From: Barking@The.Moon   
      
   "RockyMtnAl"  wrote in message   
   news:20031106004641.12178.00000286@mb-m11.aol.com...   
   > >> VALLEY CENTER ---- Five years ago, Derrick Edwards was robbing homes   
   > >> and assaulting people. Thursday, he was one of the firefighters   
   > >> protecting homes and saving lives as a state prison inmate working with   
   > >> the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.   
   > >>   
   > >> "People don't know we are out here fighting fires," he said, while   
   > >> clearing brush on the La Jolla reservation below Palomar Mountain. "But   
   > >> I feel good about saving somebody's property and lives."   
   > >>   
   > >   
   > >This has been going on for years and i think it's a good program. The   
   > >guys are paid and i think they prefer this activity over prison life.   
   >   
   > Hell, if DOC gave all inmates a million dollars upon their release, Demi   
   would   
   > find something to bitch about.   
      
   It would be a start -   
      
      
      
   > The wildland firefighting program in California has been a model for   
   several   
   > other states.  Not only does it provide a sense of accomplishment and   
   > self-worth, but after their release from prison, many of these inmates are   
   > hired by the state and federal agencies as seasonal firefighters.   
      
   Felons are hired ? Really ? In the US ? Surely you jest.   
      
      
   >  Sure, it's   
   > only seasonal work, but I know of seasonal federal firefighters last year   
   who   
   > made over $70,000 working the fire season.   
      
   They were'nt ex-cons. No way.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)