Post by Greener on Apr 4, 2009 6:04:54 GMT -5
Ind. work release
programs shrinking
More counties cutting the program
Updated: Friday, 03 Apr 2009, 6:38 PM EDT
Published : Friday, 03 Apr 2009, 5:49 PM EDT
Jay Hermacinski
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Judges in Monroe County have one less option when it comes to sentencing offenders. The county's work release program ended Friday. A jail over-crowding lawsuit forced the sheriff to scrap the 37-year-old program.
The program allowed participants to keep their day jobs and support their families, but their free time was spent behind bars.
"Work release is an opportunity to keep positive factors at work in someone's life, allow them to maintain employment that they have and support their dependents while they are serving their debt to society," said Circuit Court Judge Kenneth G. Todd.
It's not just Monroe County that's facing challenges.
Hendricks County is building a new work-release facility. Offenders will pay to stay there. The sheriff said the new building will help control the jail population.
In Henry County, the number of work release inmates has fallen from over 40, to less then 10. The sheriff blames the economy. The drop in numbers means less revenue for the jail.
And in Johnson County, a jail expansion committee is trying to get more bed space for work release inmates in order to keep the jail numbers down.
Judge Todd would like to see Monroe County have its own work release facility. In these tough economic times, he knows that's unlikely.
programs shrinking
More counties cutting the program
Updated: Friday, 03 Apr 2009, 6:38 PM EDT
Published : Friday, 03 Apr 2009, 5:49 PM EDT
Jay Hermacinski
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Judges in Monroe County have one less option when it comes to sentencing offenders. The county's work release program ended Friday. A jail over-crowding lawsuit forced the sheriff to scrap the 37-year-old program.
The program allowed participants to keep their day jobs and support their families, but their free time was spent behind bars.
"Work release is an opportunity to keep positive factors at work in someone's life, allow them to maintain employment that they have and support their dependents while they are serving their debt to society," said Circuit Court Judge Kenneth G. Todd.
It's not just Monroe County that's facing challenges.
Hendricks County is building a new work-release facility. Offenders will pay to stay there. The sheriff said the new building will help control the jail population.
In Henry County, the number of work release inmates has fallen from over 40, to less then 10. The sheriff blames the economy. The drop in numbers means less revenue for the jail.
And in Johnson County, a jail expansion committee is trying to get more bed space for work release inmates in order to keep the jail numbers down.
Judge Todd would like to see Monroe County have its own work release facility. In these tough economic times, he knows that's unlikely.