This episode investigates how Alabama’s prison labor system generates hundreds of millions of dollars while the people doing the work earn little to nothing. We unpack the structure behind so-called “voluntary” labor, the role of state agencies and private contractors, and how parole decisions, disciplinary threats, and economic coercion keep the system running.

Alabama’s $450 Million Forced Labor Scheme connects policy, profit, and power—examining whether this model serves public safety or perpetuates exploitation, and why accountability has lagged despite mounting legal and ethical challenges.