At the Wednesday, June 24, County Commissioners’ Meeting, Manor Township resident Bonnie Miller offered a recommendation to Commissioner Scott Martin (also the Prison Board Chairman). Miller recently learned of an extensive work release program functioning in Massachusetts, where prisoners are outsourced as affordable labor to assist troubled farmers.
Miller explained how there already appears to be a place for such in program in Lancaster County: “I know there’s an organization that imports migrant workers to help the chicken farmers…in Mount Joy,” she said, later posing the question, “Why pay an immigrant when we can pay the prisoner?”
Martin responded by acknowledging that the prison currently runs a deficient work release program: “Lancaster County has about 30-70 people on average that are involved in work release…compared to surrounding counties that may have upwards of 300.” Martin further noted that the Prison Board would welcome the passing on of ideas; if they are “reasonable and feasible, we can look into it….I wouldn’t rule out any ideas.”
[Recently, NewsLanc publisher Robert Field visited San Pedro Prison in La Paz, Bolivia. Click here to read a description of the prison, and how it thrives apart from the common practices of its American counterparts.]
