HOPKINSVILLE, KY (CHRISTIAN COUNTY NOW) – One of the biggest misconceptions with the Christian County Jail is that some people believe it’s nothing more than a holding facility, but it’s so much more than that.
Christian County Jailer Adam Smith said his jail has a purpose, which is to help lower the crime rate throughout the community. Through one of the largest jail work release programs in the state of Kentucky, Christian County Jail offers various employment opportunities for inmates.
Smith believes the program greatly benefits inmates after their sentence is served and helps prevent them from reoffending.
“One of the biggest hurdles to recidivism and stopping inmates from reoffending when they are out is employment,” Smith told Christian County Now. “We have on average, about 50 inmates a day go to nonprofits or help with some of our other government agencies, and they do a job there.”
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State inmates who are already sentenced and are within a year of parole, are classified and sent to Christian County Jail by the Department of Corrections for the program.
A lower classification allows community service work, while a higher classification allows paid employment. When on a jobsite, they remain under the supervision of deputies, but are treated as employees.
“The idea is to have people leave here and not come back,” said Smith when explaining the importance of building the program. “We like to have programs in place that provide that opportunity.”
How inmates help in community
Construction, painting, plumbing, cleaning and grounds maintenance are just a few of the skills inmates are able to utilize and learn more about while in the jail work release program.
Various nonprofits and employers proudly accept the help of the inmates; that list includes farmers, local government agencies and waste management. Plus, with the time and energy the inmates put into their jobs, the city is able to save over $1.5 million a year.
Joy Closet is one of the local nonprofits that participates in the program. Heather Gray, the founder and executive director for Joy Closet, first heard of the program in 2022. Shortly after, male inmates came to help with various projects.
When Smith took office, he toured the nonprofit’s facility and offered more help from female inmates.
“We quickly took him up on the offer since we were constantly being overwhelmed with donations that needed to be processed, but really didn’t know what to expect,” said Gray. “Over the last year we have had different ladies come and go, but it has given us opportunities to mentor and build up the confidence these ladies need as they are reintegrated into society.”
Although they have had success with expanding the work release program, they are still battling negative stigmas. Smith is trying to overcome that hurdle and get more employers to take a chance on them.
“Our goals for 2024 are to continue to run a fair and strict facility and to rehabilitate inmates to the point where they don’t re-offend. That is our ultimate goal here. That is the point of corrections. We want to be a good community partner.”
After their sentence is served, several inmates have even been hired with the employers they were paired with or are instilled with skills and certifications that allow for an easier transition into the work force.
For more information on the program, visit the Christian County Jail website.