Slavery alive and well in Florida!

I figured it's time to get back to the local scene. Today, as I browsed ( I dare not read ) the local rag. Which I do not subscribe to, yet it is always there in my driveway. I have asked them not to deliver it, but they do anyway. Does this happen anywhere other than in Florida? I really think they have a list of people who disagree with them, so they make sure to deliver to your door. Sorry bout that, but felt the need to explain why I might browse through something I consider to be a total piece of garbage!

There was an article which caught my eye. It seems our local sheriff ( Pasco County ) would like to use prison labor to clean up neighborhoods. They do this with our roads already. He pointed out the fact that these are not "hardened criminals" but people who bounced checks, or got DUI's. People have been reticent to having "criminals" working in their neighborhoods. Even though they would be closely watched, by deputies wielding weapons.
My first question would be, why are these minor offenses worthy of incarceration in the first place.
The second question is, do they pay these "slaves". Yes I say slaves. If this were China or some third world country, the conservatives would be griping about "slave labor". Well when you make people do physical ( and strenuous ) work out in the hot Florida sun. It is slavery, if you do not pay them! I am curious how they can get away with this, in a civilized country? Just wondering.