WCSO NEWS RELEASE
An increase in the number of inmates earning a high school diploma through the Washoe County Sheriff’s General Education Development (G.E.D.) program helped save over $55,000 in operating costs at the Sheriff’s Detention Facility during fiscal year 2010-2011.
In addition, the recidivism rate for the inmates who completed the program during the previous fiscal year (2009-2010) is less than half. Sixty-five percent did not return to the Washoe County Detention Facility within the first year of release.
Several of the inmates who completed the program decided to continue their studies at Truckee Meadows Community College.
The G.E.D. program was cited during this week’s county budget discussions as an example of one of the steps the Sheriff’s Office has initiated to support public safety in Washoe County by providing effective rehabilitation opportunities for the incarcerated.
“When you allow an inmate to earn an education and gain skills they can use as a working member of the community, they walk out a better person than when they came in,” Assistant Sheriff Lisa Haney said.
The Sheriff’s inmate G.E.D. program is offered free of charge by a certified G.E.D. instructor provided by Washoe High. Truckee Meadows Community College provides a test administrator to proctor testing sessions once a month. The $60 testing fee is paid for by the inmates themselves.
“Absolutely no county or taxpayer dollars are used to fund the Sheriff’s inmate G.E.D. program,” Haney said. “However, the success of our program does generate a savings in tax dollars.”
State law allows for 5 days early release for inmates who successfully complete the program. In FY 2010-2011, 87 inmates completed the program for a total savings of $55,245.
The Sheriff’s inmate G.E.D. program is one of a number of programs offered by the Sheriff’s Alternatives to Incarceration Unit. These programs are aimed at diverting qualified offenders away from costly incarceration and provide a second chance to those who have committed less serious offenses.
“The role of the Sheriff’s Office Alternatives to Incarceration Unit is to provide programs that help inmates take steps that will make significant changes in their lives,” Haney said. “That change is what will reduce recidivism, reduce the amount of money spent by tax payers to house an inmate and reduce the cycle of criminal behavior for the next generation.”
Additional programs managed by the Sheriff’s Alternatives to Incarceration Unit include:
- Work Readiness
- Women’s Empowerment Workshops
- Domestic Violence/Substance Abuse Prevention
- Goal Setting
- AA/NA
- Religious Services
- Sheriff’s Community Work Program
- Inmate Work Program
- Sheriff’s House Arrest Program
All classes offered through the Alternative to Incarceration Unit are either paid for through the Inmate Commissary Fund or taught by volunteers.
The Alternatives to Incarceration Unit also partners and participates in numerous county outreach programs and is a drop-off site for donations of new or gently used items that are given to local charities. Donations are welcomed throughout the year. For more information, call (775) 785-4244.
The Washoe County Sheriff’s Office celebrated 150 years of proud service and community partnership in 2011. Sheriff Michael Haley is the 25th person elected to serve as the sheriff of Washoe County. His office continues to be the only full service public safety agency operating within northern Nevada and is responsible for operating the consolidated detention facility, regional crime lab, Northern Nevada Counter Terrorism Center, Internet Crimes against Children Task Force, court security, service of civil process, traditional street patrols and Regional Animal Services.
