Work release crew cleans up streets

A crew of inmates from the Deschutes County Jail spent most of last Thursday sweeping up the cinders on the streets of Sisters, left behind from a winter of snow removal.

The crew is made up of inmates who pose very low security concerns.

"It comes down to classification level (for an inmate to qualify for the program)," said Deschutes County Deputy Sundberg, who ran the crew. "Basically it's a minimum-security classification or lower."

"If we were headed up to prison, we wouldn't be out here," offered Luke Martin, who was jailed on a probation violation.

The program is not mandatory; it is offered as an option - one that many inmates jump at.

"Some people get 'good time'," Martin said. "I'm on post-prison supervision, so I don't get any good time (credit on a sentence). I'm just out here 'cause it's nice to get out of the jail."

And, he added, with a big grin, "to hang with Deputy Sundberg - that's the highlight of my day."

Projects are selected by a variety of local agencies well in advance of sending out crews. The current crew has dug ditches and set up the basketball court at the Deschutes County Fairgrounds for an appearance by the Harlem Globetrotters.

The season's work is just getting started, since crews don't work during the winter season. Once the spring cleanup season ramps up, crews are out most every day through the spring, summer and fall.

Sundberg ran a crew last year and kept very busy.

"I'd say from April we worked pretty solid through October, 30 hours per week," he said.

Author Bio

Jim Cornelius, Editor in Chief

Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.

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