Posted: Wednesday, May 28, 2008 12:00 am
CHEYENNE (AP) - Cheyenne is considering implementing a program this summer that would allow offenders in municipal court to choose community service, such as cleaning up trash and graffiti, in exchange for jail time.
City Council President Don Pierson said he started thinking about the program in response to resident complaints about trash along the Greater Cheyenne Greenway and graffiti in other public spaces.
Pierson said he's met with Cheyenne Police Chief Bob Fecht and the two municipal judges to discuss the program, which would start in June.
Participation in the work program would be voluntary for the offenders. Pierson said he envisioned a system that would allow community service time to replace jail time. For example, someone sentenced to 10 days in jail could complete up to 20 hours of service instead of serving time.
"If they're willing to do it, we're willing to knock off their jail time," Pierson said.
Officials said anything to relieve space pressure on jails should be considered, but the program wouldn't apply to crimes that carry mandatory sentencing guidelines. For example, some driving under the influence charges require at least a week of jail time.
"There isn't a jail around that isn't overcrowded," Fecht said.
Laramie County Sheriff's Department Capt. Bill Long said a program allowing offenders to check in for the weekend to do community service work could save money and benefit the community. The work duty could also be a bigger deterrent for some criminals, if they're embarrassed by working along the highways.
"I think this is a positive program that can address community needs to deal with the purpose of punishment," Long said.
Sen. Tony Ross, R-Cheyenne, co-chairman of the Legislature's Joint Judiciary Interim Committee, said jailing offenders is the most expensive form of punishment. He said he is open to "anything that helps not only the individual that is in trouble but is more effective and less costly than just warehousing somebody."
"For some of those guys with DUIs, maybe they need to sweat out some of that alcohol," Ross said.