Thread: Unlikely tour guides in Naples - Opinions please!

A story on Fox News tonight tells about how the city of Naples, Italy, is now using released prisoners as tour guides!
It was reported that:
The ex cons know all the ins and outs of the city
They give good advice to their clients on how to keep their money and valuables safe from pickpockets
The $1750 /month salary keeps them from returning to crime
The city CLAIMS it is cutting down on the crime rate by employing these guys

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THIS???

Well all of the above would be true if they NEVER want to return to jail. BUT Tourists are an easy touch and those that cannot control that would not be able to be out long

After being in Naples, I think we may have encountered a few ex-cons while walking around

I think that if that is a good monthly salary in Italy, it may work. The other Naples residents may be afraid of the ex-cons and not want to mess with their group of tourists in case the ex-con would retaliate.

I know a couple people who are a little nutty and I'd rather have them on my side than for them to be against me

How would you know who the ex-cons are?

Good question!

Originally Posted by Char

How would you know who the ex-cons are?

I imagine that people from the neighborhood might have an idea, not the tourists. I wonder if they would need to disclose this information to tourists? I'd want a little more info before I hired one as my guide....like what were they in for?

The one guy we encountered who decided he had to "go" and did so right on a busy sidewalk and not even turn his back was the person I was thinking of as being an ex-con

Holy Cow!