Suffolk County inmates use photography program for addiction recovery

Twenty nonviolent offenders at the Yaphank Correctional Facility in Suffolk County are participating in an art exhibit featuring photography and collages created through an addiction treatment program. The initiative, part of Suffolk County Sheriff Errol Toulon Jr.’s Addiction Treatment Program, aims to provide tools for rehabilitation to inmates serving convictions for drug-related offenses.

Led by photographer Saskia Keeley, the five-week program taught participants portrait photography and guided them in creating collages that reflect their pasts, present circumstances, and future aspirations. Sheriff Toulon stated that while incarceration is not a substitute for treatment, the department has a responsibility to provide inmates with the tools necessary to make different choices upon release.

The exhibit, which includes works by participants such as Skyler Davis and Sean Hughes Jackson, is displayed in the facility’s visiting lobby through the end of September.