Sheriff releases annual labor assistance statistics for 2006

Sussex County - In 2006, 319 individuals were sentenced to the Sheriffs Labor Assistance Program (S.L.A.P.), with 227 completing their court-ordered time, working on 104 different community-service projects in 20 Sussex County communities. In addition to the community service, judges imposed fines totalling $35,66. The S.L.A.P. program participates in Adopt-A-Highway efforts, cleaning the shoulders of 26 Sussex County roads. In 2006, inmates spent 4,277 hours cleaning 263 miles of highway, collecting 1,559 bags of trash, which weighed a total of 25,082 pounds. The program created by Untig in 1994 to serve as an alternative to inmates being incarcerated. Instead of sitting in the correctional facility, persons convicted of crimes are given the alternative of performing community service. Inmates must apply to the program and sentencing is left to the discretion of the courts, with approval from municipal or county prosecutors. If accepted, inmates work on projects for Sussex County communities and non-profit organizations, which include activities such as road, school, park and cemetery cleanups and painting, as well as set-up and dismantling for community events.