Whitley, Kosciusko Work Release Programs Vary
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Daniel [email protected]
For example, Kosciusko County is a sheriff-run program.
In Whitley County, the work release is a community corrections program that has only been open for a year. Whitley County provided a building for work release and charges no rent. The program is subsidized by a grant from the Department of Corrections and from user fees.
Any person involved in the Whitley County work release pays either $15 a day while they're in the program, or 20 percent of their income, whichever is more.
Vicki Burney, Whitley County work release administrator, said the program in Whitley County focuses on having the person serve their sentence, along with being involved in other programs such as 12-step programs.
Drug and alcohol counseling also are made available.
Burney said that faith-based groups from the community make themselves available, and all work release residents are assigned a case manager.
Since Whitley County's program has only been open a year, Burney said she couldn't speak to recidivism rates.
One work release case that shows how the different set of criteria works is that of Lex Dalton.
Dalton was sentenced Oct. 18 to two years for driving while intoxicated and driving while intoxicated causing bodily injury Feb. 22. Dalton was turned down for work release in Kosciusko County so he applied in Whitley County.
"He knew that I'd turn down work release," said Kosciusko County Sheriff Rocky Goshert of Dalton.
"I was elected to serve the people in their best interests," said Goshert. "And I didn't feel it was a benefit to put certain people in work release. We put down certain stipulations and (Dalton) didn't meet them."
If a person is allowed to serve work release, they can attempt to serve it anywhere in the state as long as they fit a county's criteria.
Dalton's attorney, Scott J. Lennox, said that the process of applying for work release is between the client and the county they're applying to.
Lennox said he doesn't fill out the application for any individual and only becomes involved if the county has questions.
"It's mostly a convenience issue," said Lennox. "It depends on where the person is employed and whether a county's work release is full. The rules and conditions (for each county) are pretty close to each other."
Goshert said they don't set a cap on how long somebody can serve at work release, but prefer people not be there for more than a year.
Many counties set a cap on how long someone can serve their sentence in work release.
Burney said as far as she knows, Whitley County is one of the only counties in the area to not have a cap on sentences.
Burney said that not having a cap doesn't mean they accept violent offenders or those with longer sentences associated with harsher crimes.[[In-content Ad]]
Latest News
E-Editions
For example, Kosciusko County is a sheriff-run program.
In Whitley County, the work release is a community corrections program that has only been open for a year. Whitley County provided a building for work release and charges no rent. The program is subsidized by a grant from the Department of Corrections and from user fees.
Any person involved in the Whitley County work release pays either $15 a day while they're in the program, or 20 percent of their income, whichever is more.
Vicki Burney, Whitley County work release administrator, said the program in Whitley County focuses on having the person serve their sentence, along with being involved in other programs such as 12-step programs.
Drug and alcohol counseling also are made available.
Burney said that faith-based groups from the community make themselves available, and all work release residents are assigned a case manager.
Since Whitley County's program has only been open a year, Burney said she couldn't speak to recidivism rates.
One work release case that shows how the different set of criteria works is that of Lex Dalton.
Dalton was sentenced Oct. 18 to two years for driving while intoxicated and driving while intoxicated causing bodily injury Feb. 22. Dalton was turned down for work release in Kosciusko County so he applied in Whitley County.
"He knew that I'd turn down work release," said Kosciusko County Sheriff Rocky Goshert of Dalton.
"I was elected to serve the people in their best interests," said Goshert. "And I didn't feel it was a benefit to put certain people in work release. We put down certain stipulations and (Dalton) didn't meet them."
If a person is allowed to serve work release, they can attempt to serve it anywhere in the state as long as they fit a county's criteria.
Dalton's attorney, Scott J. Lennox, said that the process of applying for work release is between the client and the county they're applying to.
Lennox said he doesn't fill out the application for any individual and only becomes involved if the county has questions.
"It's mostly a convenience issue," said Lennox. "It depends on where the person is employed and whether a county's work release is full. The rules and conditions (for each county) are pretty close to each other."
Goshert said they don't set a cap on how long somebody can serve at work release, but prefer people not be there for more than a year.
Many counties set a cap on how long someone can serve their sentence in work release.
Burney said as far as she knows, Whitley County is one of the only counties in the area to not have a cap on sentences.
Burney said that not having a cap doesn't mean they accept violent offenders or those with longer sentences associated with harsher crimes.[[In-content Ad]]
Have a news tip? Email [email protected] or Call/Text 360-922-3092