NUECES COUNTY, Texas — The Nueces County Sheriff’s Office is giving inmates a new way to put their skills to work by selling woodshop creations online.
The woodshop program allows inmates to repurpose scrap wood from discarded pallets and turn it into handmade items. Creations include garden planters, shelves, benches, wall art and crosses. Instead of heading to a landfill, the reclaimed wood is sanded down.
Now, with a new twist, the items are being sold to the public on Etsy.
Inmate, Willie Thomas, said the process gives him a sense of accomplishment.
“It feels good making something out of nothing,” Thomas said.
Shawn Wiggins, another inmate, added that the work offers more than just craftsmanship.
“It’s a sense of freedom,” Wiggins said. “You’re stuck in there [the jail] 24 hours a day and it can get to you. This is a huge opportunity to come out here and be free for a little while.”
Nueces County Sheriff, J.C. Hooper, said the project grew out of earlier training partnerships with Del Mar College that focused on larger construction projects, which were harder to complete given the short average stay at the jail.
By shifting to smaller woodcraft items, more inmates can learn trade skills in a shorter amount of time.
The Etsy shop is managed by sheriff’s office staff, and all proceeds go back into the program to purchase tools, paint and varnish.
Hooper said it’s about more than sales, it’s about rehabilitation.
“Anybody can warehouse humans. Historically, that's what jails and prisons were, just a warehouse,” Hooper said. “You’ve got to do more than just keep your inmates safe and secure. You’ve got to help them improve themselves.”
Not every inmate is eligible for the program. Participation depends on disciplinary records and the nature of the charges they face. Hooper said that makes the woodshop a privilege as well as an opportunity.
The sheriff added that the ultimate goal is to prepare inmates for employment after release by making them more proficient with tools and job site safety.
“There’s so much work out there,” Hooper said. “If they can leave here employable, maybe they won’t come back.”
Customers who purchase items on Etsy must pick them up at the McKenzie Annex, located at 745 N Padre Island Drive. You can also access the woodshop Etsy store by downloading the Nueces County Sheriff’s Office app.
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