No to Violent Inmates
Last updated 10/14/2015 at 9:10am
A day after The Associated Press reported on the proposal to allow prisoners with violent backgrounds to work in the state's inmate firefighting unit, California corrections officials are dropping the idea. Although the state continues to have plans to expand the program to include inmates who have up to seven years left to serve on their sentences, instead of the current five years.
Amongst those protesting against the inmates inclusion, is the union representing state firefighters who raised public safety concerns over including inmates convicted of violent crimes.
Having seen the numbers falling in recent years due to lower-level offenders being sent to county jails instead of state prisons, Corrections department spokesman Jeffrey Callison states that the department will continue to search for ways to increase the pool of potential firefighters.
