Home Confinement

Home Confinement

Kanawha County Home Incarceration Program

The Home Incarceration Act, also known as the Home Confinement Program, was established in the mid-1980s under the direction of the West Virginia State Supreme Court of Appeals. Crafted by lawmakers from Kanawha County, this legislation allowed offenders to serve their sentences at home, under strict supervision, as an alternative to incarceration. In 1995, Kanawha County implemented its own Home Confinement Program, now the largest in West Virginia. It is managed by the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office and staffed by a Chief, six full-time officers, and an office manager, overseeing an average of 225 clients.

The Purpose of Home Confinement

The Home Confinement Program provides offenders with the opportunity to serve their sentences at home, as long as they adhere to strict monitoring conditions. This program benefits both offenders and the community by:

  • Allowing clients to live at home with their families, maintain employment, and reintegrate into society

  • Offering offenders a chance to become productive members of the community

  • Reducing the financial burden of incarceration on taxpayers

  • Requiring clients to pay a fee, which helps defray some of the operational costs (though the fee does not fully fund the program)

Professional and Thorough Monitoring

All Home Confinement officers undergo training with the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office and have a background in law enforcement or corrections. They receive ongoing training to meet and exceed West Virginia’s state standards.

Officers perform unannounced visits to ensure compliance with program rules and court orders. They look for signs of:

  • Drug and alcohol use

  • Unapproved associations

  • Curfew violations

Random drug screenings are conducted, and violations can lead to removal from the program and incarceration at South Central Regional Jail.

Monitoring Technology

A range of advanced technologies and devices are used to monitor offenders’ compliance, including:

  • GPS ankle bracelets for real-time location tracking

  • Drug and alcohol field tests

  • Breathalyzers to detect alcohol use

The GPS monitoring system allows for the tracking of an unlimited number of clients and alerts officers of any potential violations or equipment tampering.

Success Stories

While violations may stand out, it’s important to remember the success stories of clients who turn their lives around through the program. Many participants:

  • Secure and maintain employment

  • Complete rehabilitation programs

  • Obtain educational degrees and certifications

For those committed to moving beyond the criminal justice system, home confinement can be the first step toward a successful and fulfilling future.

Home Confinement Program Rules can be viewed by click the link below.

Rules

Phone: 304-357-0532

Fax: 304-357-0476