There are some small groups of work release inmates that do work on the outside during the work hours. This is NOT the norm, but it does happen from time-to-time

Oh yeah, the CDCR - Antelope Adult Conservation (Fire) Camp #25 in Susanville CA certainly does... and all that death-defying risk for $1.00 per hour...!

Work release units are separate from the general population units. Work release inmates leave the compound and are in the public spaces. They are considered more trustworthy and working their way to full release.

More than likely the inmate did something to lose the work release privilege and has been returned to the general population and it no longer eligible to leave the compound for work in the public space.

yes, under the direct supervision of the county

It probably takes a week or so for them to get settled and assigned to a work detail.

Work release inmates get a paycheck, however, they have to give 1/3 to 1/2 of the gross proceeds back to the institution.

This is a classification abbreviation - it refers to the lowest level of custody where and inmate will have the opportunity to get some work release time which allows the inmate into the public domain for work, and then go back to the facility in the evenings.

Someone on the outside has not ability to influence whether an inmate is granted work release. The decision-makers inside the prison select inmates with a short sentence and have exhibited perfect behavior, no incident reports, no drama. Best advice you can give them is to "behave like a model prisoner".

The answer is that they can and sometimes will test work release inmates everyday - before and after their shift..