Alternative punishments for going to jail would be conditions such as getting an ankle monitor for a client or enrolling in an inpatient treatment program that is similar to being in custody. The client would typically need to be in a situation where they are being monitored, required to be in a specific location, and abide by a curfew.

Another alternative is weekend jail, where the clients actually turn themselves into jail but they don’t serve straight time. Instead, they serve their time in chunks – they may report to the jail on a Friday and be released on a Monday, and then go to work and stay at home throughout the week. Weekend jail is a good alternative for those who need to serve the time but are the sole breadwinners or have young children.

The Sherriff’s Work Alternative Program is another jail alternative. Rather than going into custody at a jail the client will report for duty at the Sheriff’s office and clean up on the side of the road for a full day of work. This roadside cleanup counts towards the jail time. There are plenty of alternatives to actually going into custody and serving straight time and we strive to keep our clients out of jail so they can go on with their lives and start putting this chapter behind them.