The City of Coalinga and Claremont Custody Center entered into a joint venture to build a new state of the art animal shelter utilizing inmate labor. The animal shelter was built on Claremont Custody Center prison property and by utilizing inmate labor saved the City 1.1 million dollars in construction costs. In addition the animal shelter is maintained, cleaned and animal care provided by inmate labor which provides an ongoing cost savings to the City.

The City of Coalinga redirected the city Vehicle Fleet Service Center to the Claremont Custody Center which allowed the City to operate with one less City mechanic. The two remaining City mechanics supervise an 11 inmate crew as follows:

• 8 inmate mechanics
• 1 inmate clerk to facilitate paperwork
• 1 inmate tool room clerk to provide tool control
• 1 inmate porter

This program not only provides a cost savings to the City it also provides 11 productive inmate assignments to assist in the preparation of inmates towards their release to parole. In addition this program expands the amount of work that can be accomplished by the City Service Center such as vehicle restoration.