Madison -
Inmates at the Somerset County Jail are gaining a sense of purpose, while saving the jail money and helping feed the prisoner population, by raising pigs.
The jail is raising eight pigs that eventually will be turned into sausage to feed the roughly 165 inmates.
Chief Deputy Dale Lancaster says he estimates the pigs will save the jail about $600 in food costs.
He tells the Kennebec Journal, raising pigs offers training and outdoor activity for inmates to discourage recidivism. He says four or five inmates will eventually be involved.
Inmate Steve Guy Booker of Skowhegan says he works about two hours a day feeding and watering the pigs and freshening their bedding.
He calls his task "enjoyable" because it gets him out of his cell.
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