well by reading most of the comments here i see the goverment has done a great job of creating an enviorment where inmates are property to be slaved out to the highest bidder. aka chinese goods made prisoners sold to americans = job loss) if the idea is sos ound why continue to crminalize driving infractions (why not .0001 as legally drunk) and really expand the prison force im sure they are only doing jobs we americans dont want. right

it's a great idea as long as the insurance companies and federal government aren't being billed full price for this labor to line the pockets of corrupt Louisiana officials. Trust but verify!

Rick, thank God that you have obviously never lost your home and livlihood. The people of Waveland and Bay St.Louis as well as those along the entire Ms. Gulf Coast work everyday of their lives. Unless one has had to gut the inside of their home single handed with not much more than a box cutter, one has no idea of what he is talking about. Everything has to be removed and discarded from many homes. All the contents have to be dragged to the curb so that it can eventually be hauled away. It is a never ending dayly process. And this has to be done in addition to working a full day at your regular job if it still exists or working as a laborer for a city contractor.

There is no one waiting for "the rest of us" to rebuild our lives for us. We are grateful to everyone who gave up the comforts of their own lives to help us when we were and still are in such desparte need. Thanks to all who endured the 95 degree temps, who slept on the ground with us and who tirelessly worked along side of us. We appreciate your sacrifices and the hot meals you so kindly made.

You mean we had a Hurricane in Mississippi? I've been watching the national news networks and from what they've been showing me, I thought the hurricane only hit New Orleans...

I agree with the other Rick: there are literally tens of thousands of people here on the Gulf Coast who have opted to ride out their unemployment benefits rather than return to their previous jobs. Everywhere one goes here the "Help Wanted" signs are posted... you can't go to Ruby Tuesday after 6 PM because their former employees chose not to come back to work after the hurricane because between FEMA money and unemployment, they don't need to work.

Leave the prisoners in prison and put some of these real deadbeats to work!

Hopefully, Louisiana will use convict labor too.

The only place slavery is not outlawed in this country is within the prison industrial complex.... I would definitely like to know whether or not these inmates will be paid for their labor. They are fulfilling their "debt" to society by being incarcerated. Working for free AKA slave labor would seem like a slap in the face, especially considering that a large percentage of those prisoners are most likely decendants of slaves.

This is a good idea, but there should be some compensation and/or reduction in time served for the convicts. The men chosen to work on these projects would not be dangerous types. Too many people are locked up in this country for too long and some of them are repeat offenders because they don't know anything else. They are citizen/prisoners not slaves. Some of the comments about corrupt officials and devastated victims being leeches of the almighty state are too much. Americans who hate Americans have always had such a charm about them.

Bravo, finally a good idea to employ a state, financially effecient work force. Beware of the ACLU hypocrites

When I was young I remember being told that one of the differences between Soviet Union and us was we did not use prisoners as slave labor. I guess we have become our enemy.

Slavery ended over 100 years ago...didn't it? I hope these inmates or their families will be appropriately paid for their work so that when they are released and cannot get a job because of their criminal backgrounds, they still have a means to survive. Think outside the box a little more before jumping on the patty wagon.

I think this is an excellent idea. There is so much waste and abuse of tax payers money. Put the money and resources to work for the people in need. There are people living in tents. They need immediate help.

GREAT IDEA!
It is not only great for the community: also for the inmates. I am sure many of them will be more than happy to help in any way they can; anything to get out of the everyday routine. This is an idea that is long overdue: let the state recoup some of the funds they have to spend on housing, feeding and babysitting these inmates.

prisoners would not be used if the contract had to pay full price, thus, this undercuts the labor shortage and lowers the price of all labor indirectly, not a great plan for the working man

Hire some of the people who have been relocated when their homes were destroyed and their jobs were lost, and let them be productive. There's no law that says they have to sit around and do nothing. This would get them off welfare, maybe for the first time in some of their lives.

I think it is a good idea in form. My concern is of course, will they get proper HAZMAT protection if needed. The concept of fair wage for employ in this case is a great concern. HOWEVER, wage needs to be taken in relationship to the cost to house, feed, and medically provide for each inmate/worker. Fair wage outside of correctional settings is not the same as inside. This is a complex issue but I think it is a good idea.

