The Value of Nature for
Ourselves, Prisoners, Ex-offenders
"He maketh me to
lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He
restoreth my soul."
from Psalm 23
Where would we be
without nature, our environment, God's creation? A loss of experiencing
the "outdoors" has been documented ("nature-deficit
disorder").
So what are the
advantages for us of having a relationship with natural settings, fresh air and
sunshine, walking in forests, parks, and along shorelines, and eyeing green
landscape aesthetics?
In "The healing
power of nature" by Alexandra Sifferlin, these healthful effects can
include the lowering of blood pressure; stress reduction; the increasing of awe,
energy and a sense of rejuvenation or purpose; the promotion of cancer-fighting
cells; potential help with ADHD (attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder)
symptoms; and may aid with mental health (mood uplifts, less depression and
anxiety).
Some studies propose
that even the images, sounds and smells of nature within the built environment
can offer benefits (source: TIME magazine, 7/25/'16, pgs. 24-26).
And just as time spent
in the natural environment has therapeutic value for everyone from at-risk youth
(Outward Bound programs) to veterans, new research suggests it can help
ex-convicts, those who have spent years cut off from the outdoors, according to
an article by Brian Mockenhaupt, "The Great Escape" (OUTSIDE
magazine, 9/16).
Might nature be a key to
their rehabilitation? Relearning life beyond prison after incarceration
is hard (the challenge of a job search, finding a place to live, breaking the
cycle of bad habits and friends that can lead to more prison time).
"Sponsors", a mentorship group in Eugene OR (Lane County) tries to
implement a program demonstrating what science confirms, that nature is good
for us.
So, the thinking goes,
combine the restorative power of nature and outdoor activities (horseback
riding, rock climbing, confidence-building challenge courses, extended
wilderness trips, bicycling, fishing excursions, etc.) with individual/group
therapy.
Studies show that such,
especially among young offenders, reduces the recidivism, and improves judgment
and decision-making.
"Bringing offenders
into the outdoors---even while they're still locked up---may vent just enough
steam from the pressure cooker to get them back on track."
"Sponsors" is
holistic, offering many re-integration services beyond the
"back-to-nature" program. Founded 43 years ago by Catholic nuns
and community activists, its outdoor therapy program is now six years old, and
the "graduates" are 80% less likely to re-offend after two years
compared with other former inmates.
Within prison, inmates
may have "yard time", fresh air but not much nature. At the
Snake River (OR) Correctional Institution, an experimental "Blue
Room" effort by Nalini Nadkarni is the "first-of-its-kind effort to
connect the most isolated prisoners with the natural world."
Research in other
institutional settings (hospitals, nursing homes, public housing, etc.) showed
that people respond favorably (physiologically, psychologically,
emotionally) to nature imagery. Exposure to the projected nature
imagery in the "Blue Room" had salutary effects (calming, resisting
worst impulses) and thus fewer disciplinary issues.
