Prison can be a dark, lonely place. The isolation; the ever-present threat of violence; the cold, bare walls and heavy iron bars—it’s not surprising that some of those inside corrections facilities struggle with maintaining their emotional and mental health.
And that struggle is not just limited to prisoners.
The men at California Medical Facility have turned a prison yard into their own personal Eden.
The program in Vacaville is a product of Insight Garden Program (IGP), which exists to rehabilitate prisoners through horticultural education. Prisoners learn the basics of environmental responsibility, as well as practical permaculture gardening skills.
“Hey babe! We’re releasing an inmate,” the prison warden spoke into his phone. “He’s coming to our town. No, he’s not safe at all … [We don’t let him] out for programs. He’s too dangerous, he might assault somebody. Anyway, he’s paroling to our city.
Incredible. Outstanding. Changed my paradigm and my outlook. Extremely impressed. What could these comments be about?
A group of 41 current and former prison and corrections officials, policy experts, and Prison Fellowship staff gathered in Boston for the Warden Exchange’s second residency.
What is the image that comes to mind when you think of a prison warden?
What does it take to be a prison warden?
The answer to that question is rapidly shifting.
“Corrections has changed,” explains Warden Chris Hendry, Martin Correctional Institution (Indiantown, Florida). “We’re not ‘prison bosses’ anymore. We’re not in the same environment we used to be.”