The mission of the Alternative Sentencing Department is to provide for community safety, facility security and the welfare of staff and Offenders. The effective operation of the Alternative Sentencing Programs is dependent on highly motivated, well-trained staff that continually strives to improve their individual job performances and increase their knowledge of their areas of responsibility. To encourage professional growth, staff is provided with group and individualized training. To facilitate the effective operation of these programs, staff is encouraged to actively contribute to management decisions through regular staff meetings that are designed to promote problem solving and to propose improvements. Such contributions are essential to the successful operation of the Alternative Sentencing Department.
The primary function of the Alternative Sentencing Department is to provide programs that allow offenders to serve their court ordered jail sentences while continuing to be productive members of their community. These programs are in place to benefit non-profit and tax-supported agencies. The department is comprised of five programs: Community Service, Workenders, Midweeks, Work Release, and Electronic Home Detention.
The Community Service program ensures that sentenced individuals perform a specified number of hours of work for non-profit or government agencies. The Workender/Midweek programs provide work to non-profit agencies by using work crews of sentenced offenders. The Work Release program allows offenders to maintain employment and comply with court ordered programs while serving their sentence. The Electronic Home Detention program operates on a similar basis to Work Release. Home Detention offenders must remain in their homes when not at an authorized activity. Custody is maintained by a private monitoring company and the Work Release staff.