work release

In prison systems, work release programs allow a prisoner who is sufficiently trusted or can be sufficiently monitored to leave confinement to continue working at his or her current place of employment, returning to prison when his/her shift is complete. The concept was introduced in the state of Wisconsin in 1913 under the Huber Law program, which continues to be the casual name of Wisconsin's work release program presently [1].

Some work release programs allow greater freedom for the prisoner, allowing prisoners who follow a Monday-Friday work week to attend work and live at their homes on those days, and serve their sentences two days at a time on weekends. Depending on the terms of the program, the prisoner may serve his or her sentence in a halfway house or home confinement while not working. Other work release programs can be offered to prisoners who are nearing the end of their terms and looking for a reintegration into civilian life, with a possible offer of full-time employment once the prisoner is released.

See Also

House Arrest
Halfway House

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