McAlester News-Capital, McAlester, OK

Breaking News

Features

Offenders feeding offenders garden project

The offenders feeding offenders garden project began when Pittsburg County Sheriff Joel Kerns saw a need to help move prisoners through the jail quickly in order to save county dollars.
Kerns said he started the program as way to ease over-crowding in the jail. “Our beds are full but by having hand-picked trustees actually work off their fines helps to keep the beds available for more offenders. To have someone in jail because of an unpaid $350 fine for 6 months costs the taxpayers more money than what the fine is worth, if you consider feeding, clothing and housing,” Kerns said.
He said with this program, the offender can earn good time; two days served for every one day worked. Kerns said making the offenders work off their time instead of “sleep” off their time makes sense to taxpayers.
The garden has not cost the county taxpayers and depends upon donations from various merchants and residents in the area.
“We have done all of this with donations, well all except those little flags there, we paid $15 for those,” said David Spillman, operations and maintenance manager, as he pointed to a row of small orange flags which line the garden.
“We plan to use what we grow here to not only feed the offenders but we will have enough to donate to places like Youth Emergency Shelter, the Good Samaritan Men’s Shelter and the women’s shelters,” Kerns said.

Contact Jeannie LeFlore at jleflore@mcalesternews.com.

Related Photos

  • On Monday, Pittsburg County Sheriff Joel Kerns shows some of the corn harvested in the as part of the “Offenders Feeding Offenders” garden program. By Jeanne LeFlore

    Garden

Related Links

July 8, 2012

Sheriff, how does your garden grow?

By Jeanne LeFlore Staff Writer

McALESTER — For the second year, Pittsburg County Sheriff Joel Kern’s "Offenders Feeding Offenders” gardening program is exceeding his expectations.

He said the program has been a success with getting the inmates through the jail system faster and with 4,000 pounds of vegetables waiting to be chopped, cooked and served it’s also saved the county money in grocery bills. Now he said he’s trying to make use of the huge amount of vegetables that are still growing in the jail-side garden.

“We have every food-storage space full,” Kerns said. “The inmates get fresh vegetables with every meal.” And just to be sure none of the bounty is wasted, he said he’s bagged about 500 pounds to distribute to senior citizens.

For more on this story, see the print or electronic editions of the McAlester News-Capital. Click here for print edition home delivery or click here to see the Smart Edition for your computer, tablet, e-reader or smartphone.

Contact Jeanne LeFlore at jleflore@mcalesternews.com.

Text Only | Photo Reprints
Features
Seasonal Content
AP Video
Raw: 1 Dead in Shooting at Mo. Apartment Complex Raw: Huge Fire Near Yosemite National Park Raw: Obama Arrives in Berlin 3 Charged in Ohio With Enslaving Mom, Daughter Obama Seeks G-8 Support on Syria Raw: Volcano Erupts Near Mexico City Kid Couture: Spending Big Bucks on Babies Suicide Bombs Target Baghdad Mosque, Killing 29 Military Plans to Put Women in Combat Jobs Solar Power Chargers in NYC Parks Civil Rights Groups Sue NYPD Over Muslim Spying Raw: First Lady, Daughters Enjoy Irish Sights RAW: NSA Director Says 50 Plots Foiled Boeing, Airbus Battle for Sales Supremacy NYC 911 Call Lasts for 8 Hours
NDN Video
RAW: NSA Director Says 50 Plots Foiled Paige Butcher Scorches on Hawaii Beach Video: worst way to load cargo onto a plane Never-before-seen footage of '08 Times Square bomber Obama: NSA Secret Data Gathering 'Transparent' WATCH IT: Lil Wayne tramples American flag Mariah Carey Looks Beautiful in a Tiny Cut-Out Swimsuit Out of Control Boat Throws Passengers Overboard See Lindsay Lohan in Rehab Sofia Vergara Posts Perky Backside Pic in Thong Gaga Ditches Her Crazy Couture Caught on Tape: Teacher Accused of Beating Autistic Child "Stay Classy" Campaign Aims to Curb Binge Drinking Sesame Street Tackling Tough Topic Parents in Jail Miss Utah Fumbles Interview Question Deranged man claims Newark-bound flight was poisoned Cameron Diaz and Kate Upton Show Off Their Amazing Bikini Bodies NBA FINALS: Spurs Win Game 5, Lead Series Exclusive Clip: Jodi Arias: 'Dirty Little Secret' Amphibious bus filled with tourists sinks
Parade
Magazine
Click HERE to read all your Parade favorites including Hollywood Wire, Celebrity interviews and photo galleries, Food recipes and cooking tips, Games and lots more.