Lake County >> Spearheaded by inmates and several officers, the garden project at the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility has been completed. Its purpose is to engage inmates in rewarding work, as well as be a source of nutrition for them.
While the jail has had numerous gardens in the past, this is one of the few times inmates and correctional staff have come together for such a project, according to Lake County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) Lt. Steve Brooks.
Prior to taking office, Sheriff Brian Martin told staff that he wanted there to be a garden at the facility. He explained that this would allow the inmates to not only have a sense of pride in the produce that they grow, but it would also instill a sense of ownership in the jail as well.
Correctional officer Pickens pushed to have this project move forward and assisted with guiding it to completion. However none of this would have been possible, without the technical expertise of facilities maintenance supervisor Jeff Dolby. He constructed the enclosure and guided the inmates in building the raised beds and the sprinkler system.
There have been numerous donations made toward the project. One of the largest donations was the expert guidance provided by Master Gardener Gabriele O’Neill.
“She donated her time to guide an inexperienced crew of officers and inmates in building a successful garden. She also donated several plants for our garden,” Brooks stated.
If the garden does well, there are ideas to donate the produce to the senior centers and possibly selling any extra at the farmer markets. While this is not a new concept in the corrections setting, the direction of education, ownership, sustainability and community pride is what we at the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility are trying to achieve. “The Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility is no longer just about incarceration,” Brooks stated. “It is also about rehabilitation and education.”
