PORT ANGELES — Three new jail-diversion programs will get Clallam County commissioners’ approval today, possibly keeping as many as 85 offenders on any given day out of the county corrections center.
The Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs will operate the electric home detention, community service and day reporting programs.
From 32 to 35 offenders currently in the jail would be eligible for electronic home detention, plus as many as 50 for day reporting.
About 150 offenders each year could be sentenced to community service.
Offenders must pay fees for the programs ranging from $2 per hour of community service to $25 to enroll in the day reporting program, plus $5 per day.
Indigent offenders will pay fees on a sliding scale of income.
The new day-reporting program — in which offenders will report to the jail daily but won’t remain overnight — may have the biggest impact, Sheriff Joe Martin told commissioners at their weekly work session Monday.
“That’s going to be valuable in alleviating our jail situation,” he said.
The jail, built for 96 prisoners, has held more than 135 on weekends.