The Monroe County Community Corrections Department will be closed on Monday, July 5, 2010 in observance of Independance Day. Normal office hours will resume Tuesday, July 6, 2010 at 7am.

For the past several years, the Monroe County Community Corrections Program has been growing in terms of programming offered and in terms of physical space in which the programs reside. Community Corrections expansion began in earnest in 1996 when the program moved out of the Justice Building into renovated office space at 405 West 7^th Street. Expansion continued during 1997 when the County Commissioners leased additional space at the same location. The Community Corrections office continued to expand in 1999 when half of the downstairs space at the current location was leased by the County for the specific purpose of moving juvenile programming to a separate space from adult offender program areas. Juvenile programming moved into the new space in November 1999.

Monroe County Community Corrections has become a vital resource for the local criminal justice system.  In the 2009 program year alone, Community Corrections diverted 386 adult felons from potential prison time  and 271 adult misdemeanants from straight jail time. These commitments received alternative placement on Work Release, Home Detention, and/or Day Reporting.  Unfortunately the Work Release Program was terminated April 3, 2009 due to overcrowding issues in the jail. During the year, 231 juvenile offenders were diverted from costly detention and placement by utilizing Home Detention and the JAMS program.  Also, there were 33 parents/guardians provided cognitive behavioral training to apply in homes.                       

Road Crew and Public Restitution contributed 34,462 hours of labor into the community during the year.  At the new minimum wage ($7.25) this would represent an $249,850 valued contribution.                                                                                                                               

It should not be overlooked the value of rehabilitation of offenders derived from the participation on these programs.  Community Corrections allows offenders to pay their debt to society, to receive help in overcoming the destructive effects of past criminal or antisocial behavior, to financially support their families, and to have other benefits too many to mention.