Muscatine County Alternative Sentencing Program

Work Crew, Jail Diversion Program

Overview

Voluntary program allows eligible defendants to serve sentences less than 30 days by performing work as part of a law enforcement-supervised work crew and serving electronically monitored home detention in lieu of jail.  
 

Eligibility

• Voluntary
• Available on sentences of up to 30 days
• Not available for crimes against persons
• Previous felony convictions will disqualify participants
• Requires special sentencing order language
• Sentences will consist of whole days in even numbers, partial day or hourly credit for time served will not be considered
• Muscatine County Sheriff’s Office reserves the ability to refuse or discharge defendants from participating in the Jail Diversion Program based on previous behavioral and/or disciplinary history with the Muscatine County Jail.
• Unsuccessful completion of the Jail Diversion Program will result in denial of future placement on the Jail Diversion Program.
• Defendant must be able-bodied
• Medical conditions require release from doctor

Procedures

• At sentencing eligible defendants may request alternative sentencing program.
• A deadline for completion will be listed on the mittimus.
• Within 10 days of sentencing, defendants are required to call and schedule a time to complete the mittimus with the Jail Diversion Officer.
• Defendant will be required to complete the order as scheduled with the Jail Diversion Officer.
• Requests for rescheduling will be considered for approval on a case by case basis.   Repeat failures to appear or repeat rescheduling requests will not be granted approval.
• Rescheduling requests will not be considered or approved with less that 48 hours of the scheduled time to appear. 

Duties Assigned

Work will include ditch, park and city street cleanup as well as mowing and landscaping of public property and other duties as determined by the Sheriff.

Work Rules

Participants will be under supervision from 8 a.m. until 8 a.m. the following morning. Participants must abstain from the use of alcoholic beverages or illegal narcotics. When not on the work detail or while traveling to and from the jail participants may be required to wear an electronic monitoring bracelet. You will be required to return to the Muscatine County Jail after 8 a.m. to have correction staff remove your bracelet and you will need to return the base unit issued to you in the same condition that you received it. 
 
You will be supervised by correctional officers while on work detail and will follow their orders and directions. Failure to follow orders, the use of prohibited substances (including a refusal to provide a specimen for testing) and any inappropriate behavior or unsafe acts will result in your immediate ejection from the program, and referral of your case to the County Attorney and the court further action. Deputy Sheriffs may come to your place of residence or visit during your work detail and request chemical testing to determine your compliance with abstaining from alcoholic beverages and illegal narcotics.
 

Violations

Failure to comply with any of the rules may result in defendant serving a standard jail sentence, termination from the program and prosecution for contempt of court, probation violation or escape.

Community Service

For those who are experiencing difficulties in finding unpaid community service opportunities, the court may authorize their participation in the Weekend Work Crew, subject to availability of space. Community Service participants must work in full day increments; All other work rules shall apply.