Greenhouses give prisoners balance to prevent re-offending

Greenhouses and gardening can bring out the best in all of us, and that is why a Rotary Club in the USA has chosen to build a greenhouse for inmates of the local prison.

The greenhouse at the Lemon Creek Correctional Center in Juneau, Alaska was built with $13,000 of Rotary Club funds.  Members and volunteers of the local club considered that the opportunity to do some gardening would be therapeutic for the inmates and so chose the venture as their annual community service project.

Their role stopped there though, as the prisoners will have the enjoyable task of choosing plants and vegetables to grow in it.

The prison warden, G Scott Welland said that he saw the greenhouse as an educational opportunity to learn about horticulture and landscaping.

If inmates can gain experience of working with nature, then it is hoped that this will give them a better outlook and prevent re-offending following their release.

Gabriel Ash’s Robin Parker commented: “We fully support projects such as this. Many of our greenhouse owners do charitable works such as Rotary Club campaigning and we are delighted that the effect of our products reaches out to all levels of society.”

See the full story at http://juneauempire.com/local/2012-11-12/prison-yard-greenhouse-complete

Author: Robert Smith