For Fred, a prisoner serving a 10-year sentence at the Maine State Prison in Warren, incarceration is an opportunity to improve himself.
"I knew right off the bat that when I was going away for a long time that I had to do something with myself while I was here," Fred says. "I wanted to do something to change. I wanted to come out better than I came in."
For the last 188 years, Maine's five state prisons have provided prisoners with the unique opportunity to learn forestry, woodworking, and carpentry skills during their incarceration. It is a popular program—prisoners must apply to be a part of it, and many will wait years to be accepted—that continues to have an impact on the men who are a part of it.
"I've been here, I think, 14 months now, and it's the longest I've ever had a job—ever, in my life," Fred continues. "That's got me excited for when I get out. I'm getting used to getting up and going to work every day. And I think that's going to make a big difference for me when I hit the streets."
WOOD PRODUCTS INDUSTRY
The Maine Department of Corrections has released a video highlighting the Wood Products Industry in their facilities. It shows how the program has improved conditions and behavior in the prison, and the hope it provides for those men when they are released.
"Is every prisoner that works in here going to be a woodworker? No, they're not," says Ken Lindsey, the industries manager at the Maine State Prison. "But they're going to get job skills. They're going to get people skills."
"I actually, absolutely appreciate the program," says Mickey, who was released from prison in 2014. "It's such good therapy because, remember, idle hands are the devil's workshop."
There are no idle hands in these workshops. The program trains men in all aspects of woodworking—from harvesting wood at the facility in Charleston, to the creation and finishing of products in shops like the one in Warren. And the products produced are sold in two different stores in the state, accounting for $1.9 million annually, which is enough to make the program self-sustaining.
A CULTURAL CHANGE
Steve, who is serving a 35-year sentence, sees the benefit of producing something with his own hands and the pride that comes from it. He also notes the way it has changed the culture of the prison. "I think that helps a lot with these people," he says, nodding at his fellow prisoners in the shop. "Lets them know that somebody cares. ... This program is one of the best things I have seen happen here for the inmates. People are trying, more or less, to stay out of trouble to get [into the program]."
Vic, a former program participant, is now using the skills he developed in prison in his new job. "The things that I learned in the prison helped me tremendously," he says, "but it's more. ... before I felt like I had to do it. Now, I want to do it."
Vic's enthusiasm for his work is shared by his employers. "We feel blessed to have had the stars align to get this man into our lives and into our business," says Jamie Doubleday, owner of Mystic Woodworks.
"My life has never been better," Vic concludes. "And all because I ended up in Maine and got into trouble. It's funny how things work out."
The Second Prison Project seeks to ensure that former prisoners like Vic and Mickey are given an opportunity to give back to their communities and fulfill their potential as citizens. To learn more about the Second Prison Project, and how you can be a part of changing perceptions of men and women with criminal records, click here.