California could lose 1,500 inmate firefighters
I have sen these guys work. Fearless. Capable. If there is anyone I think is well rehabilitated in jail, these are the men.
Reporting from Sacramento—
When Gov. Jerry Brown and the Legislature shifted responsibility for thousands of state prisoners to county jails, some authorities said it would mean more offenders on the streets breaking the law.
Few saw another possible peril: the loss of more than 1,500 inmate firefighters.
Since World War II, the state has relied on nonviolent offenders serving time for such crimes as burglary, drug possession and welfare fraud to help clear brush, cut fire lines and stop infernos from spreading.