News

Making waves in the community, Ray County Sheriff Scott Childers started the Inmate Work Program and stopped it — all in a span of five months. “Due to complaints from the county’s prosecuting attorney, the sheriff’s office has halted the Inmate Work Program,” said Childers.

After anonymous letters trailed west Ray County, near Elkhorn, being placed on citizens’ mailboxes regarding the Ray County Jail’s “Inmate Work Program” – Ray County Sheriff Scott Childers and Ray County Prosecuting Attorney Camille Johnston both spoke on the matter. The letter states there is an “alarming event happening in our county.” It explains how the sheriff allows prisoners out in the community to work among people including women, children, seniors, disabled citizens, and the victims associated with the crimes of the jail occupants.

Socialization in midlife can have a profound impact on individuals as they approach their golden years. A 2019 study led by researchers at University College London found that being more socially active in your 50s and 60s predicts a lower risk of developing dementia later in life. The study used data from a previous study that tracked more than 10,000 participants between 1985 and 2013. Participants in the study completed cognitive testing from 1997 onwards. Researchers found that someone who saw friends almost daily at age 60 was 12 percent less likely to develop dementia than someone who only saw one or two friends every month. Strong associations between social contact at age 50 and subsequent dementia were also uncovered. The study supports the idea that remaining socially active in one’s 50s and 60s can benefit long-term cognitive health.