NORFORK -- Volunteers -- both faith-based and community-based -- are key to cutting costs while increasing services and reducing time served by inmates, the Arkansas Board of Corrections said Monday.
The 2015-19 strategic plans for both the Correction and the Community Correction departments map out ways to increase volunteer participation to teach life skills, offer tutoring and alternative activities, among other services throughout the state's facilities and programs. The plans were approved by the board Monday at a planning retreat and board meeting at the Norfork River Resort in Norfork.
"We've got to rely on the community and volunteers to help us," Sheila Sharp, director of the Community Correction Department, said in a work-group session before the board meeting. "It would be ideal if we had a good community-based organization in every area we serve."
Kevin Murphy, chief deputy director of the Community Correction Department, told the board that the smallest facility in the system, the Central Arkansas Community Correction Center, has the largest volunteer base.
"There are 803 volunteers out there," he said. "That's a great example of taking advantage of community resources."
Board member Tyronne Broomfield commended the departments' use of faith-based organizations and suggested that continual communication -- not just at a time of need -- be a priority.
"Faith-based organizations are used to doing things for free," Broomfield said, eliciting laughter from the group. "You need to build a relationship with them. You're going to need to do a whole lot of PR work."
In a work session before the meeting, board member Dubs Byers told the group that it is important to carve out a place for those volunteers who are not affiliated with a faith-based organization.
"Our focus is not on getting everybody religion," Byers said. "Our focus is getting folks out of prison and keeping them out of prison."
Department of Correction Chaplaincy Administrator Joshua Mayfield said the department is already working toward broadening the volunteer base from all areas, not just faith-based.
"It's open to everybody, and we have a place even for those who have no desire to be in there with a religious tag. We can't grow our resources by being exclusive," Mayfield said.
He added that a volunteer-recognition event that will be held on Aug. 29 will serve double duty as inviting volunteers from all walks of life to learn more about the corrections system and available opportunities to serve.
Murphy said increasing the volunteer rolls gives budget relief to both organizations.
"We have no money, so we had to learn to be creative," Murphy said. "We've shut off all our desk phones and are only using cellphones to save money. We have to look at all those issues and how to save money."
State Desk on 06/16/2015