Thank you Sheriff Spoden for changing the way we do business at the County Jail. For many years we have been running a debtors prison in Rock County. Rather than letting those who cannot pay fines sit in jail, you are giving them a chance to work off their debt to society. You are expanding jail capacity without building a new jail. Furthermore, every Weekender is one less you send out of county on taxpayer expense. Kudos.

hey "whocares", you would rather the inmates sit there watching tv all day while you work your butt off to feed them? The US should do what other countries do and charge these prisoners room and board.

Programs such as this can be a benefit...as long as they're run with strict rules and adequate supervision. As a direct witness to a similar program run by Rock Co. that wasn't managed properly at the time (i.e. complete lack of supervision), it can also run very amok adversely affecting people in the community. Let's hope for the best not only for participant sake but also for taxpayers and community safety as well.

Community service is a way for the community to feel that those who took something from them are getting something in return. If we did not have jailed citizens performing service to the community, I can assure you that the general population would not take up the slack. An example would be highway cleaning. Let's be honest with each other--who would seriously take time out of their normal schedule to do that? If you are willing to do it, GOOD FOR YOU, but the rest of the population wouldn't. Community service CAN be like punishment to these people who have NO regard for what they have done wrong. If they start to feel that they are giving back to the community, perhaps they will feel some regret for their disservice to the community.

It has been SCIENTIFICALLY PROVEN that people who do community service as a requirement of their jail time will be less likely to commit an act that is damaging to their surrounding community. More of it has to do with the fact that the people they serve while they are doing community service will be disappointed in them. I attended a conference in Milwaukee about this particular program and it has worked. Don't dismiss it so quickly folks. This will work.

If these offenders truley felt good about doing community service, they would volunteer after their sentence is complete. I would like to know how many volunteer on their own when it is not in place of jail time.....I know the answer.

It's so great to see all of the new programs giving back to the community. Yea right, all of these new programs cost more than they let on. If I am not mistaken staffing is still an issue at the jail, along with the overtime. So just where are these people coming from to fill the new positions. Let me see if I have this right, existing employees of the Sheriff’s Department will fill them. So as the article states these positions will be funded through the savings as the county reduces the number of inmates being housed at the jail. That’s great, but where will the funds come from for all of the overtime that will be created by those chosen to work the new program. Wasn’t a new Charger purchased not to long ago, as well as other vehicles? Is the reduction of inmates at the jail covering those costs as well? Maybe its time the Sheriff’s Department starts caring for the county and its employees, instead of trying to finds ways to make sentences easier on those who have committed crimes. If you can’t do the time, don’t do the crime….

This program runs along the same lines as a program that is already in place in the huber program. Many local non profit organizations use this service to do work that older members in the organization find it difficult to do. Example pounding in steel post and putting up fencing for fund raising events. Many organizations can not find enough volunteers to do the work needed so they go to this program to get the help needed. It is a win win situation for all. I am sure the inmates feel good about themselves that they where able to help these organizations. I belong to a service club that has used this service and is fully behind this program.

Everyone is ok with it until they are the victim of a non-violent crime and they realize the person who victimized them just got a slap on the wrist.

There are never enough people to fulfill all the community service needs. I think it will be a win-win situation. The community benefits and those on the work crew will learn how good it feels to help those less fortunate, or to complete a task well, learn something new, etc. Are there any negatives?

I thoroughly oppose using community service as a punishment. Community service is a privelege that should be reserved to those who do it of their own free will.