Campbell County Detention Center has 191 females in their facility, 40 female Department of Corrections classified females participate in the Class C/D program. The program offers various work programs for women inmates to provide them with on the job training. Job positions that are offered range from laundry, janitorial and food service positions with in the facility to skill-intensive positions working with civilians in the community.

Now growing in the 4^th season, the garden in the urban part of Campbell County sites on the property of the Detention Center. Previously, produce was grown and cared for by the men’s class C/D program along with partnership with outside agencies and Extension. Due to funding and position cuts, the garden was in question of its continuation. After a committee group met, it was decided that for the first time at the Campbell County Detention Center, women would take on the role of landscaping and gardening along with the supervision of the Extension Horticulture staff. This program allows the women inmates to work outside for the first time and be involved with the community projects while assisting their own efforts at re-entry into society.

Produce and cut flowers are grown are then harvested for use in the kitchen at the center and cut flowers used around the county at senior living facility and hospitals. Each week, Extension staff and a group of ladies meet in the garden to complete garden tasks. For some, this is their first-time gardening, but for others gardening reminds them of their home being with their families. Rain or shine, we are out working in the gardens and the women are very grateful and excited to have the opportunity to get a breath of fresh air. The women have expressed that being outside and gardening has decreased their anxiety, has improved their mental and physical health, and has allowed them to learn a new skill. Extension staff incorporates education into garden work with each opportunity. From soil management, disease and pest identification and management, to harvest and tasting.

In addition to working in the vegetable garden, the group of women designed and installed the landscape in front of the Administration building at the Detention Center. This too, allowed the women to work together as a team and implement a set goal. Their confidence increased and this gave them a taste of responsibility and once again purpose.

To showcase the women’s hard work and dedication, the garden will be one of the farm stops for the annual Campbell County Backyards Farm Tour in July.

Sergeant Fraley, the women’s coordinator states, “As the female class D coordinator I have witnessed a whole new desire from the participants to learn and participate in the garden project. Some of the participants have never experienced this opportunity and hope to take what they have learned from working in the garden to their home life once they are released from our custody”.

U.S prisons and county jails around the country have incorporated gardening into their programs. These gardening programs have shown to increase self-efficacy and self-worth and decrease anxiety in inmates involved in these initiatives. Prison gardening programs are shown to enhance incarcerated individuals’ psychosocial wellbeing in three key ways: 1) increase in self-efficacy and self-worth, 2) decrease in anxiety and depression spectrum symptoms, and 3) reduction in recidivism rates. And as a result, there is evidence for using prison gardening programs as an alternative therapy to treat symptoms of mental illness and to help prisoners gain vocational skills that can be used upon release. With these findings, Campbell County Extension Horticulture staff will continue the partnership with the Detention Center to work with the class D women.

 Source: Jenkins, Rachel, "Landscaping in Lockup: The Effects of Gardening Programs on Prison Inmates" (2016). Graduate Theses & Dissertations. Paper 6.

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