5 ms·
Even worse a lot of rural fire districts are staffed with volunteers. There's also prisoner fire crews (slave labor).
by supertrope 3y ago
Even worse a lot of rural fire districts are staffed with volunteers. There's also prisoner fire crews (slave labor).
- catiopatio 3y agoCalFire allows prisoners to volunteer for fire service. It’s a highly coveted position. The only issue is that their criminal record can prevent them from working in the fire service after release. If we can fix that, I see no issue with it as a valuable, coveted career training program.
- red-iron-pine 3y agoMost if not all prisoner fire crews are strictly volunteer, and only open to the lowest-tier of offenders -- low risk; certain crimes are automatic disqualifications. There are also health, fitness, and other requirements. They get something like $26/day on the low end, and their work earns time-served credits, meaning every day spent on a crew counts for 2 extra days served. They also get full-on vocational training, and are eligible for firefighter jobs when they get out. It is, among other things, a rehabilitation program. I'd hardly call it slavery, and it has a number of very fair perks, esp. considering that the person is a felon. I lived in San Diego for a little and the general consensus was that the prisoners worked hard and were competent -- nothing else to do but train.
- talldatethrow 3y agoThe definition of slave is really getting diluted lately.
- gremlinsinc 3y agoDo they get a choice of staying back at the pen or going to fight fires? if not then they're definitely slaves, plus the 13th amendment specifically bans slavery except in prison, so technically prisons legally can and do treat inmates as slaves.
- talldatethrow 3y agoYes, they do.
- deprecative 3y agoI mean, that's the actual exception from our laws banning slavery in the US.