Officials plan to resume work-release program

District Attorney John Bongivengo was elected prison board president.
By LAURE CIOFFI
VINDICATOR PENNSYLVANIA BUREAU
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Lawrence County Jail officials hope to have the work-release program available to inmates later this month.
President Judge Dominick Motto said he awaits delivery of drug-detection equipment that will be used to scan all inmates entering the building before rescinding the order he issued to stop the program.
The work-release program was suspended in the summer of 2004 after an inmate died of a drug overdose and a drug network that included work-release prisoners was discovered. Eight inmates were charged in the scheme.
Motto told county prison board members Wednesday that the judges intend to be very selective about who is put on work release.
"These will be people with long-term, meaningful jobs," he said.
Warden Charles Adamo noted that the jail eliminated the work-release coordinator's job after the program was suspended and that job will need to be reinstated. Adamo said no money was budgeted for the position this year.
Lawrence County Controller Mary Ann Reiter suggested the county act at its next salary board meeting to create the position and set a salary. A date for that meeting has not been set.
Other action
In other business, prison board members voted the newly elected district attorney, John Bongivengo, as president for 2006. County Commissioner Steve Craig was elected secretary.
The group will continue to have its regular meeting at noon the second Wednesday of each month.
cioffi@vindy.com