More than 900 prison inmates are among the more than 7,500 emergency workers battling raging wildfires that are devastating parts of Los Angeles, California, state corrections officials said. There is.
“As of today, 939 firefighters at the fire camp are working around the clock to cut fire lines and remove fuel from behind buildings to slow the spread of the fire. They include 110 support personnel. This includes staff,” the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) said. said Friday on NPR.
California has utilized incarcerated firefighters and other workers for more than 100 years, but the practice is controversial. prohibited According to Jurist News, in recent years it has taken place in Colorado, Vermont, Nebraska, Utah, Alabama, Oregon and Tennessee.
Prisoners in states that allow it, including California, often receive little pay for hours of hard labor, but the Thirteenth Amendment to the U. “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude is lawful, except in the case of In that case, the party will be formally found guilty. ”
According to the CDRC, inmates participate in the volunteer fire department program and are paid just $5.80 to $10.24 per day, with additional pay in case of emergencies.
Californians had the option to abolish prison labor when they voted for Prop. 6 in November, but “it would amend the state constitution to prohibit state prisons from using inmate forced labor,” Jurist said. , pointed out that prisoners who refused to work could be legally punished. Consequences of Disciplinary Action.
The ballot measure was rejected by a margin of 53.8 to 46.2 percent, the paper said.
CDRC said inmates will not be subject to disciplinary action for refusing to participate in fire camps, and inmates who participate will receive safety and first aid training.
Bianca Tirek, executive director of the criminal justice reform organization Worth Rises, told NPR that some inmates want to participate in firefighting programs, but “it costs a lot of money.” .
Incarcerated firefighters are at higher risk of serious injury, four times more likely to suffer cuts and broken bones, and more likely to sustain injuries related to smoke inhalation than professional firefighters working the same fires. A study was published in 2018 showing that the sex ratio is more than eight times higher. investigation Found it.
Tirek said getting voters to change their minds about prison labor is “an ongoing effort.”
Multiple wildfires are also still burning since the first wildfire broke out in the Pacific Palisades area on Tuesday, claiming the lives of at least 11 civilians since then.
