Towns may rely more on inmate aid
Towns may rely more on inmate aid - Berkshire Eagle Online
By Dick Lindsay, Berkshire Eagle Staff
Updated: 04/20/2009 05:32:28 AM EDT
Monday, April 20
PITTSFIELD - A highly used but little publicized Community Service Program run by the Berkshire County Sheriff's Office may become more of an asset during rough economic times.
The program - manned by inmates from the Berkshire County Jail and House of Correction who work in anonymity - has already performed six projects through March and could eclipse last year's mark of 21 - if there's an increase in requests.
"We might see it," said Sheriff Carmen C. Massimiano, "but so far we haven't."
The program, which has been in operation for more than 30 years is designed to assist - for free - nonprofit groups and the 32 Berkshire cities and towns with cleanup, painting, building repairs and - new this year - filling potholes.
"This is not a replacement for what cities and towns should be doing," said Massimiano. "Rather, (the program) is to have inmates make some form of restitution to the whole county."
Last month, Massimiano began the Pothole Patrol which assisted Pittsfield public works crews in smoothing over 1,250 potholes with asphalt patch. Jail and House of Correction Superintendent Jack Quinn said he was impressed with the six inmates who were on the job for two weeks.
"I'm sure the city would hire any one of those (guys)," said Quinn.
In addition, the Sheriff's Office has a contract with MassHighway so inmates can pick up trash along state roads, from April through October. Massimiano reports prisoners have collected an average of 4,500 bags of litter the last two years - more than double from 2006.
Quinn said roughly 25 percent of the 400-inmate population work the Community Service Program. He said the inmates are carefully screened and must establish a good work ethic while incarcerated, before being allowed out in public on a work detail.
The goal is to make the inmates a productive part of society when they are released.
"It doesn't always work," Massimiano conceded. Nevertheless, he said the program is worth the effort.
"It's good for the jail, good for the inmate population and good for the community," he added.
Towns may rely more on inmate aid - Berkshire Eagle Online
Towns may rely more on inmate aid - Berkshire Eagle Online
By Dick Lindsay, Berkshire Eagle Staff
Updated: 04/20/2009 05:32:28 AM EDT
Monday, April 20
PITTSFIELD - A highly used but little publicized Community Service Program run by the Berkshire County Sheriff's Office may become more of an asset during rough economic times.
The program - manned by inmates from the Berkshire County Jail and House of Correction who work in anonymity - has already performed six projects through March and could eclipse last year's mark of 21 - if there's an increase in requests.
"We might see it," said Sheriff Carmen C. Massimiano, "but so far we haven't."
The program, which has been in operation for more than 30 years is designed to assist - for free - nonprofit groups and the 32 Berkshire cities and towns with cleanup, painting, building repairs and - new this year - filling potholes.
"This is not a replacement for what cities and towns should be doing," said Massimiano. "Rather, (the program) is to have inmates make some form of restitution to the whole county."
Last month, Massimiano began the Pothole Patrol which assisted Pittsfield public works crews in smoothing over 1,250 potholes with asphalt patch. Jail and House of Correction Superintendent Jack Quinn said he was impressed with the six inmates who were on the job for two weeks.
"I'm sure the city would hire any one of those (guys)," said Quinn.
In addition, the Sheriff's Office has a contract with MassHighway so inmates can pick up trash along state roads, from April through October. Massimiano reports prisoners have collected an average of 4,500 bags of litter the last two years - more than double from 2006.
Quinn said roughly 25 percent of the 400-inmate population work the Community Service Program. He said the inmates are carefully screened and must establish a good work ethic while incarcerated, before being allowed out in public on a work detail.
The goal is to make the inmates a productive part of society when they are released.
"It doesn't always work," Massimiano conceded. Nevertheless, he said the program is worth the effort.
"It's good for the jail, good for the inmate population and good for the community," he added.
Towns may rely more on inmate aid - Berkshire Eagle Online