Pubdate: Thu, 27 Jun 2002
Source: Marietta Daily Journal (GA)
Copyright: 2002 The Marietta Daily Journal
Contact:  http://www.mdjonline.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1904
Author: Kevin Hazzard

INMATES CAN LEAVE NEW COBB FACILITY, DRIVE TO WORK

MARIETTA - Dressed in suits and driving cars, nearly 400 Cobb County 
inmates will begin to enter the county's work force this fall.

Construction is finished on Cobb's first work-release facility at a cost of 
less than $5 million. The 384-bed facility, located on County Services 
Parkway off Powder Springs Road, will hold men convicted of non-violent 
crimes - mostly drug-related and white collar "money" crimes.

The facility marks a first for Cobb.

While prison work details perform manual labor for the county, the new 
work-release facility will be entirely different.

"The whole purpose of this program is to make the participants 
self-sufficient," said Col. Le wis Alder of the Cobb County Sheriff's 
office. "It will keep many, many families off of welfare."

The typical inmate of the minimum-security facility will have been 
convicted of a non-violent crime and sentenced to less than one year of 
incarceration. Prisoners from the county jail will not be transferred to 
the work-release facility; rather all participants will be newly convicted 
and sentenced directly to the program.

So, many will hold jobs when they arrive, said Alder. Those without jobs 
will have to find "gainful employment" upon arrival.

Once employed, the prisoners must maintain regular, private jobs. They will 
wear civilian clothes and some will be licensed to drive cars. All will be 
unsupervised by corrections o fficers while at work and will return to the 
facility each night.

"It's basically a partnership between the our office and the community's 
employers," Alder said. "We will communicate with the employers, but (the 
prisoners) will work discreetly at their company."

While it may not be known that an individual is part of the program, they 
will pose no danger to other employees, he said.

""We're not going to place any violent offenders or sex offenders or any 
individuals who will be a threat to the community," said Alder. "The nature 
of the offenders will not jeopardize the work environment."

If the program defies all stereotypes of serving prison time, the facility 
itself goes even further.

First, there is no barbed wire. All entrances and rooms are watched by 
surveillance cameras, but there are no guard towers or gated checkpoints to 
pass upon entering or exiting.

Barred cells don't exist. Rooms are set up dormitory-style, with 48 inmates 
to a bay. The living area consists of two rows of beds separated by a line 
of card tables, with bath and shower rooms. The most striking aspect of the 
living area is that it has no ceiling - one guard on a catwalk will look 
down on the prisoners in the living area.

"This facility was designed with economy of labor in mind," Alder said. 
"The idea is to minimize the number of staff needed. There will be one 
deputy sheriff who will monitor (the living area)."

Alder said five guards will man the entire facility at any one time.

"To make this work, we're going to have to keep track of who's in, who's 
out and when everybody will return," he said.

While in, prisoners will have access to an outdoor recreation yard and 
community room, as well as washers and dryers.

"There will be no time that will serve as the devil's workshop," said 
Alder. "There will always be something for participants to do during 
non-work hours."

That will include high school equivalency, literacy and English as a second 
language courses. Participants will also be able to enroll in narcotics and 
alcoholics anonymous and will receive AIDs awareness training.

Visitation will be allowed during non-working hours and on weekends.

Another key aspect of the program will be financial responsibility.

"The participants will reimburse the county for a portion of their cost of 
subsistence," said Alder. "They will also be responsible for paying any 
child-support or court-ordered fees - such as victim restitution - from 
their own salaries."

Although all participants will have been convicted of non-violent crimes, 
they will have a number of problems the program will address, Alder said.

About 60 percent of those in the prison system are struggling with 
addiction, he said. Many of their crimes are directly or indirectly related 
to their habits. Many are also "inherently irresponsible" and need training 
on how to manage their finances and personal affairs.

"We will be very attentive to the issues of addiction," Alder said. "Deputy 
sheriffs here will also serve as case workers for the (prisoners)."

A separate work-release facility will also open later this year for female 
prisoners. Attached to the male prison, the facility will hold 70 prisoners 
at one time.

Alder said the program will begin in October or November and will fill up 
gradually, as Cobb judges remand convicts to the facility.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Beth