Kari Huus / msnbc.com
Antinio Long, 34, awaits a ride to a new job outside a work release facility where he is serving time because of missed child support payments.
In better times, even those behind bars were better off.
When the local RV industry was booming, low-level criminal offenders in the Elkhart County Jail were routinely cycled through the work release program. Eligible inmates would sign out for work then return to the minimum security detention facility in Goshen after their shifts. With good behavior, they could earn greater freedoms and, eventually, be released to home detention, opening up beds in the facility for other inmates.
But with 15 percent unemployment in the county, movement through the facility has slowed to a crawl. Only about 50 percent of the inmates in the 327-bed detention facility are working, compared to 85 percent in normal times, according to Elkhart County Sheriff Mike Books. At the recession's peak, the number of employed in the facility was even lower -- only 38 percent had jobs.
"It's frustrating," said Books, who is also chairman of the Community Corrections Advisory Board. "It slows the flow back into society."
Frustrating is too kind a word for it if you ask Antinio Long, 34. Like many of the offenders here, Long was arrested on charges related to back child support in April, and transferred to the work release program from the jail shortly thereafter.
Only in mid-October -- after more than five months of job hunting during his allotted half day per week -- did Long finally land a full-time position working at McDowell Enterprises, which makes copper and brass fittings. Unfortunately, the $9 an hour is less than he was earning at a local sanitation company before his arrest, he said.
Eventually, Long will be able to generate money to pay back child support for his three girls and a boy -- ages 4 to 11.
But first, he must pay the county what he owes for supervision at the work release facility -- a privilege for which inmates like Long are charged $84 a week. Long said he has an outstanding bill of $1,009, and he will continue to pay what he called "rent" as long as he remains here.
"This program is really just a way for (the county) to make money," Long complained as he waited for his ride to work in the detention center parking lot. "It's legalized extortion."
Still, he's able to start digging himself out, which is more than others interviewed outside the facility were able to say.
Marcus Conner said he too had been looking for work "everywhere from fast food restaurants to factories" every week for five months -- with no results. Conner, also in on child support charges, rushed off to repeat the exercise when his ride arrived in the facility parking lot.
Kathy Pinkerton of Elkhart, waiting in her car for her husband, said she has been driving him around to look for work every week since his transfer here six months ago after serving two years in Indiana's Westville Prison.
"It's impossible," she said as the man she was waiting for climbed into the car for another round of job hunting.
Before driving away though, the man, who declined to give his name, said he has had several verifiable job offers in recent months, but has been told by corrections officers that he can't take those jobs because they don't provide adequate supervision.
"It's a joke," he growled. "There was more work in prison."
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Who winds up in jail? The people who can`t afford to pay that`s who!
Nothing less than ;
Some Staes really rake in the dough by charging for work release!? Scuse me if I barf at respecting these kind of insults to our intelligence. Our court system has become nothing more than what we left Britain for.
Common racketeers!
Yes, we HAVE debtors prison in the USA. I was recently speaking with a probation officer in Michigan who told me that she knows of several inmates who are eligible for release from prison but are still being held because they haven't paid the restitution that was ordered in court. How can a prisoner repay money when they are paid pennies a day for the work they do in the prison? The prison system is an industry and who makes the money? I'll let you figure it out.
I'm an ex-felon after 20+ years of incarceration. The transition from prison to being free was incredibly hard. Any inmate that gets lucky enough to be in a work release program should be grateful. There should be more programs that help offenders transition to society. I've posted numerous videos on you tube (ex-con) to help people from making the same mistakes I did. I've worked every garbage job I could, hundreds of craigslist labor jobs and went through many lean times but the worst day out here is better than the best day in prison.
Good luck to anyone out there making the efforts to try. Is it still 85% that go back? WHY?
I was in a work release program, while doing time Virginia. The program works to help an inmate reacclimate themselves back into society. It allowed me to save money because with not having the freedom of movement, I was limited in my ability to blow money. ie: eating out all the time, clothing, clubs, etc. That dicipline is instilled in me now. Also every person that is incarerated doesn't have a life sentence for murder, rape etc. Some are there for making dumb choices. But I would like to say that if are incarcerated please take time visualize what you want your life to be like when you get out. Read books, write and practice affirmations daily. I am very sucessful now with a lovely family that I provide for and look to for support and guidance. Keep your head up and never give up.
I am also an ex-con- You are right about the garbage jobs. But let me tell you something. Out here this is SOMEONE who will give you a chance. Be good and better yourself. Everyone makes mistakes. Transition is always hard when you have someone else taking care of you(the state)
Matthew 25:34-46
I have been volunteering as the Jail/Prison Chaplain, (Minister), for the last 5 years now. One thing I know for sure is that the gov. spends way to much money on every prisoner that enters the doors of not only the privatized prison system but also in the government's own systems. It seems that they, society in general, would rather hide away those who have little or nothing that may help them than to take care of and fix the problems of our judicial system. I have been trying for the last five years to start and fund a ex-prisoner reentry program with little help. One thing I am sure of is that Mr./Miss. KissMuhKeester, will be most welcome once he/she enters those heavy doors. It only takes one mistake, be it small or large, to enter those doors. Then we will hear a change of heart from him/her and anyone else who has the same like minded, u-merciful attitude of their hearts. I do understand what it is like to be a victim of crime; I do know what it is like to be and feel violated by someone, but this does not mean that we still cannot have and show mercy! Weather you believe in God or not, you will be judged by the same yard stick you are judging others. As someone very famous once said: "You hypocrites, take the beam out of your own eye's so you can see clearly to help your brothers/sisters, to take out the sliver out of theirs." (Matthew 7:3-5)
Some will just need to wait in line for my sympathy. I am still praying for those who did not commit the crime and feel the pain of a lost job due to the economy.
Maybe the guy should attend a family planning class sounds like he had kids he can't afford to support
As someone who is still gainfully employed and happy to be so, I too have been mugged and robbed in the past. I too have had my property vandalized and stolen. However, do NOT make the mistake that so many people seem to. The PEOPLE in the prison system are still people, not all of them are there for violent crimes. Heck some of them may even be innocent. The judicial system is not perfect and I read every day of cases where the wrong person was put in jail and only new technology that has come out has proven it. Finally everyone deserves a second chance. People do choose to improve their lives. Give them a chance. Judge not lest ye be judged yourself. This economy is hard on everyone. I would love to see more "Made in USA" stuff on the shelves at the stores. Its hard to find them these days.
I enjoyed reading all the comments that have been posted on this site. My husband is getting ready to start the work release program in Elkhart County. I am just wondering how everything works. He has just been sentenced to 6moths for doing things related to his alcoholism. I'm just wondering now if this will be a repeat exposode of him being violated once he gets into the program because the real problem needs to be addressed. He needs help with his addiction, that's why he is in trouble with the law because he can't stop by himself. Although I believe he has made choices to drive while drinking, etc, etc, but I'm just wondering since he will have some freedom and he starts to drink again what will happen next while he is on the work release program, cause every opportunity he has will be spent drinking and trying to cover it up and as we all know eventually we all get caught.