Inmates at the Box Elder County Jail crocheted a lot of things, stuffed toys blankets, scarves and give most of it away.
BRIGHAM CITY – Box Elder County Jail has found a way to have their inmates give back to their community in an unusual way. Box Elder Sheriff’s Lieutenant Alex Evans oversees the jail support services and he said the inmates came to them and wanted to start crocheting.
“We started letting them crochet in the fall of 2022,” he said. “Since then, they have crocheted a lot of things, stuffed toys blankets, scarves. They got quite good at it.”
Some of their crochet goods were donated to New Hope Crisis Center, a nonprofit that provides advocacy for domestic violence and sexual assault. Other charities were also the recipient of the inmate’s goods.
“We do not sell anything. All of the items are donated to a charity,” Evans said. “The inmates can send some of their goods to their family twice a year.”
The unusual program is paying dividends with the inmates as they are more manageable, Evans said.
“These guys just want to give back to the community,” he explained. “They are serving their sentence and while they are doing it, they are making a contribution to society.”
Some of the inmates will be there for years and it helps them pass the time.
“I’ve seen a big change in the management of that section,” Evans said. “They are calmer, and they stay busy. They are crocheting when watching football or basketball games and even while they are watching movies.”
The Lieutenant said crocheting is a challenge for them and it can prepare them for life outside of prison.
When they started the program, they had some old yarn used for other programs. But as they started using more they got a little more creative about how they got more of it.
Crocheting has a lot of benefits like reducing anxiety and stress, helps to relieve depression and is good for brain health.
“We started getting deals online and we have people donate yarn to us,” he said. “I’m really impressed with what these guys do. They really take a lot of pride in what they do.”
Evans said the inmates are trying to give back to the community. They are giving what they make somewhere it can do some good.
The jail has less than a hundred inmates and not all of them are involved in the crochet program.
“These guys made some mistakes and I’m not here to punish them,” he said. “I’m here to manage them. If we can give them the tools to be successful on the outside the more likely we won’t see them again.”
Evans also oversees religious services and other programs at the jail.