SUSTAINABILITY IN PRISONS PROJECT

Sustainability in Prisons Project

Project Specifications: Evaluation and Assessment, Communication, Project Development and Management, Report Writing  

The Sustainability in Prisons Project (SPP) is an innovative partnership founded by The Evergreen State College and Washington State Department of Corrections. Their mission is to bring science and nature into prisons. The SPP program received a grant (ultimately moved to the University of Utah when the Principal Investigator moved into a new position) from the National Science Foundation to connect sustainability programs in prisons around the country. Two national conferences were held and 12 prison and jail teams were identified as the first members of a national network.

Lennox Insites provided evaluation services throughout the course of the grant and the initial establishment of the national network.

SITE

Jails and prisons are typically isolated places that few people know about due to legitimate security needs. Our views of incarceration are shaped by the media, political rhetoric and Hollywood movies – none of which are accurate. The vast majority of prisoners or inmates will be released back into the community. Developing relevant sustainability and education programs in these facilities change practices to save money, water and energy as well as engage prisoners providing skills and interests that can be applied in the larger community upon release.

ISSUE

A variety of sustainability-related programs for jails and prisons have been developed in many locales and states. Programs range from gardening to composting from energy conservation to recycling. Other programs raise bees for honey production, fish to sell to zoos for animal feed or captive endangered species (plants and wildlife) for later release. Still other programs include an education component while others include related job skill training that can be applied upon release. Few of these programs knew of each other and fewer still collaborated on projects despite common interests and goals.

SOLUTION

The prominence of the Sustainability in Prisons Program based at The Evergreen State College in Olympia, WA brought interested program teams across the country to the college and Washington State prisons for field visits and consultations. Seeing a need and an interest in forming a national network, the SPP in collaboration with college faculty were awarded a National Science Foundation grant to explore the process of forming a national network and building capacity.

ROLE

LennoxInsites provided evaluation services over the course of the three year grant and the establishment of the national network evaluating two conferences, providing guidance for website development and coaching for the development of the network.