West-Central U.P.
Regional Community Corrections Program
The community corrections program, which operates under the guidance of the West-Central U.P. Regional Community Corrections Board, provides local Circuit and District Courts with community-based sentencing alternatives. When non-violent offenders are sentenced to intensive supervision, substance abuse treatment, or community service work through the community corrections program, the daily population of the county jail is reduced. This space can then be made available to house those least violent, prison-bound offenders who are deemed suitable for incarceration within the local jail. As prison is the most expensive sentencing option, the state saves money when it houses less people in prison.
The program directly administers work crews in Gogebic, Iron, Menominee and Ontonagon counties, and it works in partnership with the local Sheriff's Department in all six of the counties: Delta, Dickinson, Gogebic, Iron, Menominee and Ontonagon. These community service work crews are supervised, use non-violent offenders only, and are very popular in the locations they serve.
During FY04, the program generated 56,596 hours of community service work for nonprofit agencies in the six counties. A total of
3,774 community service hours were utilized to benefit senior citizen groups, such as senior centers and senior housing projects.
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