Inmates clearing sidewalks of snow in Airway Heights | News

They’re keeping your sidewalks clear and your bus stops clean during this snowy week in Airway Heights. A work crew of nine offenders from Airway Heights Corrections Center have been doing snow removal in the city making sure the area is safe for pedestrians.

“They’re minimum custody offenders,” Risa Klemme, public information officer, said. “They have a prison term of four years or less and are screened by staff and eligible to be on supervised work.”

They’re hired to do the work, getting paid one dollar per hour. A minimum of 55 percent is deducted for financial legal obligations, court fees and supervision costs. The rest of it goes into their pocket for either saving or spending inside the corrections center on snacks, etc.

While members of the community is grumbling about shoveling their driveways and wondering when a snow plow will visit their street, these guys are out earning a minimal living and getting a little fresh air.

“It’s an opportunity for them to get out, to breath the fresh air that you and I take for granted every day,” Klemme explained. “A lot of them had jobs in the past where they did manual labor so they like it.”

Klemme says it also teaches them work ethics.

“One of our goals is to teach them a worth ethic; that you go to work every day, where you’re paid and you’re honest. Those are important skills to learn so when they do get out of prison, they take those skills with them and support their families and pay their taxes.”

Like any other working man, when the work day is over, they head home - back to prison.