Correctional Facility Inmates Focus Lens On Recovery

Twenty incarcerated men battling substance abuse are telling their stories from behind bars through photography, writing and art as part of a new exhibit unveiled Tuesday at the Suffolk County Correctional Facility.

Suffolk County Sheriff Errol Toulon Jr. joined photographer Saskia Keeley and formerly incarcerated participants September 1st to open “A Part of Me Wants to Be All of Me,” an exhibit featuring portraits and collages created by men enrolled in the Sheriff’s Addiction Treatment Program.

The works are the result of a five-week restorative photography and writing workshop held this summer at the Yaphank facility.

Participants learned portrait photography, wrote reflections about their lives and created collages exploring their pasts, present circumstances and hopes for the future. The program also documented participants’ experiences on film.

“At the Suffolk County Correctional Facility, we have made it a priority to provide the men and women in our custody with opportunities to address their addictions, rebuild their lives, and prepare for a better future,” Toulon said.

The Sheriff said unconventional programs can play a role alongside more traditional addiction treatment.

“We have incorporated unique programs including this photography workshop, and have found that they can be tools to help someone reflect and begin to see themselves as more than their addiction,” Toulon said.

The workshop was created by volunteer photojournalist Keeley, fine art photographer and creative director Maura Sullivan, author and facilitator Camille Sweeney and filmmaker and facilitator Jordan Hollender.

The Sheriff’s Addiction Treatment Program serves nonviolent incarcerated individuals whose crimes are connected to underlying substance abuse issues. Participants take part in therapy, meditation, fitness, writing and other traditional and nontraditional recovery programs aimed at helping them overcome addiction and successfully return to their communities.

The photography exhibit will remain on display throughout September in the visiting lobby of the Yaphank Correctional Facility at 200 Glover Drive.