PARENT'S RIGHTS NOW!

Click here to access an article titled "Counties tap into inmate labor pool" from the Charleston Post and Courier that discusses what it done with free inmate labor in the Tri-County area.

Dorchester County Chief Deputy John "Barney" Barnes, the jail administrator, readily admits that none of the prisoners are compensated for their labor, but they work "Just for the pleasure of serving in Dorchester County, just the good feeling of knowing they are appreciated." And he estimates inmates provided 75,000 hours of uncompensated labor in 2004 to public works projects around Dorchester County.

What the article does not explain is that many of those whose labor benefits the public are not eligible for early release because their sentences are not for a set period; they will remain in jail for the length of the sentence only if they do not pay their child support arrearages. Of course, because they are not paid for the work they perform, they have no way of earning money to apply to the arrearages and, in fact, fall further behind while in jail.

This article raises a number of disturbing questions. First, how could the Tri-County area function without free inmate labor? Second, why would the Sheriffs of these counties want to insure that people are processed quickly through the system or assisted in obtaining Work Release? And, third, who monitors the program to determine that the labor is in fact "voluntary?"

It is no wonder that the Counties are not pushing for Court Reform that would allow more of the fruits of the labor of the non-custodial parents to benefit their children and less to benefit the friends of the County Sheriffs.