Oro Valley to expand its 'Community Betterment' program | News

Oro Valley is implementing a new program with the Arizona Department of Corrections (they entered into an intergovernmental agreement on July 18, 2012), for crews of inmates to clean up and maintain road-side and drainage vegetation.

This new program will utilize a labor force of ‘low-risk, minimum-custody’ inmates who have not been convicted of any sex offences and typically have little time remaining until their release date.  The members of these crews will consist of inmates who have demonstrated excellent behavior.  These inmates also form a highly motivated workforce and are assigned to skill-appropriate tasks.  This is the same type program that has been implemented across Arizona with great success.

This new labor force will not however be taking jobs away from other citizens; these crews will perform work that might not otherwise be completed due to staffing or budgetary issues.

Oro Valley’s decision to participate came after a pilot program in which inmate labor crews were utilized to remove vegetation from Steam Pump Ranch and Mutter’s Wash.

“This is a great opportunity to maintain our community’s high standards for aesthetic beauty at very little cost,” said Town Manager Greg Caton. “Based on the success of our pilot program, we look forward to continuing this partnership with the Arizona Department of Corrections.”

These inmate labor crews will work from Monday to Friday, at a pay rate of $.50 per hour.  They will start work in Oro Valley on September 17.