Although the Davis County Jail is a correctional facility, the Sheriff and other staff members’ focus is not just to correct or punish but to help those incarcerated to learn the skills needed to be productive members of society when they leave. The jail has developed a variety of programs to help inmates enter back into the community successfully.

“We’re doing a bit of cleanup as we recover from COVID,” said Stefanie Shumaker Rydman, programs coordinator. “We’re boosting programs again. A variety of churches had provided services for years before COVID. Now they’re starting to come back in.”

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Jehovah Witnesses, Catholic services, Tree of Life Ministry are among the religious groups and there are two Bible study groups, she said. “The Tree of Life is non denominational. We’ve had inmates requesting more than LDS and Catholic. We want to understand local Davis County communities and work with county resources.”

The Calvary Baptist Church offered to hold a Christmas service, said Rydman. “They’d start in a few housing units with music and rotate.” 

Rydman said they’re also trying to figure out some one-on-one Bible study. “There are inmates in the lockdown pod that can’t attend. They can make requests.There are services every week, on the weekend and in the evening. There is something every day.”

Rydman holds a master’s degree and a degree in teaching. “I’m a big education person,” she said. “I looked at the adult high school education program as an immediate resource. I wanted to really make sure that inmates work on high school graduation while they’re here. I believe that education is part of making something of yourself.”

Whenever there’s a graduation coming up, Rydman is notified. “It’s inspiring what you can do with a diploma,” she said. 

Some people are in a court ordered program, said Rydman. “They come here because they had some kind of addiction. Some are involved in drug court. They start here and spend six months in jail and six months out of jail.”

One man was in the six month court ordered program, she said. “He started at the beginning of April. He only had one credit and needed to get to 24 credits to graduate. He graduated in July and will finish before he gets out. We want to make sure the judge knows. It’s a huge deal because he’s surrounded by people who are not that motivated.”

He needs to know that he just accomplished a great deal, said Rydman. “He was motivated and he’s been successful out of jail. I hope he’s on a better path. It’s a cool story. I love those.”

“There are multiple faiths who spend time over there,” said Lakeview Hospital CEO Troy Wood, who volunteers at the jail. “There are volunteers that have been there 10 plus years and they love what they do. Nobody ever wants to stop. It’s meaningful.”

Wood teaches on Sunday and Wednesday. “I’ve enjoyed it so much I don’t know if they’ll ever get me out of there.”

“Religious groups have been awesome,” said Chief Deputy Arnold Butcher. “It’s not only religion but they do other programs like 12 step recovery.”

Volunteers stand with jail personnel including Chief Deputy Arnold Butcher (second from right). Some volunteers have been serving for over 10 years. Courtesy photo.

A high percentage of inmates want to come and truly seek to become different, he said. “Some come because they’re bored but you never know it could trigger something that can help make a difference in their life.”

Butcher said they’re taking a different approach at the jail. “We’re changing the culture. In the past there wasn’t a focus on drug abuse and mental health. They go hand in hand. We have a psychiatrist with Davis Behavior Health that offers telehealth twice a week. That has helped tremendously. We look at the individual when they’re about to be released and consult with DBH to say ‘how can we help?’”

Some correctional facilities are just happy to get rid of them, he said. “If they don’t get the help and treatment they need, who is responsible for that? We’re trying to do our part and not just say it’s not our problem.” λ