Ending Modern Day Slavery
Slavery remains legal in the U.S. to this day, if the person has been convicted of a crime. Worth Rises’ End the Exception campaign seeks to amend the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution to remove this exception. As part of their advocacy, Worth Rises needed a careful accounting of the costs of paying incarcerated workers, as well as offsetting benefits in reduced recidivism, higher taxes, family and child support, and restitution that paid employment of incarcerated workers would enable. Public Interest Experts partnered with Edgeworth Economics, a premier commercial expert support consultancy, who performed the analysis and published the results, demonstrating that the social benefits of paying fair wages to incarcerated workers easily outweigh the fiscal costs of paid employment.
Dignity and Reading Materials While Incarcerated
Attorneys from a partner organization representing an incarcerated individual who was denied access to reading material such as Prison Law Journal, religious texts, and fiction needed an expert who could provide testimony on the benefits of reading while incarcerated. PIE evaluated more than a dozen experts, selecting one who could provide clear and compelling testimony on the topic. Immediately after the expert was disclosed, the case was settled.
Holding a Prison Healthcare Provider Accountable
Wellpath, one of the nation's largest for-profit healthcare providers for incarcerated people, declared bankruptcy in November 2024. Many, including Senator Elizabeth Warren, were concerned that incarcerated patients with tort claims against the company weren’t getting a fair shake in the process. PIE partnered with the Wiley Law Firm and Worth Rises, along with The Brattle Group, who provided expert testimony on projected health care liabilities and solvency of a bankruptcy plan, to demonstrate that WellPath needed to do more to manage patient claims to remain solvent. As a result, Wellpath committed to several improvements to their patient care as part of their reorganization plan.
Making Reparations Tangible
One of the most complex questions with regards to reparations for slavery is quantifying the damage done over generations. PIE leadership have been among the leading researchers, conducting groundbreaking work that was presented at the International Symposium on the Lawfulness of Transatlantic Chattel Slavery. PIE is now engaged with other jurisdictions to conduct similar research.