Atlanta counties look to prison labor to relieve budget pressure

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.ajc.com/news/atlanta-counties-look-to-440430.html

By Jeffry Scott

Metro Atlanta / State News 4:46 a.m. Monday, April 19, 2010

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Clayton County has had more than its share of problems in recent years but the one people don’t hear much about is a shortage of prisoners.

The county's prison has had extra cots and warden Frank Smith has been asking the Georgia Department of Corrections to send more prisoners to use for work details -- ranging from picking up rubbish to maintaining county vehicles -- for a year and a half, without any luck.

Prison labor stimulates the local economy because the DOC pays the county $20 a day for each prisoner. Even if the cost of housing that inmate is factored in, the 16 extra prisoners requested by Clayton would save the county $317, 485 over the next year, compared to what it would cost to hire workers to do the same jobs, Smith said.

Clayton is one of 24 counties in Georgia with prisons that house about 5,000 prisoners, according to the DOC Web site, and Clayton isn't the only one in metro Atlanta looking for economic relief from state prisoners.

[WinkyDink]

1. Slave labor. For-profit prisons. Draconian drug laws. Thank goodness the US is the greatest!

[Alameda]

2. This is a very important issue that is under the radar.

It is state sanctioned slave labor....and who are we, the US Workers competing against....(slave labor in China)Could people with nice desirable, marketable skill sets be rounded up and locked up? Wake up!

[SunnySong]

3. This has bad idea written all over it.

You know giving county jobs to citizens that work and spend in that county is good for the local economy... just saying.


Oh and slavery is bad... just because our Iphones and chocolate comes from the fruits of slavery doesn't mean we should encourage the institution in other parts of our life.

[CrownPrinceBandar]

4. Go to jail, get a job..............

that seems the only avenue left for the unemployed. Other than the military, that is...

[gratuitous]

5. "Prison labor stimulates the local economy"

After all, now all those guys are just rolling in dough they can spend in their cells! Almost makes you want to go out and commit some special crime so that you, too, can get a job. And housing. And food. And clothes. Why, it's almost like being on the outside. Better, in some ways. What's not to like about this?