Pars Today – According to an American media, more than 900 inmates in the country have been released to fight widespread fire in Los Angeles. The move has been castigated due to low wages for a risky job.
The widespread wildfire, which has swept Los Angeles since Tuesday (January 7), has left at least 24 dead and made tens of thousands leave their homes and hearths. The United States has failed to control the fire while the disastrous fire has inflicted high financial costs including burnt houses and luxurious cars of Hollywood actors and looted properties.
According to Pars Today, daily New York Times, quoting from the Department of Correction and Rehabilitation in California, wrote, “Concurrent with the rapid spread of fire, California State has resorted to inmates to control it.”
Referring to this American program and the ensuing criticisms, this US daily reported, “Activists of prison reforms have been severely opposed to this program. They stress that prisoners are often paid less than the lowest hourly wage determined in California for a full-day work, and due to criminal past record, many inmates cannot find a job related to firefighting after freedom.”
A report from “American Civil Liberties Union” and the University of Chicago Law School in 2022 said that, in a five-year period, four firefighting prisoners were killed and more than 1,000 were injured during work.
Prisoners’ wage for controlling Los Angeles fire
New York Times writes in the report that the released inmates are members of the California Fire Conservation Camp Program which is run by the Department of Correction, Forestry and Fire Conservation of California and Los Angeles Firefighting Office. According to the report, they are paid $10.24 per day plus one additional dollar per hour in emergency cases.
Advocates of criminal justice believe that this program (California Firefighting Camp), just like other work programs for prisoners, “exploits” them.
NYT emphasizes, “Prisoners are paid less than the lowest wage as the lowest wage is $16.50 per hour in California. Moreover, they get much less than seasonal firefighters of this state whose basic salary can surpass $4,600 per month. The annual salary of firefighters working in Los Angeles is at least 85,000.”
In view of the plan enforced by California officials, most inmates attain time credit, too. In other words, two days are reduced from their imprisonment for each day of working with firefighting groups.
This American newspaper adds that firefighting prisoners wear the firefighting orange uniform, but are not allowed to use hose or water to extinguish fire. They use manual tools instead to help extinguish fire and they can also work as logistic personnel for other emergency staff.
RM/MG
