Correction News - North Carolina Department of Corrections

CorrectionSeptember 2005NewsNewsSeptember 2005North Carolina Department of Correction / www.doc.state.nc.us / (919) 716-3700Employeesextend heartsto storm victimsThe devastation of Hurricanes Katrina and Ritahas drawn dozens of Department of Correctionemployees into what one might call theBattle for New Orleans, symbolic of thevolunteer efforts to restore the liveabilityof Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.Correction News askedemployees for reports of theirpersonal outreach to the storms’victims. A summary of thosereports begins with one fromJudicial District 22 ManagerRandy Williams. He wentto Baton Rouge, La., asa Red Cross volunteerproviding securityservice.See HEARTS, page 2Loading a trailer bound for Mississippi at Lincoln Correctional Center are, fromleft, Bryant Lankford (driving the forklift), correctional officer; Tim Scronce(sunglasses), case manager and relief team leader; Kevin Monday (in trailer),correctional officer; and Aaron Stiles (holding trailer door), correctional officer.Pooled resources send supplies, relief team deep into Miss.Among the many stories of employees responding to thehurricane victims is that of Tim Scronce, a case manager atLincoln Correctional Center near Lincolnton. His initiative resultedin a tractor trailer load of badly needed supplies personallydelivered deep into Mississippi, in one of the hardest-hit areas.The day after Hurricane Katrina bulldozed the gulf coast,Scronce contacted a friend in the trucking business, and withintwo hours had a truck with a 52-foot long trailer ready to befilled. The filling began almost immediately, with help fromword-of-mouth advertising, radio station announcements,newspaper ads, posters and fliers.Tim explained that several similar efforts were being madein Charlotte, but he knew the 45-minute drive would discouragewould-be donors.Donations arrived day and night, and even throughthe Labor Day weekend, a holiday which Scronce andseveral others sacrificed for the project.The trailer was full on Sept. 7. In addition to 20air handlers donated by a local businessman, the cargoincluded water, non-perishable food and juices, diapers,toiletries, batteries, flashlights, first aid kits and more.In all, donated supplies were worth an estimated$45,000. About $1,400 in cash had been contributed, too.Not only did the project provide supplies, it also senta team of volunteers to work a few days in Mississippi.To help them get there, two local automobile dealershipsloaned the vehicles to transport the volunteers and escortSee Mississippi, page 7

Page 6Correction NewsSeptember 2005Keep things in perspective, retiree Jimmy Horton saysZEBULON – A successful careerin corrections requires strongcharacter, according to JimmyHorton, who recently retiredas superintendent of FountainCorrectional Center for Womenin Rocky Mount.His 30 years ofexperience attests to hisobservation about the profession, onewhich he said is more difficult than inthe past. Horton began his career asa correctional officer for five years atTriangle Correctional Center, followed bypromotions to sergeant, lieutenant andcaptain at NC Correctional Institution forWomen over a 10-year period. He wasthen named assistant superintendent forcustody at the old Polk Youth Institution,SOUTHERN PINES – “Better than aBroadway show.” That’s how oneattendee described the farewell eventfor Emilio Pagan, retiring superintendentof Morrison Correctional Institution.Some 150 or so family, friends andco-workers joined Pagan for the Sept.30 event that celebrated his career incorrections.Boyd Bennett, director of theDivision of Prisons, presented Pagan theOrder of the Long Leaf Pine.“We’ve put many a challenge infront of Pagan because we knew hecould handle it and he did,” Bennettsaid. “He’s been great to work with andwill certainly be missed.”Pat Chavis, South Central Regiondirector, presented Pagan with a framedletter from Nicky Cruz of the nationallyknown Nicky Cruz Outreach, a ministryprogram directed at juveniles. Beforejoining the department, Pagan wasasked by Cruz to open and run an officebefore a lateral move to Fountainand subsequent promotion there tosuperintendent 6 years ago.