Video: Area Elected and Law Enforcement Officials Lobbying State to Keep Inmate Working Program

[syndicaster id=’5803436′]

JACKSON, Miss. (WCBI) – The fight over eliminating a state inmate work program is turning into a fire storm. State inmates housed in 30 county jails amount to free labor, who do everything from clean city and county buildings to pick up trash and clear roadsides.

Corrections Commissioner Marshall Fisher plans to cut out the program August first to save three point two million dollars.

Sheriffs, along with city and county leaders want Governor Phil Bryant to reverse the decision.

The change will cost Chickasaw County 200 thousand a year and local governments statewide more than 23 million.

City and county leaders say the state can save the money without shifting the burden to local taxpayers.