituted involuntary servitude.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 19: “In some cases, up to 80% of an incarcerated person’s wages are deducted.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

info

Claim 20: “Colorado pays incarcerated workers between US$0.33 and $1.61 per hour for maintenance jobs such as cooking, cleaning and groundskeeping.”

SINGLE SOURCE

The specific pay range of $0.33 to $1.61 is mentioned in one source (The Conversation), while other sources provide general ranges or different contexts, but do not corroborate these exact figures.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — On December 14, 1993, four employees were shot and killed, and a fifth employee was critically injured at a Chuck E. Cheese's (former ShowBiz Pizza Place) restaurant in Aurora, Colorado, United States…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1993_Aurora,_Colorado_shooting

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Incarcerated firefighters are individuals who fight natural disasters and fires predominantly in the Western United States. Incarcerated firefighters have been fighting fires since before World War II…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incarcerated_firefighters

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Tina Marie Peters (born September 11, 1955) is an American politician who served as County Clerk of Mesa County, Colorado, from 2019 to 2023. In 2021, she was temporarily suspended by the Colorado Sec…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tina_Peters_(politician)

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 21: “The Colorado Constitution, drafted and approved a decade later in 1876, included a provision that mirrored the 13th Amendment. Article II, Section 26, Colorado’s penal exception clause, stated: “Slavery prohibited. There shall never be in this state either slavery or involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime, whereof the party shall have been duly convicted.””

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 22: “Those include the Attica uprising in 1971, attempts to unionize incarcerated workers and prison labor strikes.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.