Apr 4, 2018 5 min read

Food and drink lovers visit The Washington Brewing Co. for its delicious Italian food and handcrafted specialty beers. But the eatery, located on the site of a former Studebaker dealership, offers more than a good meal and a delicious IPA – it provides jobs for inmates at the Washington County Jail.

Washington Brewing is one of about a dozen local companies that participate in the jail’s work release program, which has been in existence for more than 30 years.

John DeFede, a co-owner of Washington Brewing, says the brewery has partnered with the jail for the past two years, including when the restaurant was The Upper Crust Italian Bistro. He thinks the program is a win-win-win for inmates, the jail and employers.

“It’s a really interesting program. It fills a need for us, so it’s effective in that sense, and the guys need to earn a paycheck, so it fills a need for them, too,” DeFede says, noting the work release program solves some of the restaurant industry’s staffing problems. “There’s a lot more enthusiasm and ‘want-to’ than I anticipated.”

Michael Kasula, the jail’s alternate sentencing coordinator, says the work release program serves three purposes: it prepares inmates to transition into the workforce when their sentences are complete, provides them with an opportunity to earn money to support their families and enables them to pay for the cost of room and board at the jail – which reduces costs to taxpayers.

Kasula believes working while in jail helps prepare inmates for life after their time behind bars. “In this program, they can help themselves as well as others. My purpose is to get them to see what kind of people they can be,” Kasula says, adding that the inmates in the work release program often are eager to contribute. “I tell them, ‘You do not have to be an inmate just because you’re here. You made a mistake, now let’s fix it. Let’s try and give you the tools you need to be a contributing member of society so we can get you moving forward.'”

It took Jeffrey Irwin, 32, a recovering heroin addict, multiple stints in prison and an overdose to realize he needed to make changes in his life.

When he OD’d two years ago, he “didn’t even care,” he says.

But a 12-month sentence for possession with intent to deliver – which Irwin completed in March – was a turning point. “I reached the point where I thought, ‘I don’t want to die,'” says Irwin. “I’m clear-headed, I’m level-headed now, and it’s over. I’m done.”

He asked to participate in the work release program at his sentencing, and the judge authorized it. Irwin, who also took part in a cognitive therapy program while incarcerated, liked the work release program. “We get a paycheck, we’re not locked down all day, and we can put this on our resume. It’s just a good experience,” says Irwin, who accepted a job at Washington Brewing after he was released from jail. “I enjoy it here. My boss is awesome, it’s a great environment, and my co-workers are fantastic.”

Currently, 42 male and female inmates participate in the work release program. Employers hire inmates for all sorts of jobs, from cooks and dishwashers to construction and gas workers. The inmates can work a maximum of six days a week, 12 hours a day. Twenty-seven percent of each inmate’s gross income is taken from each paycheck to pay for lodging.

Kasula says the businesses who partner with the work release program have been pleased with the results, and they’ve established a good relationship.

“Employers like us because our people always show up, and they want to do a good job,” Kasula says. “And the businesses take pride in helping us out. They know they’re helping give these guys a step in the right direction.”

In fact, DeFede says he’d hire more workers after they complete the work release program, but for those who don’t live in the city, lack of transportation is a barrier to employment.

“The willingness is there on both sides, and the potential for them to stay is there, but often it comes down to transportation,” DeFede says. “The majority of them want to be here, and they work hard. I don’t view them any differently than the employees I hire from an ad.”

Employers sometimes are nervous to acknowledge they hire inmates, for a couple of reasons: they want to protect the privacy of their work release employee, and they are concerned customers will be reluctant to patronize their businesses.

But eligibility requirements are strict, and Kasula says the staff at the jail does an excellent job of recommending inmates who are a good fit for the work release program. The program, he believes, is a key component to help offenders – who carry the stigma of a prison record – get back into the community and the workforce.

“Without these kinds of programs, all you’re doing is saying, ‘Go out and start from scratch.’ It’s not our job to judge. They’ve been judged. It’s our job to give them opportunities to further themselves,” Kasula says. “It’s like a wheel in the mud, and this tire keeps spinning until someone decides to help get the wheel moving again. I want the public to know we’re able to protect the public, but we need to start looking to get these guys back into society, to have a purpose and provide for their family. We, as people, should want to help our fellow man. We’re all in this together. We’ve got to look out for each other.”