Inmates ... are allowed to volunteer for the firefighting program and are trained for two weeks in fire safety... Once the exam is passed, prisoners are sent to live in one of 43 low-security field camps throughout the state.
Inmates do recognize that there are perks to the job. Their outdoor camps allow for more freedom. The food is better and grown in on-site gardens. Families are allowed to use barbecue pits for their visits and can often spend the night in nearby cabins.
It's voluntary, gives inmates a change to spend outside time in low security environments (potentially seeing family), gives them a break from monotonous prison environments AND gives them 2 days off their sentence for every one day served. Not sure how this voluntary labor with significant benefits for an inmate is equivalent to slavery.
Inmates do recognize that there are perks to the job. Their outdoor camps allow for more freedom. The food is better and grown in on-site gardens. Families are allowed to use barbecue pits for their visits and can often spend the night in nearby cabins.
It's voluntary, gives inmates a change to spend outside time in low security environments (potentially seeing family), gives them a break from monotonous prison environments AND gives them 2 days off their sentence for every one day served. Not sure how this voluntary labor with significant benefits for an inmate is equivalent to slavery.