Now 10 days old, the work release program at the Rappahannock County jail seems to be working well.

"Knock on wood, everything has been going smooth," said Sheriff Connie Compton Smith in an interview Tuesday.

Originally there were six inmates scheduled to go on work release; however, only four are working and two are still trying to find jobs, according to Smith.

"Everyone has been where they were supposed to be when we went out to check on them, and there have been no problems with the GPS units," said Smith.

Since the program started July 14, three inmates have been transferred to Rappahannock County from neighboring jurisdictions to participate in the program. "These inmates are currently looking for jobs," said Smith.

"It is the responsibility of the inmate to find a job, not the Sheriff's Office," said Smith. The inmates have access to classified ads to help them find work.

All inmates in the work release program are tested daily for alcohol use and weekly for drug use. If the inmate comes back positive for either one, the inmate can either be suspended from the program or terminated from the program. They could also "face the possibility of additional charges," said Smith.

Not since the mid-1990s has the county jail had a work release program.

An inmate is fitted with an ankle bracelet as part of the tracking system as well as a GPS unit. Inmates may leave the jail as early as 6 a.m. and return no later than 6 p.m.