Punta Gorda, Fla - "We had two choices: either sulk about it or come up with ways to do something about it," Lt. Norm Wilson of the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office says.

Facing a leaner budget this year, the Charlotte County jail staff has come up with an innovative idea -- sell ad space for inmates!

The first of the ads is expected to go up Wednesday on the jail visitation monitors.

The county expects the ads to bring in nearly $77,000 a year, and it's believed to be the first of its kind in the country.

On any given night there are nearly 500 inmates in the Charlotte County jail. Many get video visitors, which sparked an idea, and now untapped ad space is up for grabs inside the jail.

"We're trying to give them a lot of resources, but we need money for the resources," Lt. Wilson says.

The county is capitalizing on its captive audience, targeting inmates and their visitors with ads for services they might need -- like an attorney.

"I thought instantly, this is a great opportunity," Attorney Tauna Bogle says.

Bogle is the first advertiser to sign on. Her annual ad costs about $1,500. It will reach an estimated 55,000 jail visitors in just one year.

"It's either the inmate's looking at it or their family or friends, and they're certainly thinking about the fact that they're in jail," Bogle says.

Her ad dollars become income for inmate programs like education and training.

"When we discharge the inmates, we discharge them into the community with better skills than they came in with and hopefully that stops some of the return offenders," Lt. Wilson says.

Plus, it doesn't cost you, the taxpayer, or the jail a thing.

By law bail bondsmen are not allowed to advertise in the jail, but if you want information on how to advertise there, just call Lt. Wilson at the Charlotte County jail at 941.833.6366.