The Jones County Sheriff’s Department is a step closer in establishing an inmate-operated garden on Highway 11 near the Jones County Adult Detention Center.

Sheriff Alex Hodge has gained the approval of the Jones County Board of Supervisors to begin preparing about an acre of land for the garden that will produce food to help feed inmates.

“We’re getting ready to get the soil prepped, limed and fertilized,” said Hodge. “We will clean everything up and we should be ready to start planting sometime around Good Friday.”

Hodge said non-violent offenders will work and maintain the garden. They will be given the opportunity to learn skills they can use once they are released.

Hodge has visited the Hinds County Penal Farm in Raymond and talked to Hinds County Sheriff Malcom E. McMillin to gather information about farms operation. He also made a similar visit to the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola, which is nicknamed “The Farm.”

“Both of them already have successful programs in place,” said Hodge. “We believe we can establish a successful program here in Jones County.

“Our program here will be on a much smaller scale than those two programs, but our ultimate goal is to add additional programs, perhaps something like body shop,” said Hodge. “Our ultimate goal is to reduce the recidivism rate in the county.”

According to Hodge, 85 percent of those released from prison in the state of Mississippi return. “Eight out of 10 come back,” he said. “We want to try to do everything we can to save taxpayer’s money.

“We want to teach these inmates skills that will help them become productive citizens, as well as productive members of the workforce.”

To help Hodge launch the program, District One Supervisor Johnny Burnett gave Hodge $5,000 from his special escrow account for the garden project. The funds are to help the sheriff get whatever is needed to get the ground ready for the planting season.

Hodge said the garden will include such items as corn, cucumbers, squash, beans and peas.

“We’ll save quite a bit of money growing some of the food ourselves,” he said. “We believe it to be a worthwhile project.”