As renovations of Catoosa County’s old jail building behind the Catoosa County Courthouse draw to a close, many judicial offices are able to take advantage of the new space.

The Catoosa County Magistrate Court, Catoosa County Probate Court and Catoosa County coroner are all benefiting from the renovation done in large part by the mobile construction crew with inmates housed at Walker State Prison.

Georgia Department of Corrections assigns inmates in mobile construction crews to the Construction and Engineering Division.

Catoosa County Chief Financial Officer Carl Henson said the project could have cost the county hundreds of thousands more were it not for the inmate program. Funds for the yearlong renovation came from SPLOST, special purpose local-option sales tax.

“We did an estimate at one time of roughly over $600,000 because we were looking at 6,000 square feet and also had demolition to do,” he said. “We don’t have final numbers because it’s still ongoing. We are going to come in a whole lot less. It’s been a very good project.”

Judge Anthony E. Peters of the Catoosa Magistrate Court said the inmates did an outstanding job.

“They take great pride in their work and go over and beyond to make sure the job is done right,” he said. “Some of the guys have been at the renovation for a year now, from demolition to completing the project.

“Every inmate has great respect for the people around them, especially the general public,” he added. “I have not even heard one of the inmates say anything out of the way to anyone.”

Peters said the quality of work also carries over to the construction supervisor Bill Robinson.

“They show him respect in everything they do,” he said. “I would like to see more programs like this construction thoughout the United States. The county has saved a great deal of money just on labor on this project.

“The inmates can use their skills and not just sit behind closed walls, and it gives them a self worth and as my dad would say hopefully they have learned from their mistakes,” he said.

Robinson said the opportunity to serve their time in this manner gives the inmates a chance to accomplish something constructive rather than just sitting in a cell. Among the inmates participating in the project were Michael Pollard, metal framer; Jack Murphy, framer; James Goodyear, painter; James Earl Hall, painter; Anthony Johnson, concrete finishing; Russell Mercer, plumber; Randall Swafford, electrician; and Jerry Brotherton and John Justus, sheet rock installation.

In the process of the project, these inmates did everything from demolishing thick jail walls, preparing the roof for repair, framing, installing sheetrock, acoustical tile ceilings, plumbing and wiring; and finishing concrete.

The inmates all agreed that the work turned out great.

Hall said doing the work also opens the opportunity to learn different trades.

“It allows us to stay sharp on what we do for a living,” Mercer said.

Pollard said participating in the construction crew is a lot better alternative than being locked down.

Dale Herndon, Walker State Prison warden, said he is proud his facility plays a role in the inmate construction crews.

“They do good work for the community and have saved Catoosa County a lot of money with their inmate labor and talented skills,” he said.

Catoosa Probate Court Judge Gene Lowery said the Board of Commissioners is due a great amount of appreciation for making the project possible.

“This whole remodeling job solved a long-time problem with courthouse space,” he said. “ These inmates need to be commended for the job they did.”

According to Bill Cohen, inmate construction manager, this group is one of up to 30 crews statewide that take on various projects working with state and local governments.

Cohen said he has an extensive waiting list of projects.

According to Yolanda Thompson, Georgia Department of Corrections public affairs director, relates the programs to the Corporate Take Five Program which works with corporate and business partners to work with five offenders and prepare them to return to the world of work.

“What it represents is our vocational investment in restoring some work ethic and teaching for offenders to go out and do an good job, making a good contribution,” she said. “Construction crews are just an example of what work offenders do to build up skills. This is how we reduce risk of re-offending.”

Thompson said 97 percent of offenders will return home; the average age of offenders is 34; 1 out of 15 Georgians are in some form of correctional supervision; and 50 percent of offenders say they never worked.

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