What happened to all those people who have no jobs who were victims of Hurricane Katrina, who are still sitting around, hoping for work? Why not send them back to New Orleans, they want to anyway, and give them the chance

Kathy, Tallahassee

I'm sorry, but I don't read between the lines. Where did it say that the inmates will be paid / not paid? No discussion of salary was mentioned in the above blog. I do agree however, that accounts should be set up for those who are "selected" to work ~ for their use once they are finished serving their time.

I have a college degree, a career, and insurance...but inmates receive better health care/ dental/free surgeries, etc...than me! People on WELFARE receive better health care! They SHOULD be paid... yes, but the cost to house them should be taken into consideration. I know of too many drug and alcohol abusers who have had surgeries, medicines, etc... in the ranges of thousands of dollars paid for by the county.(I have family who work for the county.) Money to pay workers is not the issue... LACK OF WORKERS is the issue.. so let them VOLUNTEER, pay them the going wage, save it for them for later, and GARNISH for their RENT/Medical since word on the streets is... "if you need to see a doctor,AIDS medication, or God knows what else.. or a nice place to stay.. go to jail"... NOT KIDDING

Is it also a complex issue as to why these people are in prison? Did they not have the right kind of clothes when they were in school, didn't drive the right kind of car? They are convicted of a crime, why does it have to be such an issue that they now have to do something besides stay behind "bars"? Pay them, pay them for being in jail because they committed a crime? Who is at fault here, the "bad" guy or the victim?

I certainly hope that people that post their comments read what others have to say - maybe they would learn something. Let the people serving "time" get out there and do something. Why is it so hard to understand that the people that have been through this hurricane and lost everything are still trying to face reality. Maybe those that don't think we have been through hell should come here and see REALITY.

I really think it is a great idea for prisoners to work. But alot of the posts are mentioning that they should be payed and the money go to them or their families. Personally I think they should be paid and the money go to their VICTIMS or their VICTIMS family. I know some are there because of drug abuse, but usually that boils down to having stolen something to get money for drugs, well pay off the people they stole from! For goodness sakes, we have to support them while they are in prison. One person mentioned that they didn't "ask to be put there"! Good grief, YES THEY DID!!! By the crimes they committed they ASK to be put there! You do the crime, you do the time! We have some very good friends who's son went to prison for stealing cars. This same son talked to us on the phone from the prison and told us that "if I had my old lady here with me, I would just stay, it's great!" Now come on, something is wrong with this picture! These inmates need to do something to pay back society as a whole. And yes some of them will do it gladly, and I feel like those are the ones that will come out of the prison system and eventually make something out of their lives. Others will have to be MADE to get out there and work, these are the ones that live off of society and the taxpayers. THESE ARE NOT SLAVES! For crying out loud! They are prisoners that CHOSE to be there because of their actions! I don't feel like using them in anyway comes to SLAVE LABOR! And as for the assertion that most of their desendants were slaves, isn't that a very "racist" statement? Are you saying that most of the prisoners are black? I know alot of different races that are in the prisons....so don't go blowing your horn about the poor desendants of slaves are being made to be slaves again.................many, many Whites, Asians, Spanish etc have been slaves through the years. They are not there because of their skin color, but BECAUSE OF THEIR CRIME!!!

Mississippi deserves all the help it can get to get back on their feet and become "whole" again! Mississippi is a wonderful state with great people! I stayed there one summer and I met the nicest people anyone would ever want to meet! So I say....go for it!!!

You liberal Democrats who want to pay these criminals for work when the law abiding citizens are already giving them free food, housing, medical, cable, library etc. are absolutely insane. I don't care if they volunteer, I don't care if they like it or not. I say we should work their sorry souls for as long and as hard as we can and no,it's not slavery (but we can expect a jesse jackson sighting as soon as this program is implemented).

Inmates are paying their debt to society by living behind bars for a predetermined time as designated by a judge. That is their sentence. To impose forced labor on them is not only illegal, but represents nothing more/less than government sanctioned slavery. I do, however, feel that such a proposition could be justified and mutually beneficial if the program is voluntary and the inmates are paid at least the prevailing mininum wage which in turn can be used for his or his families benefit and not have to be used for something as ridiculous as paying 'rent' to a correctional institution.

I am a small contractor in Canada but would like to go with my crew to help out but don't know who to contact or who to see pertaining to work visas
Can you help