PHILIPSBURG:--- The Judicial Institutional Services (J&IS) in partnership with the Miss Lalie Center (MLC), successfully hosted a “Sip and Paint” rehabilitation event on Monday, December 8, 2025. The initiative provided inmates with a constructive and creative outlet designed to promote emotional well-being and personal development.
The event was facilitated by J&IS Probation Officers Ivan Plantein, Samantha Phillips, and Shakainah Pompier, with support from MLC Pedagogic Worker A, Mr. Merkman, and the rest of the team, who offered motivational guidance and created an atmosphere that encouraged open expression and self-reflection.
Throughout the session, participants explored painting as a means of relaxation and communication. In a spontaneous, uplifting moment, inmates encouraged 1 Pedagogic Worker and 1 Correctional Officer to join the activity, sparking a friendly “inmates versus MLC Team” art challenge. This interaction fostered trust, mutual respect, and positive engagement between staff and inmates, key objectives in both agencies’ rehabilitation efforts.
During the reflection phase, inmates expressed gratitude for the opportunity, noting that many had not participated in creative activities since their school years. They described the session as calming, inspiring, and a valuable escape from the daily pressures of incarceration. Several participants requested similar creative expression programs in the future, emphasizing the benefit of incorporating creative outlets into their rehabilitation journey.
J&IS facilitators also praised the event’s impact. “Seeing the inmates tap into their creativity was truly rewarding,” one officer noted. “These activities strengthen communication, build confidence, and support the broader goal of meaningful rehabilitation.” From a probation perspective, this activity also strengthened essential human skills such as emotional regulation, patience, focus, respectful communication, teamwork, and self-awareness, all of which are critical for successful reintegration into society. Creative expression activities are often underestimated in rehabilitation, yet they play a decisive role in helping individuals process emotions, reduce stress, and develop healthier coping skills, said the Director of J&IS, Cynthia Clarke-Filemon.
Both J&IS and MLC confirm their commitment to expanding rehabilitative programming through continued creative, educational, and therapeutic initiatives that build life skills, support behavioral change, and prepare inmates for successful reintegration into the community.
