A NEWS CO-OP IN DC SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE

Daily archive

August 18, 2016

Justice Dept. Announces Initiative to End Use of For-Profit Prisons

by

The Justice Department said that it will attempt to cease its use of for-profit prisons, in the wake of a scathing inspector general investigation that found privately-run detention centers are more dangerous and inefficiently run than public sector counterparts. Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates revealed the move on Thursday in a directive ordering department officials to either let corporate prisons’ contracts expire or to “substantially reduce” reliance on their services. The purpose of the initiative is “reducing—and ultimately ending—our use of privately operated prisons,” Yates…

Keep Reading

Defective Helmets Produced for U.S. Military by Prison Laborers Paid Less Than $2/Hour

by

A controversial government corporation that relies on cheap prison labor was caught producing faulty military equipment that could have endangered the lives of US soldiers. The Department of Justice Inspector General released a damning report on Wednesday, which found that military contractor ArmorSource and it’s subcontractor, Federal Prison Industries, produced tens of thousands of flawed combat helmets that cost the US government more than $19 million. Federal Prison Industries (FPI), also known as UNICOR, is a government-run enterprise that relies on a labor force of roughly…

Keep Reading

McDonalds Could Be Held Liable For Franchise Wage Theft, Federal Judge Rules

by

A federal judge in California allowed class action wage theft litigation to proceed against McDonald’s, on the grounds that a jury could find it guilty of negligence. Judge Richard Seeborg said Tuesday that the lawsuit against the corporation may continue under the “ostensible agency theory.” The doctrine holds an actor responsible for the fault of another, if victims reasonably believe that the perpetrator committed wrongdoing in the employ of said actor. The case involves McDonald’s franchise co-owners, Bobby and Carol Haynes, who operate eight restaurants…

Keep Reading

Go to Top