Giving thanks for help at the holidays

Two North Carolina families are thankful this holiday season for NCDOC probation officers who were there to help them after serious traffic accidents.

Probation officer Danny Liles was about to break for lunch in Siler City last Friday when he came upon the scene of an accident that had just happened – a woman’s car had crashed into a telephone pole.  Liles and others who rushed to the car found the victim unresponsive behind the wheel.  The car was in gear and the door locked.  They tried to rock the car to rouse the woman, but that didn’t work.

Moments later State Troopers arrived and smashed a rear window to open the driver’s door. One trooper quickly assessed the driver and found she was not breathing. Liles and another trooper carefully removed her from the car and began CPR, with Liles handling the compressions. They continued CPR until paramedics arrived to relieve them. The woman is now at home recovering from a previously unknown heart condition that’s believed to have caused the accident.

PPO Margret Crumroy was on the way to work in Scotland County last Tuesday morning when she saw a truck skid on black ice and smash in to a utility pole -- sending sparks flying as the pole crashed down. Officer Crumroy assisted a mother and her scared children out of the wrecked vehicle and remained with them, providing comfort until help arrived.  After emergency responders arrived, Officer Crumroy helped direct traffic around the accident scene.

Thanks to both officers for a job well done!

Correction Enterprises wants to make your pictures perfect

Eric Malave, right, supervises inmates

RALEIGH – From retirement certificates to poster art for offices, Correction Enterprises has branched out into framing and matting. It is yet another service being offered that not only provides an employable skill for inmates, but also provides state employees with a new option for framing at competitive prices.

The framing and matting operation is located right off Martin Luther King Boulevard at the Quick Copy Center behind the North Carolina Correctional Institution for Women in Raleigh. To start, two honor grade inmates from Raleigh Correctional Center for Women just around the corner will be training and working on framing and matting. Eventually, Correction Enterprises hopes to have as many as ten inmates working in the frame shop.

The inmates will work under the direction of Eric Malave who has more than 30 years experience in framing and matting.

“I started in the business learning the very basics and studied the whole process,” said Malave. “I will start the inmates out training on samples and gradually guide them through to the point where they will wind up with a skill that could get them get a job when they are released.”

Inmates cut custom frame

Mary Bullard, Quick Copy Center manager, added that with the skills the inmates will obtain, they could work at any frame shop or potentially work towards operating their own business.

State employees who would like more information about the framing and matting service should visit this link: http://www.correctionenterprises.com/framing/

Perdue praises law enforcement, correction leaders

Gov. Bev Perdue addressed law enforcement and correction leaders at the N.C. Governor’s Crime Commission Safe Communities Conference in Greensboro.

The conference is held once every three years and draws more than 500 professionals in law enforcement, corrections, judicial and victim services.

“This conference is a testament to our ongoing commitment to being tough on crime, and even more importantly, smart on crime,” Gov. Perdue said.

As Governor, Perdue has worked with the General Assembly to toughen the probation and parole system, to increase access to information for law enforcers and to cut through red tape to speed warrant processing.

At the conference, Gov. Perdue recounted how she rode along with a probation officer one night and saw first-hand the challenges faced by probation officers. 

Turner South presented 2010 Governor’s Award for Excellence

Turner South, a classification coordinator at Marion Correctional Institution, received the Governor's Award for Excellence this week in the category of human relations.

Early one evening last February, Turner picked up a young man who was walking along an interstate highway, wearing only the green garb of a minimum custody inmate. The man told Turner he was trying to get to a Wal-Mart.

On their way and over the next hour or so, Turner made several phone calls and learned that the young man was a former DOC inmate who had been released on detainer to a local law enforcement agency earlier in the day.  However, the local jail eventually found no need to hold him and released him with no means to get home.

At Wal-Mart, Turner bought some new clothes for the former inmate. He spoke by phone to the young man’s mother and arranged for him to have a room overnight at a local motel.

The state does what it can to prepare inmates for successful release, but not all releases are the same, as Turner learned that night. Ultimately, Turner was a great ambassador for the State of North Carolina: He showed compassion and used his own resources to treat another human being with dignity and respect.

