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Workforce
This a program that allows sentenced inmates to shorten the amount of time they spend in the jail by working on county or state property. Participants must be physically capable to perform manual labor as duties may include:
- Landscaping
- Snow removal
- Trash pick-up
- Other maintenance duties
Background Check & Medical Exam
Prospective participants will be subject to a background check and medical examination.
Qualifying for the Program
Persons with a prior history of escape, sex crimes, drug distribution or other violent crimes may not qualify for this program.
Workforce Types
- Inmate Workforce: Five crews working to clean up the highways, County historical sites, courthouses, fairgrounds, and the parks. The County has estimated that this one effort of inmate-performed work provides an annual saving of more than $250,000. This program also provides emergency cleanup during natural disasters (i.e. Hurricane Floyd).
- Weekender Workforce: A program for non-violent offenders who receive weekend time. This saves the county money by performing cleanup jobs at the schools. This program keeps costs down by not having to house the offenders at the jail.
Home Incarceration
The Home Incarceration Program (HIP) (PDF) is an alternative, cost-effective method of incarceration by electronic monitoring that allows inmates to remain productive in society. Eligibility requirements include but are not limited to:
- A satisfactory, extensive background check
- Good conduct while incarcerated
- Having a permanent local address
- Having a residential phone
- Participants must pay fees and are subject to random home visits and random drug / alcohol screens.
- Persons with a prior history of escape, sex crimes, drug distribution or other violent crimes may not qualify for this program
Work Release
Inmates who have non-violent, short-term sentences may apply to the Work Release Coordinator for entrance into this program. Those who have a job and qualify for this program are allowed to leave the jail each day, report to their regular job and report back upon completion of their work day.
In addition to screening candidates for eligibility, the program coordinator conducts random drug / alcohol screens and visits work sites to ensure the inmate is conforming to all Sheriff's Office guidelines.
The Work Release / Support Enforcement Program allow inmates to work to pay:
- Child support
- Court costs
- Fines
- Part of the jail housing cost
This program is a win-win program, where the offender is able to maintain their job in the community while paying their debt to society.
Work Release Documents
Support Enforcement Work Release Packet (SEWRP) (PDF)
Work and Education Release Packet (PDF)
BRIDGE Program
This program was created exclusively by the Chesterfield County Sheriff’s Office and was started in 2011 and targets substance abuse issues. BRIDGE consists of:
- 12 Step meetings
- Anger management
- Classes
- Criminal and addictive thinking
- Employment
- Group and individual sessions that target coping skills
- Living balance
- Meditation skills
- Moral Recognition Therapy (MRT)
- Relapse prevention
Participants are required to attend the program for a minimum of 90 days and no more than 12 months then released to the community after completing the program.
Heroin Addiction Recovery (HARP)
On March 8, 2016, Chesterfield County witnessed their tenth heroin related death for the year. That significant event was the turning point that became the motivation for us to begin our heroin recovery program. We launched our program that very day.
Program Growth
At first we provided a hodgepodge of recovery programs which quickly developed into a detailed curriculum delivered by experts in various subject areas. The program grew and within weeks we exceeded capacity. We then relocated the program to another part of the jail allowing us the ability to increase participation significantly. HARP continues to save lives and return productive members back into our community.