By Heather Mullinix
Crossville Chronicle
CROSSVILLE, Tenn. — Linda Shaver never dreamed of going into law enforcement.
But when the Cumberland County Sheriff called her in May 1990, she decided to give it a try. She’s been a corrections officer at the Cumberland County Jail since then.
“I had talked to him about a job and didn’t have a clue what it was,” Shaver said. “I had almost finished 90 days at another job, but he said this would be better for me. He said, ‘I want you on my team. You’ve got common sense and that’s 90 percent of the job.’ The rest is history.”
May 1-7 is designated as National Correctional Officers’ Week, honoring those who work in the nation’s jails and prisons.
Correctional officers are charged with enforcing the rules and keeping order within the jail, supervising the activities of inmates, assisting in rehabilitation and counseling, searching for contraband items, inspecting conditions within facilities and reporting on inmate conduct.
“There are people who are incarcerated and somebody has to take care of them,” said J.R. Hamby, who has been with the Cumberland County Jail for 15 years. “We do the best we can to take care of their safety while they do their time with us.”
It’s a job that can take its toll on the officers.
“You can’t take it home,” Hamby said.
Lt. Mike Hassler, a 21-year employee, and Rick Nail, a 24-year employee of the Cumberland County Jail, both said they entered the field because it offered a good job, with retirement benefits, and wasn’t as physically taxing as the jobs they witnessed their fathers endure. But they found being a correctional officer was much more mentally taxing.
“If you live this 24 hours, you’ll burn out,” Nail said. “It’s a job, not a life.”
Shaver said, “I have to have a few minutes of silence. My family and the public — they don’t understand the things we have to do and see. It can harden your heart and give you a non-trusting attitude.”
All the officers said it was difficult to see someone with mental health conditions brought into the jail.
“They do not need to be incarcerated. It’s not a place for them. We can’t take care of them,” said Hassler. “But our hands are tied.”
Across the country, many are finding the same thing, with correctional officers having a life expectancy of 59 years versus the 77 years of the overall U.S. population. The field is plagued by a high mortality rate, the dangers of being assaulted on the job and higher divorce and substance abuse rates than the general population, according to the March-April issue of American Jails. The suicide rate of correctional officers is also 39 percent higher than any other occupation.
Despite these statistics, the correctional officers say the job is rewarding and fulfilling, particularly when they believe they’ve made a difference in someone’s life.
“I’ve had people come up and say something I said struck them,” said Nail.
Hassler added, “You’ll see them outside of here and they’ll thank you.”
For Shaver, it’s a matter of respect.
“I don’t lie to my bosses and I don’t lie to the inmates,” she said. “If I can’t do what they ask me, I tell them I can’t do it.”
Sometimes she sees former inmates while going about her personal business.
“I don’t say that I know them from the jail. I don’t treat them any different than anyone — because at that point, they aren’t any different,” she said.
All said their colleagues became like family. Over time, they’ve become able to anticipate what others will do, adding to efficiency and safety.
“We’ve been working together for a while and know what the other is going to do,” Nail said.
Shaver, who has worked with female inmates, has seen her population of charges increase dramatically. When she began her career, the most females booked into the county jail was around 10. Just the day before the interview, there were 67 women in the jail population.
With her longevity, she’s also seeing children and grandchildren of inmates she looked over before.
“All you can do is hope you can change one or two lives,” she said. “If you can, you’ve made a little bit of difference.”
Programs operating inside the jail are working to break the cycles that bring inmates back time and again. There are church services by numerous church groups and ministries. A reading program and GED preparation program helps work on skills that will be needed once released. A faith-based 12-step program is also available to help break the chains of addiction that is at the root of many legal troubles. Job search assistance is also important. A partnership with the Cumberland County Health Department also provides counseling on birth control and access to long-term birth control options.
“Sometimes, we have the programs for drug and rehab and they actually work,” Hamby said.
And that is what makes the job worth the stress and dangers.
For those seeking to enter the correctional field, the officers offered some advice.
Hamby advised, “Don’t have a thin skin.”
“No two days are ever the same,” Shaver said. “There’s always something different that happens every day.”
She added potential correctional officers need patience and a willingness to learn.
But she doesn’t advise leaving another job before giving it a try for a few days.
“It’s not for everybody,” she said.
Copyright 2016 the Crossville Chronicle