Inmate Labor
In 2005, the Office of the Fayette County Sheriff
created its renowned inmate labor program. We tackled
this challenge in order to reform inmates positively and
proactively as they serve their debt to this community
and our society at-large. Our first inmate labor project
used the manual labor of a number of community
corrections inmates in removing graffiti from vandalized
property in Lexington-Fayette County.
Since that time, we have increased our usage of
inmate labor, further deploying this cost-free supply of
service-oriented labor for the betterment of
Lexington-Fayette County. As of December 31, 2005, the
Office of the Fayette County Sheriff has directed and
supervised community corrections inmates in:
- removal of over four thousand objects of
graffiti from schools, churches and buildings
- clean-up of more than twenty Lexington-Fayette
County Public parks
- collection and loading of clothing and emergency
supplies that our Office coordinated and shipped to
the survivors of Hurricane Katrina
Our inmate labor program provides the incarcerated
with an opportunity to better our community and to make
amends with the civil society that they once scorned.
Our experience is that these programs help to lessen
tension in the participating prisoners, and provide them
with opportunities to gain positive life-skills. We
demand a great deal from the prisoners who participate
in this program; however, we are glad to step into the
role of civic mentor and, for a moment, to step away
from the role of being the "long arm of the law."
