A work release program is an alternative sentencing option offered by some correctional facilities, whose requirements vary by jurisdiction. It allows an individual to pay their debt to society without going to jail, allows an individual to maintain gainful employment, and also eliminates the expense to the taxpayer to house these individuals in the detention facilities.
A work release program enables inmates who have demonstrated positive work ethics to work for a private employer in the community. The program is highly structured, with supervision requirements that help the offender to be successful as he/she attempts to bridge the gap between incarceration and return to society. Inmates often learn skills or acquire trades that enable them to keep jobs when they go back home. Work release programs are an important tool to reduce recidivism.
