NCJ Number
114568
Date Published
1986
Length
8 pages
Annotation
In an effort to deal with jail overcrowding, Orange County, Calif., initiated a pilot program of supervised electronic home confinement for work furloughees.
Abstract
This initiative adds another custody level to those that already exist. The probation officer serves as work furlough administrator. Selected inmates who have completed half of their sentences are allowed, with judicial approval, to complete the remaining 30 to 60 days of their sentences confined to their residences under strict conditions that permit them to leave only for work and counseling. The program will release jail beds, make possible the release of hardship inmates for in-home child care, and assist in inmates' transition from custody to release. The program is targeted to low-risk offenders already on work furlough status. Electronic equipment consists of a wristband-mounted electronic signaler, a verifier box attached to the home telephone, a base computer, a robot dialer, and an audio recorder. The equipment cost is about $7 per day per participant. Following screening and selection, eligible inmates will receive indoctrination, and be supervised at the work site and at home. Evaluation will assess program impact on the jail population, on participants in terms of profiles and outcomes and in terms of cost effectiveness and equipment problems.