In 1996 Sheriff George Epp asked Jail Captain Charles Pringle to explore ways to decrease the amount of idle
time for jail inmates. He set a goal of eight hours of productive activity, including work, education, or treatment
for every inmate.
During the week of March 10, 1997 three members of the Boulder County Jail staff (Lt. Larry Hank, Sgt. Dwight
Hill and Sgt. Ross Martinez), funded by an NIC grant, toured three contemporary jails in order to obtain new ideas
in jail and inmate management. These three jails were in Hennepin County, Minnesota, Sonoma County, California and
Jefferson County, Texas. Since its inception at the Jefferson County Correctional Facility in Beaumont, Texas,
Productive Day has become well known throughout Jefferson County and the surrounding areas. Several new concepts
are being practiced at each of these facilities, including inmate industry, programming and education.
After the trip, Lt. Hank met with the Sheriff and Captain Pringle and presented his findings. The Sheriff
directed jail administrators to explore the feasibility of implementing some of the ideas which were presented. At
a two day jail off-site planning session April 1 - 2, 1997, the Jail Management Team (JMT) looked at the
contemporary concepts of inmate and jail management and determined that they were feasible to implement in the
Boulder County Jail. The JMT wrote an action plan and prepared to move in the direction of making an inmate
experience a "Productive Day".
In July, 1997 the jail began to implement some of the provisions of the Productive Day program. Four companies
in the community participated in the pilot program with us.
Sheriff Epp asked the Boulder board of County Commissioners in April, 1997 to pass County Resolution 97-38 which
directs how money from inmate labor is disbursed. The first priority for inmate generated funds is to restitution
and reparations owed by the inmate, followed by support of the inmate's dependents. The resolution permits the
sheriff to pay the inmate up to $1 per day. Additional funds generated will go to offset the cost of care for the
inmate. We believe that it is most important inmates provide some restoration to society for their offenses. This
restoration is necessary for inmate to positively re-integrate into society. It also builds a sense of pride and
accomplishment in the inmates.