“The caliber of inmates is tougherthese days; they’re more assaultive,”Horton said.“Be strong” is his advice for theyoung person seeking a career incorrections.“Be dedicated,” he said. “Showperseverance and courage; without it,you won’t make it.“Keep things in perspective. Youcan’t lose sight of who you are and who[the inmates] are.”Horton said he will miss “a lot ofpeople,” because Fountain is “a goodplace to work.”“It was just time to move on,” hein Fayetteville for the program. The twohad gone to school together in New YorkCity.Many others stepped up to honorPagan, including Tom Ivester, whohired Pagan at Morrison and wrote thedepartment’s policies for alcoholismtreatment, and Rev. Mike Cummings,director of missions for the Baptist StateConvention.Pagan says he’s retiring with mixedemotions.“I’ll miss the daily challenges thatgot my creative juices flowing,” he said.I’ll miss meeting with staff and workingwith them to come up with solutions toproblems.”He hopes to eventually do somecontractual work for the division. Alicensed contractor, Pagan says he mayalso do some speculative home building.Most importantly, he looks forward tospending more time with his family.said.Awaiting him are two grandkidsand his greenhouse, where he cultivatesflowers, vegetables and hanging basketsfor sale. “I always liked to grow things,”he said.Horton and his wife have threegrown daughters and three dogs.Also on his retirement horizon aresome deer hunting and fishing, “mostlyfor crappie.”The son of a career correctionalofficer – his dad, Jeff, retired fromCentral Prison – Horton appreciates hisown time in the profession.“It’s been a good career, a goodliving,” he said. “I wouldn’t trade theexperience. I’m just fortunate to be ableto retire.”Emilio Pagan exit ‘better than a broadway show’Pagan joined theDepartment of Correction in1974 as a correctional officerat Sandhills Youth Institution.He was promoted to sergeantat Sandhills, and later becamea program supervisor andclassification coordinator atMorrison Youth Institution.In 1992, he moved toColumbus Correctional Institution asassistant superintendent for programs.He helped open the new LumbertonCorrectional Institution in 1993 where heserved as its superintendent and priorto that as assistant superintendent forprograms. He became superintendent atMorrison CI March 1, 2003.Pagan attended high school inNew York City, and graduated from theUniversity of North Carolina at Pembrokewith a degree in sociology. He lives inPinehurst and has two adult sons.RetirementsSeptember2005Victor M. Andersonfacil. maint. supv. IVPiedmont Reg.Maint. Yard32.9 yearsJerry T. Baileymanager IVCorrection EnterprisesMarion Sewing Plant9.8 yearsJ.C. Corbettmason supv.Eastern Region Maint.Yard21 yearsEva F. Elmoreunit managerEastern CI17.4 yearsSwannie S. Harrispersonnel tech.Raleigh Regional Office30 yearsMichael A. Martindirector IICorrection EnterprisesAdministrationWake County29.9 yearsJoe L. MasonsergeantEastern CI29.6 yearsSandra E. Porteracctg. spec. IIFiscalWake County32.8 years

September 2005Correction NewsPage 7High 5sRobert Lee Guy, director of the N.C. Division of CommunityCorrections, has become the state’s commissioner tothe national Interstate Commission for Adult OffenderSupervision. Through policy making, review andenforcement, the commission ensuresthe proper, cooperative functioningof the Interstate Compact for AdultOffender Supervision. The compactregulates the interstate transfer of adultprobation, parole, and post-releasesupervision cases, while promotingpublic safety and protecting the rights ofvictims in the movement of offenders.< >Officer Edwin Simpson, PenderCorrectional Institution, was invited toattend the World Conference of SpecialOlympics in Minneapolis, Minn., Oct.26-30. Simpson’s efforts as the NCSpecial Olympics/Torch Run Coordinatorfor Pender County resulted in Pender CIraising more than $17,500 (including a $15,000 corporatedonation). Simpson and Pender CI were specially recognizedfor their results, and Special Olympics will pay for his trip toMinneapolis.