Beyond the Bars: Jamestown Inmates Give Everything to Give Back

Inmates at a North Dakota prison are working to help people in need and tie the community together, literally.

One inmate has turned his hobby of jewelry making into a passion for giving.

Most inmates can earn roughly $2 a day for different jobs at the James River Correctional Center in Jamestown.

Some of these inmates are choosing to use their money, time, and resources to give back to people in need this holiday season.

“My mom always says yeah now I can tell everybody my son’s a jewelry maker,” said inmate Eric Loh. 

Eric has been making the past seven years behind bars count.

He says he has made hundreds of necklaces, and will continue to add to that total during his time in the James River Correctional Center.

“My initial thought was I was going to make all these and my sister would sell them all for me, and it was going to be a big business for me, the only people that ever bought them were her or my aunt or something,” Loh said.

Although making jewelry didn’t turn into a business for Eric, it encouraged other inmates to string together for a cause.

The prison allowed three inmates to start making jewelry by putting beads, crosses, and threads together to be distributed through the Salvation Army.

“Many of these inmates don’t have anybody on the outside that care about them anymore, and so for them to open up their hearts and still care about other people is huge,” said Barnes County Salvation Army Chairman Lee Isensee. 

Some inmates say they appreciate being able to make this jewelry to give it back to their friends and family.

“I’ve done, hurt so much…so many people in my family. It’s nice to be giving stuff back, you know, just making amends and stuff with them too,” Loh said. 

Eric isn’t letting the prison walls stop him from spreading Christmas cheer, and threading a community together this holiday season.

“It’s just a nice little way of just saying; hey I love you and thank you,” Loh said. 

Isensee said they will be distributing some of these handmade items through the Santa, Cops and Kids program.

Inmates say they hope to continue making the jewelry and distribute it next holiday season as well.