In September, 1996 the man dubbed by the media as "America's toughest sheriff" Joe Arpaio, formed the first women's chain gang. Arpaio, whose district includes all the prisons and jails in Maricopa Couty, Arizona, has instituted several controversial reforms since taking office. He not only banned coffee and smoking among both male and female inmates, but made all male inmates wear pink underwear to humiliate them. The women on the chain gang are generally incarcerated for minor offenses, but have been sent to lock down for violating prison rules. They volunteer for the program. Wearing black and white striped uniforms, the chain gang detail performs duties including removing trash from public highways, clearing tumbleweeds from empty lots, and digging graves at local cemetaries. Women who successfully complete a 30 day chain-gang program earn a diploma and are allowed to rejoin the prison population.