Community Work Centers

Community work centers are an alternative facility for inmates to finish serving their sentences. At a community work center, inmates routinely perform work for cities, counties, state agencies and charitable organizations as defined by 501(c)3, and are a valuable source of free labor. Examples of work performed include janitorial work, mechanic work and beautification of roadsides.  It is common to see MDOC inmates picking up trash on the highways of Mississippi or at city and state parks.

MDOC currently has 9 community work centers statewide and each houses around 100 inmates. The community work center in Flowood houses all female inmates, which is about 100 inmates. Inmates are drug tested often and failing a drug test is automatic return to an institution.

How does an inmate get assigned to a community work center? First, several criteria must be met. They include, but are not limited to:

• Inmates must be within eight years of their earliest release date
• Inmates must pass a drug and alcohol test
• Inmates must be able to physically perform required work
• Inmates must be free of rule violations for three months

In addition, there are several factors that automatically disqualify inmates from community work centers. Inmates convicted of the following charges are disqualified:

• Escape attempt in the last five years
• Sex crime convictions
• Child abuse or crime convictions involving a minor or handicapped person 
• Arson   
• Carrying a concealed weapon
• Convictions of any crime of violence 
• Violent or sexual offenses which received a plea bargain to a non-violent crime