< >Four students recently graduated with honors in recentBasic Correctional Officer Training: Nelson Lowers,Lanesboro Correctional Institution; Kendra D. Whidbee,Maury Correctional Institution; Lolen Drain, Central Prison;and Debbie Tester, North Piedmont Correctional Center forWomen.Leadership class graduatesMembers of the recently graduated Corrections LeadershipDevelopment Program enjoyed themselves at the ceremony.Left, George Hedrick, personnel analyst III , Personnel,accompanied by the class mascot, donned his “unity” wigas he spoke for the group. Above, members sing their classsong. In addition to Hedrick, class graduates were JuliaBrigman, assistant superintendent/programs II, HokeCorrectional Institution; Mary Beth Carroll, regional operationsmanager, Division of Prisons; Pete Cole, substanceabuse program supervisor, Alcohol & Chemical Dependency; Larry Dail, assistant superintendent/custody & operationsII, Maury Correctional Institution; Theron Dennis,assistant manager, Judicial District 14; Randy Green,manager V, Correction Enterprises, Brown Creek Correctional Institution; DorisC. Hardy, chief probation/parole officer, Judicial District 8B; James Hardy,assistant superintendent/custody & operations, Nash Correctional Institution;James Lassiter, substance abuse program director I, Alcohol & ChemicalDependency; Max Matthews, training instructor II, Apex; M. L. Paysour,superintendent, Gaston Correctional Center; Michael W. Price, administrativeofficer II, DOP Western Region Office; Mary Stevens, Interstate Compactsupervisor; Randall Turner, assistant superintendent/custody & operations,Sanford Correctional Center; Charles Walston, training coordinator I, EasternRegion Employment Office; Darlyn White, regional operations manager, DOPEastern Region Office; Kim Williford, assistant manager, Judicial District 5;and Ron Young, director I, Correction Enterprises.Mississippi, from page 1Scronce had made contacts in Mississippi, which ledhim to select a church in Jackson for the destination, wherethey arrived at about 7 p.m. on Sept. 9. Early the next morning,they were sent further south, to a small church in OceanSprings, about 15 minutes east of Biloxi.“All of the people there were glad to see us,” ScronceMembers of the Lincoln CC team just prior to heading to Mississippi. Fromleft, front row, Joda Hamilton and Bobbie Jo Williams; middle row,Crystal Grigg, Bryant Lankford, Aaron Stiles, Tim Scronce andKevin Monday; back row, Elaina Spruill and Gilbert Cook.said. “They were running low on most stuff.“The leaders of the relief center at the church said theycould only come up with one word to describe what we did:‘Impressive.’”Scronce’s team also found a surprise at the church: ARed Cross clinic, where they were told they had to get tetanusshots before they could do volunteer work.“The destitution was like a Third World country,”Scronce said. “There were people everywhere just wandering,and sick people everywhere.“It was bad, just really, really bad.”Scronce’s team returned to Jackson, where they workeduntil Sept. 12 in a distribution center, loading trucks perorder and unloading incoming supplies. A church providedthem food and lodging.In addition to Scronce, team members were: Kevin Monday,Crystal Grigg, Bryant Lankford, Aaron Stiles, and GilbertCook, all correctional officers; Joda Hamilton and Bobbie JoWilliams, both case managers; and Elaina Spruill, probationparole officer II, District 27.

Page 8Correction NewsSeptember 2005Moving On Up Promotions in September 2005Ozzie D. Adamssubstance abusecounselor IMorrison CICraig D. Aikenprobation/paroleofficer IIJudicial District 21Forsyth CountyCheryl Aldridgeadmin. officer IInternal AuditSylvia J. AlfordsergeantNC CIWJoeli J. Baldwinacctg. clerk IVHoke CIVarries L. Basnightlead correctionalofficerHyde CIJohn A. Binkmanager IICorrection EnterprisesNew Hanover LaundryJames E. Birthsurveillance officerJudicial District 18Guilford CountyNoah L. Blackmansupervisor IVCorrection EnterprisesSign PlantFranklin CountyRebecca D.Blackmoncmnty. svc.district coord.CommunityCorrectionsCraven CountyJimmy D. BlakesergeantPiedmont CIRobin M. Braswelladministrative tech.Neuse CIScott F. Brewerchief probation/parole officerJudicial Dist. 15BChatham CountyEphriam T.BrickhousecaptainHyde CIBarry C. Brittlead