Inmates log thousands of work hours each year

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WOODSTOCK – Not all jail inmates sit around watching TV all day.

Some are trusted with kitchen duty or tidying up the cell blocks. And some inmates are trusted to provide manual labor for local government bodies and community groups as part of a long-standing but growing program.

This year, the road crew involved 14 inmates who labored for 16 townships, five government agencies and the McHenry County 4-H, said Dan Sedlock, chief of the sheriff’s corrections bureau.

“They’re low-risk inmates that we can trust to be out there in the community to do various jobs,” Sedlock said. “They do everything from cutting brush to picking up trash to painting.”

This year’s workload included first-time requests from two organizations: McHenry Township Operations had them paint picnic shelters, and the McHenry County 4-H had them clean the horse arena at the McHenry County Fairgrounds.

All in all, 3,050 man-hours were spent collecting trash, 399 were spent painting, 420 were spent on brush and tree removal, 312 were spent on seal coat and patch refill, and 491 hours on other chores.

Supervisors allow two or four inmates to work in the community at a time. The inmates wear the standard orange jail uniform out in the community.

In exchange for their services, road crew inmates received $1 a day, free haircuts in the jail, and an extra weekly visit, similar to other inmates who are trusted with work, Sedlock said.

Inmates typically are allowed one weekly visit, but workers are allowed two.

“[Road crew inmates] get the opportunity to get outside, and they can get some sun and fresh air,” Sedlock said.

“I think it has a lot of positives, even for the inmates.”

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