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Prisoners Fight L.A. Fires for Less Than $2 an Hour

Inmates risk lives battling blazes for pennies, raising ethical questions.

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For weeks, the Los Angeles area has been battling enormous fires that have caused billions of dollars in damage while thousands of residents evacuate. Along with a large force of professional firefighters, California prison laborers are also taking on the blazes for a chance to shave some time off their sentences. They also receive some compensation, often just a couple dollars an hour. This short video shows incarcerated individuals at work actively fighting fires as well as performing routine maintenance that often goes overlooked.

Questions:

  1. Do you think imprisoned firefighters should receive more money for their labor? Why or why not?
  2. Why does California depend on imprisoned labor to fight fires?
Author: NickelsMcHughMcHugh