County in Indiana ends work release because of contraband

AUBURN, Ind. — The DeKalb County sheriff is suspending a work-release program at his jail over worries about contraband.

Sheriff Don Lauer told The Star of Auburn that because the jail has a high inmate population, work-release inmates must be held in with the general jail population. He says that means an increased risk of contraband and increased safety concerns.

The jail housed 54 work-release inmates last year.

The number of work-release inmates depends on available bed space.

The chairman of DeKalb County Community Corrections Advisory Board says he understands the challenge of running a minimum-security program out of a maximum-security facility. He says judges may have to look at how this affects sentencing policies.