Marshall and Alex Pearl in front of one of the horticultural projects that beautify the Warren Correctional Campus. Photos by William McNutt

Warren Correctional Institution is a rather fancy name for a closed security prison with 1500 inhabitants, and very tight security. Located near the biblically named city of Lebanon, in what not too long ago was a rural area about 25 miles northeast of Cincinnati, this Ohio prison offers horticultural training programs. Alex Pearl, instructor at Warren, our required tour guide reported that various training courses are offered at all prison locations, even maximum security. In addition to horticulture, course work in electronics if offered at Warren Correctional, as well as the nearby Lebanon Correctional Institution, an older facility at the same security level also known as the maker of Ohio license plates.

Other training offered in Ohio’s prison system includes office technology, auto collision and detailing, baking, barbering, carpentry, draftsman, heating and ventilation technician, masonry, plastering and dry wall, flooring, production agriculture, welding, power equipment maintenance and repair, cosmetology, and commercial art. Training is primarily vocational in nature, designed to help place former inmates in occupations that will enable them to make a living, and not return to former habits. A measure of how successful such programs are in the fact that Ohio’s “return to jail” rate, or “recidivism” in more technical language, is now down from a former 60 percent to 10 percent.

For the more than half of those incarcerated who are school dropouts, arrangements can be made to receive a GED. In today’s society, with fewer and fewer manual labor type jobs available, this degree of training is the least requirement needed for future success. Two job fairs a year are held at the prison with potential employers, who must indicate prior to granting interviews that they are willing to hire convicted felons. Needless to say, such interviews are conducted under tightest security measures.

All Ohio prison school systems offer similar courses with state certified teachers in all subjects offered. All are charter schools in the Ohio Central School system, a special entity created for this program. Pearl, a New York state native, who began teaching in Ohio in 1991, gained teaching credentials at Ohio State. Prior to that he earned bachelors and masters degrees in horticulture from the New York State University system, followed by 20 years experience in garden center and landscape architecture outlets.

Sixteen students are permitted in each class, with two class cycles each year. According to Pearl this would be the equivalent course offering in a two-year Joint Vocational School devoted to post high school education. Course work includes math training, making business presentations (including a trial run in front of other students), variety selection, ordering supplies, setting up work schedules, and - not least important - the acquisition of social skills necessary to live and be successful in society. Pearl stressed that successful rehabilitation means becoming prepared to work and make a living in the world as it is now - not as those undertaking correction would like it to be. Memorization of difficult varietal names is necessary, plus the ability to repeat and understand what has been told to them. Not easy for those who spend all their early life in “normal” family and educational settings, doubly hard where parental influence is nil and school experiences are mostly negative.

Those who make it through horticultural course work are certainly qualified to work in any garden center or landscape operation in Ohio, plus all facets of greenhouse operation. Top echelon graduates would be well qualified to become supervisors or managers in any enterprise related to production and sales in these specialty areas. Marrs and Marshall were two selected by Pearl as examples of successful transitions toward leadership in future horticultural endeavors - last names are universally used in order to put staff and inmates on an equivalent basis. Marrs has already achieved his Master Technician Certification, and is serving as guide and mentor to Marshall, beginning what is in effect an apprenticeship toward the same goal. This yearly certification test is offered during the annual meeting of the Ohio Landscape and Nursery Association, taking place during their annual convention annual short course each January in Columbus. Obviously participants under statewide lock up are not allowed to travel, but given special testing by a visiting team under the sponsorship of OLNA.

An essential part of the course work involves team design of a landscape project involving flowers, placed at various locations in the prison yard, where inmates congregate daily. Two man teams are responsible for every phase: drawing plans to illustrate the final appearance, listing supplies needed and getting them ordered, sequence of soil preparation and nutrient feeding, plus planting and subsequent care, including pruning and clipping. Judging is eagerly awaited, done by teams of outside experts contacted by Pearl. Of all exhibits accomplished in 2006, Marrs’ was declared the best, this year his team effort placed fourth. Now he is mentoring Marshall, as they prepare for another competition. No information on individual term limits is provided, but he should have no problem finding future employment.

Two sales annually of greenhouse harvested product to staff members are held each year - minimum security locations have more - with staff attendance allowed under controlled conditions. Sales provide the budding horticultural experts the opportunity to interact with the public, find out which of their pre-planting selections are selling, and which are not, so plans for the coming year can be determined. There are also fundraisers to provide income for needed supplies, seed and equipment - in short the same type learning experience that private growers have to undergo.