Service policies and procedures concerning the granting and use of work release are intended to respond to the need for quick, flexible and relatively secure arrangements. Institutional heads have the power to authorize a work release for up to 60 calendar days at a time and can impose any conditions they consider reasonable and necessary to protect society. Apart from having to act fairly in granting, refusing or cancelling work release, institutional heads have nearly absolute authority over work releases. Their only constraints are community responsiveness, prison operational needs and individual initiative. There is, therefore, great potential for expansion work release as both the legislation and the Service have left the details to those most closely connected to the local employers and communities.
Standard procedure requires that a supervisor be designated for each structured work release.
Further, the Service must ensure that every work release is appropriately structured for the circumstances and risk factors presented by the inmate's background. The Service must also ensure that the supervisor is aware of these risks and is familiar with proper supervision practices. If the Service does not satisfy these prerequisites, any supervisors or third parties who suffer damages as a result of inmate actions could potentially seek compensation from the Service. Supervisors and employer and community organization representatives are, however, required to sign a waiver of liability that attempts to absolve the Service of blame for wrongful acts committed by inmates on work release. The waiver is intended to emphasize to employers and organizations that they must undertake the supervision of inmates with a reasonable degree of care.