Isn’t the main issue that they can’t be forced to work for a private company?
I don’t have a big problem with it as long at it is only done with convicted prisoners, and done humanely and under reasonable and fair conditions and the 8th amendment is applied properly.
That would open the door to a lot of potential corruption. Certain companies getting free labor and getting an unfair advantage, for starters. Who does one bribe to you get your company on the list? What if the employee/slave doesn’t do a good job? Punishment? Now, as far as cleaning up litter or building a levee or something like that for the city or county, in exchange for some reasonable modest reward, I haven’t got a problem with that.