N.C. Department of Correction--Correction News--July 1998

News Briefs

Nurse responds to emergency

Driving up on the crash of a tractor and an 18-wheel lumber truck, a member of the Caledonia Correctional Institution nursing staff stopped to help and found the tractor driver seriously injured.

"First, I saw the wheels of the tractor," said Ollie Matthews who was driving down NC 561 from Ahoskie to Tillery June 2. "Then I saw this man laying there with his legs gone," she said. He also had wounds to the head.

"My first instinct was to try to stop the bleeding," said Matthews, a Licensed Practical Nurse. She calmed him and applied pressure to reduce the bleeding, caring for the injured man until the rescue squad arrived. While the rescue squad tended to the injured man, Matthews consoled his wife and son.

The injured man was taken to Roanoke Chowan Hospital and later airlifted to Pitt Memorial Hospital. He died later that night.

Prison staff praised Matthews for her heroic actions. Assistant Superintendent Ricky Duke presented her with a Good Samaritan plaque for the assistance she provided at the tragic accident.

"It’s something about the nursing in you," Matthews said of her actions. "After more than 20 years of nursing, its just an automatic response."

Manager at Southern Correctional Institution awarded trophy

Patricia J. Hagler, mental health services coordinator at Southern Correctional Institution, has been named the 1998 Henning Trophy winner by the American Academy of Certified Public Managers. The trophy was awarded at the annual academy meeting held in Biloxi, Mississippi.

The American Academy of CPMs is a professional association of public sector managers. To be considered, individuals must have earned the designation of CPM through a management program accredited by the National Certified Manager Consortium and be a member of an accredited state society of Certified Public Managers. Each year an outstanding academy member is recognized with the Henning Trophy, named for the founder of the CPM program, Kenneth K. Henning.

Wake officer assists accident victim

David Yates, a correctional officer at Wake Correctional Center, was commended for assisting an accident victim on his way back from transporting an inmate to Robeson Correctional Center.

While traveling on Interstate 95, Yates saw a pickup truck flip over and immediately turned around and returned to the scene of the accident. Yates used his radio to notify the Highway Patrol and then assisted the victim in getting out of the vehicle. Yates stayed with the victim until help could arrive.

David Osborne, superintendent of Wake Correctional Center, said Yates’s willingness to get involved is a positive reflection on his character, values and dedication to serving the general public.

Sandhills employees recognized for outstanding service

Sandhills Youth Center’s senior management and supervisory personnel recently observed special appreciation activities for correctional officers, correctional nurses and correctional educators.

Willie R. Marsh was selected as the Outstanding Correctional Officer of the Year for 1998 by his co-workers. The community resource council presented Marsh with a $50 savings bond in appreciation for his work at Sandhills. The Sandhills medical employees team including Cathy Hinton, Perline Reid, Lois Culler and Jessica Walker was presented with the Distinguished Certificate of Appreciation Award for providing quality health care services to the inmates at Sandhills, and Alice Fadden received the Distinguished Certificate of Appreciation Award on behalf of all the educators at Sandhills for providing quality educational services to the inmates.

Museum gets new garden with help from Gaston Correctional Center

The Gaston County Museum of Art and History recently expressed its appreciation to Officer Raymond Gregg and the members of the community work squad at Gaston Correctional Center for their assistance with the installation of a new garden at the museum.

Officer Gregg and the work squad installed benches, built potting tables, cleared and tilled the garden areas, transplanted shrubs and tress, installed a brick patio area and planted flowers and shrubs with genuine care. They also built and planted a children’s butterfly-sunflower house.

Linda Crockett, adult and family programs coordinator at the museum, said the contribution of the workers went beyond mere physical labor. "These men demonstrated their care and pride and creativity in the work they did here," she said. "The impact of their efforts will continue as word of our community garden spreads."

Cagle completes program, earns degree

Bobby Cagle, chief probation/parole officer for Cherokee, Clay and Graham counties, recently completed the Graduate and Professional Leadership Development Program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he also completed a Master of Social Work degree this spring.

The Graduate and Professional Leadership and Development Program is an advanced-level program designed specifically for graduate and professional students at UNC-CH who want to enhance their leadership potential. Through participation in the program, students develop a greater understanding of their own leadership strengths and weaknesses, as well as increasing their knowledge of the core skills needed to be successful leaders.

Service Club donates money to cause

The Service Club at Raleigh Correctional Center for Women recently donated $75 to help purchase a gravestone for three baby girls who died shortly after being born 20-weeks premature. The mother, a 21-year-old resident of Holly Springs, is a cashier at Harris Teeter in Cary and could not afford to buy a gravestone for the three little girls named Miracle, Blessing and Joy.

Sandhills educator selected as Teacher of the Year

Thomas McInnis, an ABE level math teacher at Sandhills Youth Center, has been selected as North Carolina’s Correctional Education Teacher of the Year. A former teacher in the Moore County School system, Thomas was selected for this honor based on his educational philosophy.

"I believe that each student can learn and progress beyond his current level," he said. "In order for this to occur, a trusting relationship must develop between the learner and the teacher. The student must feel comfortable enough to open up and admit that there are things he doesn’t understand, and the teacher must respect and protect this response."

As North Carolina’s Teacher of the Year, McInnis represented North Carolina at the Correctional Education Association’s Region VIII conference in Tampa, Fla.

Staff development specialist receives award

Staff Development Specialist Alfred Bell was recently awarded the Advanced Certificate by the North Carolina Criminal Justice Education Standards Commission.

The Advanced Certificate is the highest professional certificate awarded to law enforcement and criminal justice officers in North Carolina. To qualify for the Advanced Certificate, officers must complete a combination of professional training and relevant education as well as meet minimum experience requirements.

Craven Correctional employees spend time with youth

Several employees from Craven Correctional Institution recently participated in a JAKES Youth event for 26 children and their parents. George Manning, Edmond Hughes, Scott Britton and Wayne Correctional Officer Scottie Hill helped organize and sponsor the event which included a learn-to-fish program, a water safety program and a nature program. Each child participating in the event received a tackle box, t-shirt and frisbee. u