Superintendent Ernest Sutton said that the difference between the smaller units and the larger units is the personal contact. "We get the same inmates from larger prisons, and we have experienced very few problems with the segregated inmates."

Sutton added that no inmate has escaped from the medium custody prison since he came to the center in 1987.

Officer Russell Malli said he has worked at Currituck for eight years. This retired industrial salesman found corrections work to be a great second career. This day, he was in charge of A&B dorms. "We hardly ever have a fight here." he said.

Sergeant Michael Lee has worked at Currituck since 1985.

Unit Nurse Joyce McLaughlin developed the first health fair at Currituck Correctional Center and invited members of the community such as the local sheriff department staff. She helped change diets. "I believe in a lot of prevention," McLaughlin said.

Superintendent Sutton said, "Health care and food services are the two areas you need to monitor closely. Inmates need to know that the health care professional cares about them. Those two areas are vital to inmates."

Officer Robin Royle said she is a jack of all trades, sometimes cross-training in accounting, being the mail officer and a regular correctional officer.

Officer John Fernandez, the clothes house officer, explained that the inmates have three sets of clothes, one set which is kept in the clothes house, two are kept in the dormitory. Every morning, the inmates swap a dirty set for a clean one. Sheets and towels are sent to Caledonia’s prison laundry.

Assistant Superintendent David Elliott worked at Washington Correctional Center and Pasquotank Correctional Institution for more than 14 years before coming to Currituck. Elliott oversees the custody and security operations of the center. He is a graduate of Elizabeth State University with a degree in business management.

Joseph Harrell is the prison’s program supervisor and he oversees the 36 men on road squads and the 32 inmates who are working in center jobs such as kitchen and janitorial jobs.

The assistant food service supervisor, Richard Stinedurf, retired from the federal government three years ago from the Equal Opportunity Employment Office. He also worked as a Federal Police Officer in Washington D.C., and ran several restaurants.

Officer Timothy Payne talks with some of the inmates in the segregation cells.

Denise Berginer, accounting clerk V, handles Currituck prison’s budget and fiscal affairs. She oversees the inmate trust funds, canteen money and incentive wages. Berginer came to Currituck two years ago from Raleigh where she worked for Glaxo Welcome.

Officer Sonny Tatem