Bradley County to go forward with work-release facility

Jeff Yarber, vice chairman of the Bradley County Commission
Jeff Yarber, vice chairman of the Bradley County Commission

CLEVELAND, Tenn. -- The construction of a long-proposed Bradley County work-release facility for nonviolent misdemeanor offenders has received the green light.

On Monday evening, the Bradley County Commission voted 13-0 to launch construction of the $2.76 million workhouse, which will feature 108 bed spaces for inmates who will leave for work during the day and pay rent for their overnight stays.

"I believe in alternate sentencing, and this offers rehabilitative motivation to nonviolent offenders," said Commission Vice Chairman Jeff Yarber, who has championed the creation of the facility during its two-year discussion and planning process.

Involvement by corporations willing to partner with the program is invaluable, Yarber said. Giving a misdemeanor offender a chance to maintain a job while serving a sentence helps to reduce the chance of repeat offenses when compared to being locked away and unemployed for nine months, he said.

Over a 30-year period, the impact of the facility and its associated work-release program will bring a "valuable change to our community," Yarber said.

The facility will be located near the court area of the Bradley County Justice Center and staffed by members of the Bradley County Sheriff's Office.

Work-release participants will be referred by the county's misdemeanor probations office, said Rich Kienlen, the department's director.

Although the facility was long conceived as a 128-bed facility, the reduction of 20 beds was accompanied by a reduction in operational staff requirements and construction costs, according to a recent presentation by Cope Architecture and the Bradley County Mayor's Office to the Bradley County Commission.

In March, Kienlen estimated the 128-bed proposal would cost about $2.8 million, which is $350,000 higher than the current plan for a 108-bed facility.

Construction is expected to begin in December, and the facility should be ready for occupancy in August 2016, according to the project timeline.

Earlier this year, Sheriff Eric Watson voiced support for the proposed facility and work-release program during a meeting with Bradley County commissioners.

"The new workhouse will certainly free up bed space in the county jail, which is at, or near, capacity most days," Watson said. "It is our plan for the workhouse to be 'revenue neutral' and [it] will pay for itself."

The program also has received support from the 10th Judicial District Attorney's Office.

"It provides a way for offenders to pay their debt for their actions," District Attorney Steve Crump said.

Paul Leach is based in Cleveland. Email him at paul.leach.press@gmail.com.

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