Members of the C.I. staff, their families and representatives from other county departments gathered for the celebration. Former Hall County wardens Reggie Forrester, Don Nix and Doug Derrer were also on hand.
Warden Walt Davis said although the facilities are old by current prison standards, it continues to serve the county's need for inmate work details.
"(It) is merely a tool, albeit an important one...what's important is the people who work there," he said.
The C.I. operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
"The staff answers the call of duty to be there each and every day to effectively manage the operations of the prison," Davis said. "Many employees have built lasting relationships over the years that have lasted long after employment. We are proud of the job we do for the county. "
In 2012, the Hall County C.I. contributed over $2.5 million in free labor to Hall County through inmate work details, providing a resource for maintaining roadways, parks and other county facilities.
"We look forward to continuing in our role for many years to come," said Davis.
Under contract with the Georgia Department of Corrections, the institution houses 240 inmates and, in return, the state pays Hall County $20 per day, per inmate, or approximately $1.7 million annually.
Some 40 to 50 inmate details work daily for county departments including Parks and Leisure, Road Maintenance, Resource Recovery and Solid Waste, as well as Gainesville City Public Works and Parks departments, performing a multitude of job tasks.
Georgia's Pardons and Parole Board and/or the state Department of Corrections mandates that inmates complete some or all of the following programs prior to release: General Education Development (GED), Bible Study, Victim Impact, Family Violence, Substance Abuse and Alcoholics Victorious.
Hall County Correctional Institute staff
http://accesswdun.com/article/2013/11/267819