"I Grow Every Day, like Plants.” An Evaluation of a Gardening Program for Women in a Residential Community Corrections Setting

Abstract

Therapeutic gardening in corrections is a positive and rehabilitative intervention, yet research on its effects on well-being is lagging. We present findings from a pilot gardening program in a residential community corrections facility for women based on analyses of data including anonymously written reflections of participants, interviews with community partners, and ethnographic observations of the program. Data demonstrate that along with acquiring technical skills, women reported mental and physical benefits, such as therapeutic and de-stressing effects for better mental health, increased exercise, and improved understanding of the role of nutritious food in overall health. We also identified interactional effects that aid in building team culture, promoting client-staff interaction, and developing positive relationships and stronger social skills among participating women. We argue that gardening provides low-cost programming that contributes to better health outcomes, empowerment and holds the potential to create a space of agency; centering women’s voices while creating an additional source of nutritional food in correctional facilities.