Posted on January 26, 2017
Author Mary Perren, WKVI
Inmates at the Starke County Jail are getting a jump on this year’s garden. Warden Phil Cherry says they planted 15 flats of flower and vegetable seeds this week. Right now they’re in a hallway at the jail and will be moved into the greehouses behind the facility once they get a little bit bigger.
This will be the second year of the garden program. Inmates tend the plants, pull weeds, make sure everything is adequately watered and assist with the harvest. Fruits and vegetables grown by the inmates are prepared in the kitchen and served as part of their meals. Last year surplus items were donated to local nursing homes.
The county’s efforts were recently recognized by the Indiana Department of Correction, which presented the facility it’s Heartland Award. The Starke County garden program received the most votes of any facility in the state in a Facebook contest.
In addition to tending crops, inmates also look after 36 chickens, which produce 20 or so eggs daily.
Showing posts with label Indiana Department of Correction. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Indiana Department of Correction. Show all posts
Thursday, January 26, 2017
Friday, January 13, 2017
Justice Center Receives Heartland Award for Therapeutic Garden Program
Posted on January 13, 2017
Author Abby Adams, WKVI
The Starke County Justice Center’s community garden received The People’s Choice Heartland Award from the Indiana Department of Correction. The award was chosen by residents of Indiana for their successful 2016 harvest. To win the award, the program had to attain the most votes on Facebook and Starke County won by a landslide.
Officials from the IDOC visited the justice center Thursday to present the award. The community garden produces tomatoes, pumpkins, watermelon, and potatoes currently, with plans for even more variety next year. The inmates also keep track of 36 chickens, which produce about 20 eggs a day.
The food that isn’t used to help feed the Justice Center is donated to local nursing homes and food pantries.
Jim Bradford, the IDOC director of culinary arts for vocational reentry, who set up the People’s Choice Award, said he was impressed with the popularity of the facility. “I can’t tell you how much (Starke County) came behind this to support this award. It’s one fine facility.”
Phil Cherry, the jail warden, takes great pride in the program. “Because we’re a farming community, we thought this is something everyone will look at and pay attention to. Their family members are proud of what they’ve done and I think that’s important. We’re excited to expand next year.”
The County Justice Center has had a very successful therapeutic recovery program, with inmates coming in from eight surrounding counties. The inmates are organized into different groups, and mentor each other throughout the program. The inmates had a lot of praise for the different aspects of the program.
“We have GED classes, so some of us who don’t have a GED or a high school education got to participate in that. And I’d just like to say it is a great program.” Said an inmate in the recovery program.
Other inmates brought up being able to participate in raking leaves for the community, and cleaning up the fairgrounds. Inmates also have intensive family re-connection programs, where they get to have family discussions about home life for their return and healing processes within the family.
There are also fun activities for members of the recovery program. They have a dog come in every once in awhile to relieve stress which means a lot to the inmates, as well as football viewing parties.
Author Abby Adams, WKVI
The Starke County Justice Center’s community garden received The People’s Choice Heartland Award from the Indiana Department of Correction. The award was chosen by residents of Indiana for their successful 2016 harvest. To win the award, the program had to attain the most votes on Facebook and Starke County won by a landslide.
Officials from the IDOC visited the justice center Thursday to present the award. The community garden produces tomatoes, pumpkins, watermelon, and potatoes currently, with plans for even more variety next year. The inmates also keep track of 36 chickens, which produce about 20 eggs a day.
The food that isn’t used to help feed the Justice Center is donated to local nursing homes and food pantries.
Jim Bradford, the IDOC director of culinary arts for vocational reentry, who set up the People’s Choice Award, said he was impressed with the popularity of the facility. “I can’t tell you how much (Starke County) came behind this to support this award. It’s one fine facility.”
Phil Cherry, the jail warden, takes great pride in the program. “Because we’re a farming community, we thought this is something everyone will look at and pay attention to. Their family members are proud of what they’ve done and I think that’s important. We’re excited to expand next year.”
The County Justice Center has had a very successful therapeutic recovery program, with inmates coming in from eight surrounding counties. The inmates are organized into different groups, and mentor each other throughout the program. The inmates had a lot of praise for the different aspects of the program.
