Work Release or Work Furlough Programs
Criminal psychology researchers for decades have maintained that incarceration is not the only answer to crime and recidivism. In fact, many scholars over the years have maintained that putting certain types of offenders in jail may actually worsen their psychological and emotional condition and urge them to return to a life of crime rather than make them productive community members.
Work release or work furlough programs are forms of alternative sentencing whereby a defendant is allowed to go to a defined work area every day and then after the work day return to his or her home or to a housing dormitory. The defendant must return to work and fulfill all the conditions of the program to avoid incarceration. The advantage to the defendant is that while this is still a form of punishment, it helps keep the defendant out of jail and in more or less normal surroundings.
WORK FURLOUGH
These programs are usually done under the supervision of the probation department and basically allow people who have been sentenced to serve jail time to get out for work. To participate in a work furlough program, the defendant will be screened by his or her probation officer to make sure he or she is eligible for it. For instance, the defendant must not be a juvenile and if the defendant is self-employed, there must be documentation to show that it is a legitimate business. The defendant must also pay a daily fee on a sliding scale for each day served in this manner.
WORK RELEASE
This is similar to work furlough, but the difference is that this program is not supervised by the probation office. Instead, a judge will set the days and times the defendant may be released for work. These usually don’t involve fees and the program is usually available for those defendants ordered to serve jail time in misdemeanor convictions.
Such programs have been lauded as a valuable innovation in the field of corrections. It provides several benefits such as economic advantages, preventing recidivism, ability to keep a job and have the support of family members and an opportunity to reform. Alternative sentencing also prevents overcrowding of jails and prisons and keeps people who don’t need to be in jail out of jail.
If you or a loved one has been charged with a crime in the State of California, call us right away to schedule an appointment to examine your options and see if you may be eligible for a work release or work furlough program.
