Inmates In The Bus Aisle

   Greyhound riders are speaking out about a little known practice by the government. Federal prisoners often ride right beside you on the bus without you or the driver even knowing it.

   Our investigative team found out this practice has been on the books for more than six years. But with light shown on it some riders feel their right to know has been violated.

   But we found a frequent rider here in Chattanooga who disagrees. Ina Ruth Bailey has actually ridden beside a federal prisoner. Bailey says last year she met a woman who only had four months left on her sentence. That inmate was moving from a Detroit federal prison to a work release program in Nashville.

   Bailey struck up a conversation with her and other inmates who were in normal clothing and not restrained. The Bureau of Prisons says it screens the inmates for this type of transportation and says they don't "pose a significant risk." Reports show about 25,000 per year are moved this way. The B-O-P says most are on their way to halfway houses and about 6% are going to minimum security.

   Bailey, for one has no problem with it.  We asked her if riding beside a convicted felon bothered her. Bailey said, " No, not at all. They was nice,intelligent, they wanted to talk. They wanted to know what's been going on in the world. I told them nothing much but the same thing; trouble, ha ha."