Plague has depleted our prison slave labor force, which was tasked with
vital functions.
Last month, the state said it expected to have about a dozen fewer inmate crews available for wildfire duty, partly because thousands of inmates have been released because of virus risks. The total inmate population is down 9% from a year ago, according to Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation data.
Last month, the state had to place a dozen inmate camps on lockdown after a major COVID-19 outbreak at a Lassen County prison where prisoners are trained on fire.
