Farm Pitched For County Lockup; Proposal would have prisoners grow their own food
By Dan McKay
Journal Staff Writer
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Old MacDonald had a farm. Soon, jail inmates could have one, too. They would milk cows and grow their own vegetables under a preliminary proposal broached by Bernalillo County Commissioner Michael Wiener.
He asked the county administration this week to investigate the possibility of starting a farm at the Metropolitan Detention Center on the West Side. The idea, he said, might cut costs by providing food for the jail and could teach inmates some practical skills.
“It would be a strictly voluntary program,” Wiener said Thursday. “I don’t believe you can force anyone in a jail setting to go to work. Probably some compensation and fresh air could make it attractive.”
The idea is a long way from reality. Wiener hopes to have the county issue a request for proposals within 120 days as a way to solicit plans for a demonstration project. He wasn’t sure whether that would require County Commission approval.
“We need to break this recidivism rate, and part of that is teaching these folks self-sufficiency,” Wiener said.
The county spends $3.06 a day feeding each inmate under a food-service contract with a private company, he said. That deal expires later this year, opening the opportunity for a change in how the county feeds inmates, Wiener said.
He envisions starting with a small vegetable farm. Rainwater from the jail roof could be captured for irrigation. The 133-acre site should have plenty of room for farming, he said.
“I don’t have all the answers, but I’m willing to learn,” Wiener said.
The county would want the inmates to be supervised closely and probably would keep them in a fenced area, he said. Only about 25 percent of the jail’s 2,600 inmates are eligible for work programs, such as cleaning up parks or, in this case, farming, he said.
“We’ll look at security first and foremost to make sure the public is protected and that the inmates are monitored closely,” Wiener said.
Commission Chairwoman Deanna Archuleta said she hasn’t decided whether to support Wiener’s proposal. She wants a financial analysis before proceeding.
“Certainly,” she said, “I think all options are available to us to reduce our jail costs. But ... is it truly cost-effective to do that kind of training, or is it more costly to the taxpayer to have all of that in play?”
The jail already offers a charter school and other opportunities for inmates, Archuleta said. Wiener, a Republican elected last year, represents the Northeast Heights, far North Valley and Paradise Hills.
He has more jail ideas. He said a jail in Arizona cut costs by accepting food from stores or restaurants. Some food, he said, is safe to eat but won’t be sold because of its shelf date.
Roofing or landscaping companies that want to expand their work forces might be interested in training inmates who could work after they are released, Wiener said. He also suggested providing dictionaries to help inmates improve their verbal skills.
“We have a large pool of people out there, and I’d like to keep them busy and productive,” Wiener said.
Copyright 2009 Albuquerque Journal