REHABILITATION PROGRAMS

Citizen Involvement & Volunteer Services

​

It is the policy of the Roanoke City Adult Detention Center to use volunteers to enhance and expand the services and programs offered to the residents. The detention center’s volunteer program encourages increased personal contact for the resident, broadens community resources for the detention center and increases public awareness of the functions and responsibilities of the Sheriff's Office. Volunteers are used effectively in such program areas as education, religious activities, and specialized programs such as substance abuse. Volunteer services provide superior services in an economical way and fosters community support. The detention center’s Program Manager is responsible for the recruiting, orientation and training of all volunteers. The detention center’s security staff is responsible for transporting residents to and from programs and providing security for the residents and volunteers when programs are in session.

Resident Work Programs

​

The Roanoke City Adult Detention Center maintains a resident work program, which includes daily maintenance of the detention center, housekeeping, laundry, painting, canteen operations, public service and food service operations. The principal value of trusty programs is in the opportunities they provide for the development and/or reviving of skills and work habits instrumental in the resident’s successful occupational adjustment in the community. The various routine cleaning and other housekeeping chores must be performed by residents on a day-to-day basis to maintain the detention center, but some intramural work assignments, i.e. food service, painting, laundry or other duties, offer residents the opportunities to receive a form of vocational training. These vocational training opportunities may provide the resident with the necessary skills to obtain similar jobs in the free society.

Laundry Services

​

The Roanoke City Adult Detention Center provides adequate staff, space, equipment and supply of resident clothing for the operation of an efficient and effective laundry program. The program is designed to constantly meet the needs and demands of the resident population. The laundry program is supervised by full time staff and is supplemented by resident workers. The program is operated in accordance with the "Minimum Standards For Local Jails and Lockups" as adopted by the Board of Corrections and in accordance with existing state and local laws. Clothing and linens are transported to residents in their housing areas where they are exchanged. Residents are held accountable for all clothing issued.

Pre-Release Program

​

It is the policy of the Roanoke City Sheriff's Office to provide a program for those residents being released from the detention center to enhance their chances for successful reintegration into the community. This program allows residents to request information concerning available programs, services and assistance in the community following their release. Information includes, but is not limited to, the following areas:

​

• Alcohol and substance abuse treatment

• Education

• Financial aid

• Handicap or mental retardation services

• Housing, food, and clothing

• Legal advice

• Medical services and care

• Offender programs

• Religious programs

• Transportation

​

The Classification Section informs residents of the availability of this informational program during the classification orientation and it is also available in the Resident Handbook. Residents in need of individual services may submit a request to the rehabilitation counselor seeking information or assistance concerning special needs upon release. The Program Staff, rehabilitation counselor, discharge planner, and detention center Chaplain will assist the resident in determining his/her individual needs and provide the appropriate referrals to the resident.

Community Diversion Programs

​

The Sheriff's Office provides information, space, security and assistance for the administration of court-ordered community diversion programs.

Recreation Programs

​

The detention center’s recreation program includes active, structured recreation, such as basketball, volleyball, -cardio, etc. The recreation program is supervised by 2 staff recreation officers responsible for ensuring all residents are afforded recreational activities. There are gymnasiums, a cardio room, and outdoor recreational areas -to accommodate the resident population. Each resident housing area has a pod day room equipped with tables, chairs, television, phones and various table games. The residents are allowed to participate in exercises such as running in place and sit-ups and push ups in the pod day rooms. Residents have continuous access to the day rooms each day from 6 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Out of cell recreation is provided 5 times a week to those residents housed in restrictive/restorative housing cells without access to a pod area.

Religious Programs

​

It is the policy of the Roanoke City Sheriff's Office to provide space, equipment, clerical support and supplies, as approved by the Sheriff, adequate for the administration of religious programming within the detention center. The Sheriff’s Office employs a part time Chaplain to coordinate all religious programming and provide training for religious volunteers. The chaplain has the qualification of a clinical pastoral education and administer to every resident regardless of the resident’s religious beliefs or affiliation. Residents are afforded the right to participate in the practices of their religious faith, limited only by documentation the practice is a threat to the order, safety or security of the detention center and persons within.

Special religious diets are available upon written request. When a resident’s faith is not represented through the detention center chaplain or volunteers, the Chaplain will attempt to contact a minister of the resident’s faith. The person contacted shall have the appropriate credentials from the faith judicatory and may minister to the resident in accordance with existing policy and procedures. Various community volunteers representing - churches and other religious organizations, including Islamic Instruction, participate in religious programming. Individual counseling services are available from the -rehabilitation counselor, the detention center chaplain, ministers from community churches, volunteers from the Prison Fellowship and other community incarceration programs.

Work/Study Release Program

​

53.1-13 - One of the Code of Virginia provides the Roanoke City Adult Detention Center with the authority to administer a Work/Study Release Program. This program establishes an incentive for active participation in a rehabilitation program to ease reintegration into the community. Residents are allowed to keep and maintain a job while providing financial support for himself/herself and dependents. Allowing residents the opportunity to benefit from self worth motivates them to change attitudes which originally brought the resident into conflict with the laws of society. The detention center’s work release coordinator is responsible for the administration of this program.