Outreach & Work Programs

Outreach Program

The outreach program continues to grow throughout the parish. Inmate work crews help set up and clean up after many community fairs and events throughout the parish. The inmate litter abatement program picks up litter along streets and highways, boat launches, and parks throughout the parish. During hurricane season and storm events inmate workers fill sand bags for the parish and its residents and assist in storm recovery by picking up debris and trash.

Worker Program

The inmate worker program's three main benefits are that the program:
  • Exposes inmates to new skills
  • Limits inmate idle time
  • Saves taxpayer and parish money by providing needed services
Inmates also assist with building maintenance at the correctional center providing electrical, plumbing, and air conditioning work in addition to helping with groundskeeping. The kitchen staff, which includes about 40 inmates, prepares about 1,800 meals daily, and inmates are assigned to launder uniforms and bed linens daily for the entire facility.

Work Release Program

In June 2002 the St. Charles Parish Nelson Coleman Correctional Center was approved by the Louisiana Department of Corrections (DOC) to begin an inmate work release program. The St. Charles Parish Correctional Center is approved for 60 inmates to be on work release pending strict Department of Corrections Guidelines and available jobs.

This program allows inmates to leave the facility and work earning money and work experience. This is done so that once the inmates are released, they have the finances and work experience to either keep the job they have or get a better job. The ultimate goal is that this program will make them more productive citizens reducing recidivism of crime.

Additional Information

For more information, please call (985) 783-1164.