Program puts York County inmates on neighborhood cleanup duty
Program puts York County inmates on neighborhood cleanup duty
York County inmates are cleaning up neighborhoods around the county through a new program launched Thursday.
Nonviolent, low-risk inmates will be cleaning up trash on an as-needed basis in municipalities that request the service. Hanover and York City were the first to schedule inmates, county spokesman Carl Lindquist said.
Inmates are screened and chosen to participate in the program. They are paid $5 for the day, which is funded through the prison's commissary fund. The program is free to municipalities.
"In tough economic times, it's critical we take advantage of every resource at our disposal," President York County Commissioner Steve Chronister said. "The program offers valuable, free assistance to local communities."
The focus of the program is to supplement community efforts to keep streets clean in order to attract businesses and residents to the area.
So far: Five inmates have been accepted into the program, said Clair Doll, deputy warden at York County Prison.
Other inmates can join the program if they are found to be nonviolent and pass a screening test.
"It's a pro-social activity for the individuals to engage in," Doll said. "They're doing something good for the community."
Doll said inmates have been used for other community projects, such as building the playground at Cousler Park in Manchester Township. This is the first time, however, inmates will be on-call for municipal cleanup duty, Doll said.
"We want to be able to give back to the community and provide support for the communities in tough economic times," he said.
A York County Prison corrections officer will monitor the inmates as they work. Cones and signage will alert motorists to the cleanup, Doll said.
Municipal officials can request inmate cleanup by calling the York County Prison Work Release office at 840-7796.
- Reach Amanda Dolasinski at 505-5437 or adolasinski@yorkdispatch.com.
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