SWAP was started in 1984 to alleviate jail overcrowding in the county. The program originally offered an alternative sentence to convicted drunk drivers. Offenders are charged a $25 registration fee as well as $1 for every hour they work. These fees cover the costs of transportation and safety vests. More than 32,000 offenders have participated in SWAP, which has the reputation of being a tough program, with 80 percent successfully completing their sentence. How jail time translates into SWAP time is up to the judge's discretion, but usually follows a day-for-day pattern. The offender and supervising officer select the timetable that will allow him or her to complete the sentence in the most timely fashion. SWAP sentences do provide flexibility to allow offenders to continue attending their job or school. Each day, SWAP participants report to one of seven locations across the county and are then divided into smaller work groups. Jobs include painting, pulling weeds, sweeping streets, and washing vehicles. All SWAP labor is performed by hand. SWAP officials estimate that only 20 percent of participants are convicted of new crimes after completing the program, compared to a 70-75 percent recidivism rate for offenders given jail sentences.