correctionalofficerSampson CICharlene D. Brittpersonnel tech. IIAdministrationWake CountyAnthony K.Buffaloetraining specialist IIBertie CITracie F. Burkeprobation/paroleofficer IIJudicial District 13Brunswick CountyCorey L. Burneyfood svc. manager IMorrison YIAudrey B. Burnsprocessing asst. IVNC CIWMargaret H. Cagleoffice assistant IVJudicial District 29Henderson CountyJeremy L.Carpentercorrectional officertraineeFoothills CIAnna B. Championasst. supt./custody &operationsFountain CCWNorman M.Cherry Jr.probation/paroleofficer IIJudicial District 6BBertie CountyJohn S. Chinnisinfo syst. liaison IIPrisonsAdministrationWake CountyJulie O. Cooperchief probation/parole officerJudicial District 25ABurke CountyChristopherCovingtonlieutenantLanesboro CILeonard G. Cox IIIsergeantMaury CIEdward R. CronksergeantCraven CIAlbert D. Curmonfood service mgr.Craven CIJimmy L. Currinasst. supt./cust. &ops. IIIHarnett CIJohnnie E. DardensergeantScotland CIEdgar A. Deremersupervisor IICorrection EnterprisesMeat ProcessingHarnett CountyStanley W. Drewerytraining specialist IICraven CIThelma D. DudleysergeantWake CCTonya O. EasonsergeantNC CIWDoris L. Evansnurse (RN) supv. IMcCain HospitalLisa A. Faustprobation/paroleofficer IIJudicial District 19ACabarrus CountyRichard E. Fieldschief probation/parole officerJudicial District 26Mecklenburg CountyGeorge A. FranklieutenantScotland CIStanley B. Galesfacil. maint. supv. IVPolk YIValrie B. GilliamsergeantOdom CIDavid L. Hamptonmaint. mech. IVPasquotank CIAndrea N.HarringtonsergeantNC CIWDavid T. HarrissergeantPolk YISammy E. HeatonlieutenantBrown Creek CILinda D. Heavnernurse (RN) leadFoothills CIShari O. HennesseecaptainMarion CICassandra J.HerringsergeantNC CIWRocky S. HolbertsergeantCraggy CCFranklin C.HollowaysergeantWilkes CCTracy L. HornesergeantMaury CIJames L. JacksonsergeantMaury CIWhitaker Jamesfood service mgr. ICaledonia CIEric T. JonessergeantScotland CIAmy M. KahansergeantLanesboro CILukisha N. KnoxsergeantNC CIWSherry S. Larsenprobation/paroleofficer IIJudicial District 21Forsyth CountyBianca D. LawrencesergeantMaury CIRoger D. Leeacctg. tech. IIIColumbus CIMalinee P. Leighnurse (RN) supervisor IMcCain HospitalJames I. Lewisnurse (RN) leadEastern CIWilbert D. Lewisnurse (RN) leadEastern CITommy E. MaddoxcaptainAlexander CIRonald W.Massengilltelecom. eqpmt. tech IEastern Region Maint.YardNancy W. Mauneychief probation/parole officerJudicial District 27AGaston CountyEdward D. MaysergeantPasquotank CIMelvin K. McClainprobation/parole officer IIJudicial District 10Wake CountyRitchie McCrimmonsergeantScotland CIJeffrey D. McGeesergeantAlexander CIRobert W. MeececaptainBrown Creek CIBrent L. Millsapssupervisor IIICorrection EnterprisesUpholstery PlantIredell CountyWilliam Y. Mitchellasst. supt./programs IIPolk YINatalie N. MooresergeantNC CIWJamie B. Mostellerprograms supervisorCleveland CCCathy K. Mozingoadministrativeofficer IWake CCRoger W. MozingosergeantNew Hanover CCMarvin C. MurdocklieutenantAllbemarle CIJacqueline D.Murphychief probation/parole officerJudicial District 26Mecklenburg CountyHerbert T. Perryassist. district mgr.Judicial District 15BChatham CountyJohnny L.Phillips Jr.sergeantMaury CIDonna M. Powellapplicationsdevel. managerData ProcessingGregory R.PoythresslieutenantCaledonia CIPatricia F. Proctorapplicationsdevel. managerData ProcessingRene D. Raefordoffice asst. VPrisons AdministrationWake CountyWilliam P. Robertslead correctionalofficerLumberton CIJane Savatteriexec. asst. ISecretary’s OfficeRobert H.Schultz Jr.personnel tech. IPrisions Admin.Wake CountyRandolph B.ScruggssergeantNC CIWYashanda K. Smithhealth asst. IINeuse CICrystal H. Taylorprograms supervisorFountain CCWJean B. ThomassergeantPolk YICharles D. Thrift Jr.captainAlexander CIJanet L. VicksergeantBrown Creek CIDavid D. WagersergeantPender CIMelissa D. Walladmin. secretary IIMorrison YIJonathan D.Warrenlead correctionalofficerCraggy CCThurman R.Warren Jr.lieutenantCentral PrisonRenee A.Westmorelandprobation/paroleoffice IIJudicial District 17BSurry CountyEllen H. Wileynurse (RN) leadAvery/Mitchell CIBennie C. Wilkinsoffice assistant IVCharlotte CCFrederick A. Wilsonprobation/paroleofficer IIJudicial District 26Mecklenburg County