Saturday, December 4, 2010

Oakland County Work Release

OAKLAND COUNTY WORK RELEASE PROGRAM

 Work Release is a minimum-security facility that houses sentenced inmates (court-ordered into the program) who have the opportunity to continue to work while they serve their sentences.

 Residents are charged room and board for their stay, with a fee based on a sliding scale dependent upon their income

 

VISITATION

  •  Visitation is by appointment only. Inmates must submit the request for an appointment. Visitors not on the visiting list will not be allowed to visit. Visitation is seven days a week.                           
  • Visiting times are: 9:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 7:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.
  • Work Program Residents receive one 30-minute visit per week.
  • Temporarily Housed inmates receive one 30-minute visit per week.
  • Trusties receive one 1-hour visit per week.
  • Inmates are permitted two (2) visitors (one must be 18 years of age). A child does count as a visitor. Swapping of visitors once the visit has started will not be permitted.
  • Visitors must possess a current state-issued photo ID and be respectably dressed. No revealing attire, gang insignia or offensive clothing will be allowed. Sleeveless attire, short skirts or shorts are not permitted.

 INMATE MAIL

Incoming mail will be inspected for money and contraband. Contraband in the mail may:

  • Be returned to the sender
  • Confiscated
  • Result in prosecution of the sender

 The following items are not permitted:

  • Cash
  • Lipstick, tape, glue, ink stamps and stickers etc.
  • Nude or sexually explicit photos/drawings, etc.
  • Instant photos
  • No stamps or envelopes
  • Newspaper clippings, pornographic material or any other items not allowed by jail policy.

Inmate Mail should be addressed as follows:

                         Inmate’s Name/Inmate’s Number

                        Oakland County Work Release

                        P.O. Box 436017

                        Pontiac, MI 48343

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. How do I get someone into the Work Release Program?

            They must:

  • Be sentenced/granted Work Release by a Judge on all of their charges.
  •  Have a current valid employment letter; the letter may be faxed to the Classification
  • Department at 248-858-2098, dropped off at the visitation desk of the main jail.
  • Be currently employed.
  • Have $92 in their inmate account to cover their first week’s rent and the booking fee.

2. What must be included in the employment letter?

  • Name of the person participating in the program. 
  • Name of the company/employer.
  • Address of the employer.
  • Telephone number for the employer/direct supervisor/person filling out the letter.
  • Signature of the employer/direct supervisor.
  • Exact schedule for the person participating in the program; exact hours and days not to exceed 10 hours a day or six days in a row, and they must be in the building for at least 11 hours between shifts — for those who have a family owned business, or their own business, they must supply a copy of the DBA or Articles of Incorporation.
  • Current salary or rate of pay.

3. Where and when can I pick them up?

  • Parking is at the south end of the building, between the signs on the light poles next to the sidewalk.

4. Where can I bring their car?

  • Their transportation may be dropped off in the south lot of the Work Release building in a proper parking space.
  • In order for them to drive they must have a valid license, current proof of insurance and a valid registration for the vehicle. These items are to be brought into the front of the building or turned in by the resident.                                    

5. What items can/can’t they have while in the Work Release facility?

  • One pillow, sheets, clothing for work (a locker is provided), a razor, and any personal hygiene items that do not contain alcohol or are in aerosol form.
  • No electronic devices of any kind that must be plugged in. A battery or wind up alarm clock is acceptable.
  • Nothing in glass containers.

 6. How does visitation work?

  • The resident arranges the visit by scheduling a date and time.
  • They are to inform the visitor of the appointment. The resident is allowed one visit per week (the week runs Sunday to Saturday) with two people for one half-hour. If the resident is a trusty they may have a one-hour visit with two people.
  • There is to be no swapping of visitors.
  • The visitor must be dressed appropriately. No sleeveless shirts, no see through garments, no short shorts or belly buttons exposed and the visitor must be wearing shoes.
  • The visitor must have a valid picture I.D. with them. No purses, cell phones, or pagers are allowed into the building.
  • The visitor must park in the visitors lot across the street at the main jail and then walk to the work release facility.

7. Can the deputies deliver a message to a resident?

  • This is at the officer’s discretion — certainly if it is concerning a very important job or family-centered issue, the message will be delivered to the resident.

8. Can I bring in money or items for the resident?

  • Personal items dropped of for the resident must be within the first 24 hours of their arrival to the building.
  • For the trusties or temporarily housed residents, $20 in rolled coins or a phone card may be dropped off within the first 24 hours of their arrival or during their scheduled visits.
  • The residents may also have white tennis shoes brought to them during the first 24 hours or during a scheduled visit.