Butler County Prison is changing its policy about work release prisoners following a recent injury to one of those prisoners.

The county has entered into an agreement to purchase an insurance policy from American International Group, or AIG, that will cover any work release prisoner who is injured on the job.

The issue came up because of a dispute between the county and the city over a $1,300 bill for a foot injury a year ago. A prisoner who was approved for work release was assigned to the city public works department and hurt his foot when a manhole cover fell on it.

"It was not a serious injury. We got X-rays. He had a broken toe. He was back to work in the program within a couple of weeks," Warden Rich Gigliotti said.

As for the $1,300 medical bill, the county wanted the city to pay, and city solicitor Jim Coulter said it was not the city's responsibility.

Mr. Gigliotti said past practice -- which is limited -- had the municipality paying for any injuries that occurred to work release prisoners who were employed on a municipality's behalf. The warden said only a "handful" of injuries have occurred and in prior instances, the municipality paid for the related medical bill.

The county already paid the medical bill for the foot injury, said county solicitor Julie Graham. But Mr. Gigliotti still is trying to persuade the city to reimburse the expense. The inmate who was hurt has not sued the county or the city.

The work release program is for prisoners who are allowed by the court either to go to their day-jobs then report to the prison at night or for those who do not have a job but who are approved for work release that involves community service to municipalities.

The program has been in operation about 20 years, Mr. Gigliotti said.

The new policy will have the county prison pay the annual $800 premium to AIG from the prison commissary fund. The fund accrues money from prisoners buying personal items from the commissary or from prisoners who pay into the commissary to make personal phone calls.

The monthly premium of $5.83 per participant would be paid by the inmate who wants to participate in the work release program.

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