KANDIYOHI COUNTY
JAIL PROGRAMS

The Kandiyohi County Jail Program Department’s mission continues to make safety and security the focus of all Programs. The Programs Director has built its Programs around the philosophy of inmate responsibility. The programs that are offered revolve around inmates being better productive citizens.

Jail Programs include;

Alcoholics Anonymous
One-to-One Chaplain
Heartland Community Action
Gideon’s
Religious Videos
Women’s Bible Study & Crafts
BINGO
Spanish Bible Study
Movie night
FX (music) Group
Search for Significance
Bible Study
Sexual Abuse and Violence Center Group
Guest Speakers
Understanding Child Support
Law Library
Inmate Trustee
Huber Release
Community Service STS
One-on One with an A.A. sponsor
Higher education, and GED/ESL/Adult Basic Education.
In addition, inmates that are Court Ordered to have a Rule 25 assessment and meet the criteria to access treatment are also able to enter the Bradley Center 75 Hour Outpatient Chemical Dependency Program conducted by Bradley Center. The treatment program allows for inmates to complete treatment while they are incarcerated.

This year the Kandiyohi County jail began boarding prisoners from the Minnesota Department of Corrections which has brought a vast amount of changes to the entire jail. We have utilized the talents of these inmates by allowing them the opportunity to create a picture that is painted on the walls of our Recreation area. These inmates have taken great pride in the work that they have done and it shows.

All jail programs are run by over 70 jail volunteers. These volunteers may come daily, weekly, or monthly but they ask for no monetary gains. The jail puts out a quarterly training letter and volunteer of the month corner.

The Kandiyohi County Jail Recreation Program has two gymnasiums. Inmates are assigned one gym or the other on an alternating schedule at varying times.

In the C pod gym, (basketball and handball courts) inmates may play basketball, horse, 21, speed, handball, dodge ball and horseshoes or just walk. DOC inmates are allowed to attend “Power Yoga” once per week, taught by a volunteer instructor.

In the D pod gym (game room) inmates may play foosball, table tennis, air hockey, aerobics, Tae Bo, step aerobics and shoot baskets on the mini basketball game.

All inmates have the opportunity to exercise seven hours a week. The gyms are equipped with cameras that can be monitored by the Recreation Director to ensure safety and security. We take pride in the fact that we have had only two altercations since opening the new jail in 2001. The average number of inmates that use the gyms on a daily basis is 60 inmates. The Recreation Director continues to look for more fun and innovative ways to make recreation a great place to alleviate stress due to incarceration.

VOLUNTEERS

The Kandiyohi County Jail Volunteer Program has 29 active volunteers; these individuals are not paid and receive no other materialistic gain in return for their efforts. Real volunteers will be the ones who don’t mention time credits or medals, and they will be unlikely to describe themselves as an important person or mentor.

Volunteering is a great way to contribute to the community and gain experience, yet it also fosters personal growth. We have not heard one person say, “I’m only a volunteer”. There is a high level of respect and pride for our volunteers at the jail. There service longevity attests to their sense of respect and pride for what they do for the community, this is shown by some of our programs such as bull pen, church video, these volunteers have been coming for many years and still love the time they spend with the inmates. The community and jail both benefit by having a safer and more secure jail. It is an inmates’ benefit by having something to do, someone to talk to, to listen to them, to advise them or just to be there for them when no one else is.

The Kandiyohi County Jail has utilized volunteers for decades, but since the expansion of the jail in 2001, there was never as high of a need, nor as many volunteers as we have now. As a community, we are fortunate to have so many citizens volunteer their time and talent to the county jail.

At the end of 2008, there were currently 73 volunteers who are approved. Of the 73 approved for the year there are 29 very active volunteers. Their hours for the year combined total 1694.2 hours and the average hours of service for each person were 58.42 per year. This does not include the GED teacher who logged 1181.75 hours.

You cannot put a price tag on their efforts because oftentimes the payoff for their work with the inmates may be long term. The benefit the staff and community receive as a result is invaluable. The programs department continues to make the promise of new programs and new volunteers as long as the Kandiyohi County Jail stays in service.

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