Two politically connected families have been found to be the primary beneficiaries of the inmate day-labor program in Sussex County.
The Wilmington News Journal reports that this is the result of a nearly two-month investigation by the Delaware Department of Correction.
The paper reports that only state representative John Atkins and his father-in-law David Allan Baker are listed as people who took out inmates for single-day work assignments this year.
In addition, Chip West, the son of former state Representative Charles West was the other main user of the program since 2007.
But in the 11-page letter to the Delaware Attorney General Correction Commissioner Carl Danberg said he found no evidence that there were exclusive arrangements.
Nor, he said, is there any evidence that it was “a political perk”.
Danberg added the small size and irregular use of the day-labor program was a factor in the lax procedures.
When the program was abruptly shut down in June it was found there were few documents tracking how it was used.
