What is Jail Industries?
Jail Industries is a program at the Jail Work Center facility allowing low risk inmates to repay the community in a work setting while serving their sentence. Jail Industries utilizes the Kitchen and Warehouse building and has several work units; Food and Laundry Services, and Grounds and Janitorial Maintenance. Inmates are assigned to a work crew and are under the direction of custody staff or supervisors while working.
Who is eligible?
Sentenced inmates who meet specific criteria are transfered from the Main Jail and housed at the Jail Work Center facility. Those who do not qualify for the Work Release program are housed in the In-Custody building and are assigned to a work crew. These inmates are given jobs that benefit themselves, the Sheriff's Office and the county at large.
What are the benefits?
For inmates, this is an opportunity for a positive life change if they so choose. Valuable experiences working as part of a team, completing job assigments, and learning job skills. They can learn to be productive, accountable, reliable, responsible, build self confidence, and motivation for a positive change in their own and their families lives.
Inmate workers help keep the Sheriff's Office facilities functioning and maintained. In 2007, inmate worker hours were 83,202 for an estimated labor cost at minimum wage of $671,440 which is a real financial savings to the Sheriff's Office. If these hours were hired positions or contracted services the cost would be much higher.
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Jail Work Center Kitchen |
The Food Service unit provides meals to the Main Jail, Jail Work Center, and the Juvenile Justice Center. Utilizing the large centralized kitchen, inmate workers prepare and deliver aproximately 1050 meals three times each day, seven days each week. Meals are served on individual trays and delivered using food carts and a delivery truck.
Total meals served in 2007 were 1,152,122. Special meals needed for medical or religious reasons are included. Average cost per meal is $1.42 with raw food costs average $.70 per meal.
To be more environmentally friendly and reduce landfill waste these changes were made in 2006; many packaged or wrapped food items for meal trays were eliminated, recycling cooking grease, and recycle metals and cardboards.
The unit staff consists of one manager and 13 food service coordinators who train and supervise 2 work crews of 15-20 inmates in all aspects of food preparation, safety and delivery.
Each year, the centralized kitchen continues to receive excellent ratings by Clark County Public Health Department's at regular monitoring and inspections.
Laundry Services
Laundry Services process over ½ million pounds of laundry a year.
Grounds Maintenance
maintains the Jail Work Center's 18.3 acres
Janitorial Maintenance
maintains some of the Sheriff's Office Facilities.
Located at:
5197 NW Lower River Road
Vancouver, WA 98660
Main Phone: (360) 397-2138
