Inmate Services offers alternatives to full-time incarceration that benefit the community, inmates, and the RCSO.  The programs give people involved in the criminal justice system options other than living unproductively, behind bars.   Many Inmate Services participants are able to leverage their work experience gained in the program as they seek fulltime employment.  Program participants are oftentimes people charged with failure to pay child support, failure to pay driving infraction fees and other lesser offenses.  Instead, those charged with lesser offenses can be involved in the Jail's four alternative sentencing programs, which are highlighted in the following chart:

Weekend Program:

This program requires court ordered people to be locked in the Richmond City Jail on Saturday and Sunday only.  Full-time employment can continue and participants can meet certain medical needs that would be more difficult in Jail.

Misdemeanor Community Service Program (MCSP):

This weekend program does not require incarceration.  Participants work within the community, assisting the Department of Public Works and a host of civic organizations with citywide cleanup and park beautification projects.  Involvement encourages participants to feel more vested in the community as they help improve the city in which they live.

New Environmental Action Team (NEAT):

 Held Monday through Friday, NEAT does not require incarceration.  Participants work within the community, assisting the Department of Public Works and a host of Civic Organizations with citywide cleanup and park beautification projects. 

Home Electronic Incarceration (HEI):

This program is designed to provide incarcerated persons the opportunity to satisfy their court ordered sentences in a home environment.  Participants are fitted with electronic ankle monitors designed to confine the participant to a specific environment.  Current efforts are underway to update monitoring technology to more accurately track individuals and set up zones, in hopes that judges will be more apt to use this sentencing alternative instead of Jail incarceration.