Prison Projects for the Public Good

The New York Times (NYT) reported earlier this year about a Washington State program called the Sustainability in Prisons Project that provides prisoners with the opportunity to engage in habitat and wildlife restoration, among other activities. The program is a partnership between Washington's Department of Corrections and The Evergreen State College. According to the program's website, its mission is to bring science and nature into prisons by conducting ecological research and conserving biodiversity. It also provides financial and social benefits.

The program helps address a budget gap in habitat restoration by performing certain environmental conservation tasks at prison wages. Prisoners benefit by being introduced to a scientific process with a societal benefit. It also encourages good inmate behavior because those participating in the program must not commit violent infractions. Currently, three conservation projects are offered in Washington State's program: (1) raising Taylor's checkerspot butterflies and Oregon spotted frogs, two Washington endangered species, and (2) raising rare, threatened, or endangered native plants for transplant to restoration sites.

According to the NYT article, prisons in other states are seeking ways to operate more efficiently and provide additional benefits. For example, in 2008 Wisconsin began having inmates grow food for prison use. Federal prisons are aiming for zero-net energy use by 2030. And again in Washington State, inmate-operated recycling and composting has reduced the amount of offender-generated waste from 2.9 pounds per day in 2004 to 1.4 pounds per day.

Locally, a program operated jointly by Connecticut's departments of corrections and agriculture cares for and rehabilitates abused large animals with the help of inmate labor. The "Second Chance" Large Animal Rehabilitation Facility is located at the York Correctional Facility in Niantic and, according to the facility's website, over 200 horses have been cared for at the facility.