Prisoners used to shovel snow-bound US capital

[proteus_lives]

"The US capital paid prison inmates to shovel sidewalks, crosswalks and bus stops after the biggest December blizzard in the city's history, the Department of Corrections said Thursday.

Two work crews comprising some 20 prisoners convicted of minor offenses were deployed around the city December 18 and 19, along with two prison guards to watch over them, DOC spokesman Michon Parker told AFP."

"It said it was part of a rehabilitation program signed with city authorities in 2008 that pays inmates to clean buildings, remove trash and debris and mow grass"

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100101/od_afp/usweathersnowprisonoffbeat_20100101000544

This is a good idea.

[bbinacan]

1. Very good idea. n/t

[flvegan]

2. Fantastic idea!

[niyad]

3. sounds like a good idea

[Name removed]

4. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[timeforpeace]

5. Nice to see DC catching up with the rest of the country on stuff like this.

[jb2u11]

6. Wait until the Unions stop it

They tried to do that here years ago and the labor unions stopped it as they were worried about it taking away union jobs.

[proud2BlibKansan]

7. Union snow shovelers?

Who knew?

:rofl:

[G_j]

10. LOL

that news

[Donnachaidh]

9. and where pray tell is *here*?

hmmmmm???

This reeks of ass-stat.

[Earth_First]

12. I work for a snow removal contractor..

I would like to inquire more about these "union" shoveling jobs...



p.s. I know that you are talking about municipal union positions...

[Obamanaut]

8. The taxpayers are already paying for the inmates food, lodging,

medical care and now they are being paid $7.50 an hour to shovel snow?

Were there no available jobless persons for this work? Someone in a homeless shelter perhaps?

[Ghost in the Machine]

11. Psssst....

They're being paid as part of a rehab/re-adjustment program. Don't you think it might benefit an inmate to have some kind of savings to live on when he is released? How many ex-cons re-offend within a couple of months because they were just dumped out on the street with no money, no job and, many times, nowhere to go?



"Were there no available jobless persons for this work?"

How quick do you think you could mobilize a crew of jobless people? How would those jobless people get to work after a blizzard?


"Someone in a homeless shelter perhaps?"

That might work, but would someone in a homeless shelter have the necessary clothing to be out working in that kind of weather conditions? I'll bet the inmates had everything readily available since they are already used to working outside chain gangs or work crews.


Peace,

Ghost