Periodic Imprisonment, also called Weekend Imprisonment, is an alternative sentencing program in which a defendant may serve a sentence beginning on Friday evening at 6:00pm until Sunday evening at 6:00pm. The original premise of serving weekends was so a defendant who was gainfully employed and had a family could continue to work and support his family while still serving a sentence. Originally defendants who were sentenced to serve weekends were first time offenders convicted of either traffic or property crimes.

When a defendant is considered for Periodic Imprisonment, they must sign Court documents stating that they will comply with all rules and conditions of the program. The defense attorney then calls the Jail for a start date for the defendant to report to the Jail. All weekender fees must be paid to the Circuit Clerk’s Office in advance of their first weekend. This fee is currently fifteen dollars ($15.00) a day, which is forty-five dollars ($45.00) per weekend. Most defendants serve ‘Weekends’ while on probation. If the detainee fails to complete his/her weekend sentence he/she could be charged with violating the terms of their probation. The program currently has about fifteen (15) Weekenders each weekend. In FY 2004, there were 722 offenders sentenced to serve weekends for a total of 1,263 days.

Another alternative sentencing program called Work Release is a Court ordered, minimum security, alternative incarnation program whereby participants reside in the facility and must maintain legitimate employment or be enrolled in an approved school. Participants are released during the day to go to work or attend school. Their hours of release are set by the Court and can only be modified by the Court.

These programs assist the efforts to reduce overcrowding in the jail and all offenders are required to pay a daily fee of $15.00 to participate in the program. In 2004 twenty-eight (28) offenders qualified for and were sentenced to the Work Release program with a total of 535 days served.