For a very long time, offender work crews have been assigned to roadside and other kinds of maintenance and clean-up duties involving public and non-profit facilities and grounds. During the mid 1990’s, the practice was expanded and formalized and is now known as “Project Clean-Up.” Offender crews from all state prisons and several parish facilities pick up and bag refuse along the roadways and rights of way. The crews are supervised by correctional officers equipped with radios and telephones. Project Clean-Up is a partnership between the Department of Public Safety and Corrections – Corrections Services and the Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD). DOTD work crews pick up the bags of litter and mow the public areas.

Offender work crews also work on public service projects, like cleaning a schoolyard playground during the summer months or painting/clean-up work for a non-profit group.

Man hours for both litter crew projects and public service projects are tallied. Below are the numbers for fiscal year 2007-2008 through March.