This Year’s Benton Co. Inmates Will Be In Stripes

Straight out of those old chain-gang movies, the black-and-white striped jail uniform is becoming the new garb for Benton County inmates.

The inmates have been wearing pumpkin-orange outfits. But similar clothing is becoming more common outside the jail, said jail commander Capt. John Hodgel. City work crews, for example, are increasingly wearing the same shade of orange to make sure motorists can see them working along roadways.

“All of a sudden, they (inmates) didn’t stand out nearly as much,” he said.

After considering an array of options, Hodgel settled on the black and white striped outfits for most jailbirds.

Inmates charged with the most serious crimes or those who cause the most problems will wear white from head to toe. Trustees, those deemed the most trustworthy, wear burgundy outfits.