[arkjarhead]

Cheri I don't know how they do it in other places, and I'm not meaning this rude but in Arkansas violent offenders don't get "free world" jobs. We have some inmates here with the Arkansas Department of Corrections that are on what they call work release. These are drug dealers, forgers, hot check writers, small time theives, and what not. This is a privalege. They are charged a certain amount for room and board, they get to keep a few books on their commisary books, and the rest goes to their dependents if they have any or in a savings and the state cuts them a check when they are released. Here these inmates are the least likely ones to re-offend. If they get in trouble while in work release they get sent back to prison. Another good thing is it provides inmates' families with income that doesn't come through welfare. It also gives the inmates some work experience for when they get out. An ex-con that can find work is least likely to offend. As you can tell I think it's a good program. If you eat Tyson chicken from an Arkansas

All inmates in our prisons have some sort of job. Depending on their behavior status depends on the job they get. There are barbers, clerks, cooks, porters(janitors), and the bottom is the hoe squad that goes out and cuts grass with dull swing blades and weed ditches with hoes. We have some inmates in higher behavior classifaction that request hoe squad but they do regional maintence which is doing work for different townships like tearing down old community centers. Some work on the farms operating equipment. We also have some inmates that drive trucks hauling food and equipment across the state to different units. When you get locked up in Arkansas you can expect to work unless you are on Death Row.