The sheriff, upon approval of the legislative body of the county, may establish a work release program pursuant to which prisoners, sentenced to and confined in any county jail under his jurisdiction, may be granted the privilege of leaving confinement for the purpose of working at gainful employment, participating in a privately or publicly sponsored program of vocational training, with or without compensation, or attending an educational institution. The work release program may also include the release from confinement during necessary and reasonable hours for the purpose of caring for the prisoner's family.
New York Legal Code