495 Prison Master Gardener Program Contributes to Improved Social and Vocational Skills

Abstract

Patuxent Institution, a maximum security prison in central Maryland, enlisted Maryland Cooperative Extension (MCE) in 1996 to develop a master gardener (MG) program for inmates as part of its horticultural therapy program. The twin goals are to improve inmate social and coping skills and provide vocational training in horticulture. The program has graduated 30 certified master gardeners over three training cycles. Selected trainees are carefully screened and must complete a preliminary horticulture course before entering the MG program. To earn the MG certificate, inmates receive 65 hours of training, pass a 100-question closed-book exam, and contribute 40 hours of service to the program. The inmates apply their knowledge to a 2-acre garden site that includes a production greenhouse. Placing released inmates in green industry jobs is an important program goal. The program has two unique features: 1) inmates are taught by MG from surrounding counties and MCE faculty. MG volunteers who present subject matter, earn volunteer credit for their participation, gain experience in a horticultural therapy setting, and express a high degree of satisfaction teaching and interacting with inmates. 2) All horticultural crops are produced organically by the inmates (all of whom have a substance abuse history) to demonstrate that life can be nurtured without chemical substances. One self-report research instrument showed that participants had a decreased vulnerability to addiction.