A Netflix original documentary, 13th, is absolutely fascinating and is a must watch for anyone studying Representation or Identities in the media - particularly of black people. It accuses the US state of essentially 'turning' slaves into criminals so that they could be re-locked up, undertaking menial tasks and essentially being subordinate to the bourgeoisie/ruling class. The documentary explores how presidents including Nixon, Regan and Clinton essentially making up figures, creating moral panics, devising stupid initiatives (Just say no to drugs campaign) that essentially framed criminals. The amount of prison inmates from ethnic backgrounds drastically increases over time, to the extent where the US state are able to make money out of them as their prison system is privatised.
The 13th amendment states: "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction." This is obviously ironic and the state essentially turns slaves into criminals to force them to become slaves, just with a different name, again.
