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ProudLib72

(17,984 posts)

21. Inmates who volunteer to fight California's largest fires denied access to jobs on release

Sun Nov 18, 2018, 11:45 PM

Nov 2018

As California struggles to contain the largest fire in state history, more than 2,000 inmates have volunteered to fight the flames. Offering just $1 an hour, the state has long encouraged low-level prisoners to risk their lives and serve alongside professional firefighters, who earn nearly $74,000 a year on average. Firefighting, along with less life-threatening trades like plumbing, welding, and cosmetology, is one of several vocational training programs offered to prisoners by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

But in a bitterly ironic twist, once inmates leave prison, they often can’t work as firefighters, despite their frontline experience. In California, nearly all counties require firefighters to become licensed emergency medical technician (EMTs) — a credential that can be denied to almost anyone with a criminal record.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2018/08/20/californias-volunteer-inmate-firefighters-denied-jobs-after-release-column/987677002/

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Prisoners are fighting the California fires - $1.00/ hour [View all] Equinox Moon Nov 2018 OP

it's 1,500 not 15,000 IcyPeas Nov 2018 #1

Thanks. Equinox Moon Nov 2018 #2

Prison labor is slave labor. Solidarity with incarcerated people. WhiskeyGrinder Nov 2018 #3

yes Demovictory9 Nov 2018 #4

They volunteer and train for the opportunity. nt USALiberal Nov 2018 #5

"Volunteer" elides the inherent lack of agency prisoners have. WhiskeyGrinder Nov 2018 #6

They would rather be outside the cells fighting fires. You would stop that program?? nt USALiberal Nov 2018 #7

What you say can be true at the same time that it's slave labor. WhiskeyGrinder Nov 2018 #10

No it is not. Slaves had no choice. These prisoners asked for this job. Simple. nt USALiberal Nov 2018 #11

Just because someone is in prison does not mean they don't want to help their community alphafemale Nov 2018 #23

Correction....Its Cheap Labor. nt UniteFightBack Nov 2018 #12

Not really, when one considers it cost more per year to incarcerate someone than it does... Small-Axe Nov 2018 #14

I have an incarcerated friend who has been on a list for 2 years to get grantcart Nov 2018 #24

Right, right, that doesn't sound expoloitative or coercive at all. WhiskeyGrinder Nov 2018 #40

He did terrible things. He ripped off dozens of elderly folks and got their life savings grantcart Nov 2018 #41

Right, that makes exploitation and coercion okay, and we should totally build our justice system WhiskeyGrinder Nov 2018 #42

No coercion, no exploitation grantcart Nov 2018 #43

We should give them credits for earlier release Cicada Nov 2018 #8

They get such credits. Small-Axe Nov 2018 #13

This is a great program that allows well-trained inmate figherfighters... Small-Axe Nov 2018 #9

I saw them a lot during the Santa Rosa fires last year Downtown Hound Nov 2018 #15

Inmate firefighters . keithbvadu2 Nov 2018 #16

Inmates who volunteer to fight California's largest fires denied access to jobs on release ProudLib72 Nov 2018 #21

do they get OT? Demonaut Nov 2018 #17

It costs over $75,000 a year to house an inmate on average in CA... Small-Axe Nov 2018 #18

It shouldn't be cheap to send prisoners into life-threatening situations. Iggo Nov 2018 #19

It isn't cheap. You've got your wish. Small-Axe Nov 2018 #20

It isn't really supposed to be mitigated by the labor. We could afford to pay a more reasonable JCanete Nov 2018 #25

The $75,000 cost just gives a lie to the charge this is cheap labor. It's not. Small-Axe Nov 2018 #26

well its cheaper than hiring somebody who isn't in prison. They're already paying that JCanete Nov 2018 #29

I think the self-pride that comes with saving lives... Small-Axe Nov 2018 #30

that sounds like platitudes to me. How would better pay in any way reduce taht pride? nt JCanete Nov 2018 #31

Not a bit. Small-Axe Nov 2018 #33

Prisoners have low paying jobs in prisons. PufPuf23 Nov 2018 #22

Thanks for being a voice of reason and experience. Small-Axe Nov 2018 #27

While I agree with some of what you are saying, I think thats far too easy. For one thing, JCanete Nov 2018 #28

It seems simplistic to blame only the prison lobby for the criminality that causes people... Small-Axe Nov 2018 #32

it is where our priorities are. Scaremongering and promoting policing, anti-immigration, etc. JCanete Nov 2018 #34

I think you are letting a radicalized worldview get in the way of seeing the positives... Small-Axe Nov 2018 #35

what is radicalized about my world-view? I'd need an example. You know that in 2014 JCanete Nov 2018 #36

As I said, it isn't "cheap labor." It is very (very) expensive labor. Small-Axe Nov 2018 #37

then why did we literally argue for it, as a REASON to keep people in cells? JCanete Nov 2018 #38

Not following Small-Axe Nov 2018 #39