“We have GED classes, so some of us who don’t have a GED or a high school education got to participate in that. And I’d just like to say it is a great program.” Said an inmate in the recovery program.
Other inmates brought up being able to participate in raking leaves for the community, and cleaning up the fairgrounds. Inmates also have intensive family re-connection programs, where they get to have family discussions about home life for their return and healing processes within the family.
There are also fun activities for members of the recovery program. They have a dog come in every once in awhile to relieve stress which means a lot to the inmates, as well as football viewing parties.
Thursday, August 18, 2016
Starke County Jail to Offer Drug Treatment for Local Inmates
Posted on August 18, 2016
Author Mary Perren, WKVI
Starke County Jail inmates who are awaiting sentencing will soon have access to voluntary drug treatment while they are locked up. The county recently got a grant from the Indiana Department of Correction to add a local program.
Porter-Starke Services addictions counselor Leo Smith says criminal behavior and substance abuse go hand-in-hand.
“Probably 80 percent or so of people incarcerated have an identifiable substance abuse problem, so we want to tackle that part,’ Smith told the county commissioners. “Part of the treatment program is about letting them identify what it is they’re dealing with and how they can deal with it when they get out of there.”
He adds the goal is to help people learn to stay clean and sober and to quit reoffending in order to reduce recidivism through the intensive outpatient program.
Basic addiction identification will be covered, along with relapse prevention triggers for both addiction and criminal addictive thinking. Smith says addressing those issues are critical components of treatment.
Smith plans to conduct two to three groups per week of male and female inmates. He adds treatment doesn’t stop in jail.
“A lot of times people think they get a paper and they’re fixed. Well, we want to take it from the jail into services and keep that continuum of treatment where this person has an opportunity to step out and actually follow up with not coming back.”
Porter-Starke Services will work closely with Starke County Community Corrections and the probation department to ensure inmates continue treatment after they get out of jail. Aftercare components include individual, family and group therapy.
The drug treatment program will formally launch as soon as a memorandum of understanding between Porter-Starke Services and Starke County is signed.
The local program is in addition to the Department of Correction Therapeutic Community that is also housed at the Starke County Jail. It’s for inmates who have been sentenced to the intensive inpatient drug treatment program and is the first of its kind not housed in a prison. The therapeutic community inmates are housed in a separate area of the jail and are not mixed with the county population.
Author Mary Perren, WKVI
Starke County Jail inmates who are awaiting sentencing will soon have access to voluntary drug treatment while they are locked up. The county recently got a grant from the Indiana Department of Correction to add a local program.
Porter-Starke Services addictions counselor Leo Smith says criminal behavior and substance abuse go hand-in-hand.
“Probably 80 percent or so of people incarcerated have an identifiable substance abuse problem, so we want to tackle that part,’ Smith told the county commissioners. “Part of the treatment program is about letting them identify what it is they’re dealing with and how they can deal with it when they get out of there.”
He adds the goal is to help people learn to stay clean and sober and to quit reoffending in order to reduce recidivism through the intensive outpatient program.
Basic addiction identification will be covered, along with relapse prevention triggers for both addiction and criminal addictive thinking. Smith says addressing those issues are critical components of treatment.
Smith plans to conduct two to three groups per week of male and female inmates. He adds treatment doesn’t stop in jail.
“A lot of times people think they get a paper and they’re fixed. Well, we want to take it from the jail into services and keep that continuum of treatment where this person has an opportunity to step out and actually follow up with not coming back.”
Porter-Starke Services will work closely with Starke County Community Corrections and the probation department to ensure inmates continue treatment after they get out of jail. Aftercare components include individual, family and group therapy.
The drug treatment program will formally launch as soon as a memorandum of understanding between Porter-Starke Services and Starke County is signed.
The local program is in addition to the Department of Correction Therapeutic Community that is also housed at the Starke County Jail. It’s for inmates who have been sentenced to the intensive inpatient drug treatment program and is the first of its kind not housed in a prison. The therapeutic community inmates are housed in a separate area of the jail and are not mixed with the county population.
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