Creating a Garden in a Community-Based Corrections Facility in the US Midwest

This chapter discusses the establishment of an educational garden project within a women’s community-based correctional facility (CBCF) in a mid-sized town in the US Midwest. In contrast to the US Southeast project, this garden is located in a CBCF, which constitutes a part of a prison diversion program. Programming in a CBCF includes substance abuse treatment, job training, educational services, and cognitive skills, and is based on evidence-based practices in corrections. The women are confined to the facility for the first 30 days, but as they progress through the program, they have access to the community and are encouraged to obtain and maintain employment. The chapter will briefly outline how the garden was established using a clinical sociological approach and through collaborations with community partners (clinical sociologist, local extension office, and local community garden nonprofit). It will address challenges of the program implementation, including organizational buy-in, scheduling issues, transitional population, and funding. Strategic planning workshops for the improved continuation of the program in the follow-up year are also discussed. We present the multi-method research and program assessment design that was collaboratively developed, yet only partially carried out due to the COVID-19 pandemic.