Chief PPO Rodney Trogdon presented 2010 Governor’s Award for Excellence

Rodney Trogdon is a chief probation/parole officer in Randolph County with 24 years of service as a state employee. Rodney received the Governor's Award for Excellence this week for his commitment of service to the public and his fellow officers, specifically in three areas.

First is Rodney’s support for Relay for Life, raising money for cancer research. He began a fund-raising motorcycling event, call Angela’s Ride, named in honor of his wife who died of breast cancer in 1999.

The event has raised $22,500 for Community Corrections’ contribution to Relay for Life.
Rodney is also leading Randolph Fellowship Homes Inc. as it seeks to raise nearly $370,000 for a half-way house for men seeking to kick alcoholism and drug addiction. Rodney is president of the organization’s board.

As a leader in the N.C. Probation/Parole Association, Rodney established a car show to raise money to help pay for seminars and workshops. The money also contributes to an officers benevolent fund for medical, financial or other family need.

Disaster response tested in drill at Lumberton Correctional Institution

It was gory. People were screaming. Ambulances came with sirens blaring. Bodies were everywhere.

The scene was a mock airplane crash disaster drill at Lumberton Correctional Institution on November 9. The Department of Correction facility conducts annual medical drills, but this was the first to involve outside agencies. About 100 first responders representing highway patrol, sheriff’s departments, fire, rescue, the Red Cross and other agencies participated in the event.

The airplane crash scenario was chosen because of the prison’s proximity to the Lumberton airport just a couple of miles away. As one would expect, the prison’s security measures were on high alert.

Inmates created props for the exercise and medical staff created other effects to make the injuries appear real.
Lumberton administrator Sandra Thomas said the exercise was conducted without a flaw and proved extremely valuable not only to the prison staff but to agencies involved.

Wake Tech honors fallen Correction Officers and employees

RALEIGH, Nov 9 - Wake Tech Community College honored 10 Division of Prisons correctional officers and employees killed in the line of duty as it dedicated a portion of the memorial wall on its new Public Safety Education Campus. 

Each person was recognized in a video tribute and a candle was lit in their memory as a rose was placed at the memorial wall.  The NCDOC Honor Guard escorted family members and representatives from the various prisons where these employees served.

The officers and employees honored and their dates of death were:
James Chesser   12/28/1939   Central Prison
Kermit Jackson  7/21/1960  Alexander Correctional Center
Earl Strickland  6/2/1969   Robeson Correctional Center
Jenette Fish  5/19/1975  Triangle Correctional Center
Randall Cupp  6/5/1986   Alexander Correctional Center
Alan Kirk  7/15/1991   Caledonia Correctional Center
Leslie Besci  6/29/1992   Sandhills Youth Center
Sarah Valentine  2/13/1997   Odom Correctional Institution
David Anthony  10/28/1998  Iredell Correctional Center
Shannon Smith  11/9/1999  Johnston Correctional Institution

Additional sections of the memorial wall will be decicated to firefighters and law enforcement officers.

View more photos from this event on our Flickr photostream

State’s roadways cleaned during Fall Sweep

RALEIGH – State residents and interstate travelers will notice thousands of miles of cleaner highways as a result of the Fall Litter Sweep conducted by the North Carolina Division of Prisons. In total, prison inmates collected 32,456 bags of litter along 3,648 miles of roadway during the Fall Litter Sweep 2010 from September 18 to October 2.
State prison facilities contributed 46,664 inmate man hours to the litter reduction efforts, Division of Prisons Director Bob Lewis announced today.
“The appreciation of the citizens of North Carolina is apparent after each of our Litter Sweeps based on comments received by this agency and by the Department of Transportation,” Lewis said. “The results of the Fall Litter Sweep are yet another example of the excellent cooperation and dedication we continually see from our employees when faced with important challenges.”

Each year, the Litter Sweep is conducted during the fall and spring. Adopt-a-Highway volunteers, local governments, schools, churches, businesses, concerned citizens and inmates conduct community cleanups in all 100 counties across the state.

Polk Correctional Institution has new leader

BUTNER - Lawrence Solomon, a 29-year Department of Correction veteran, has been named the new administrator at Polk Correctional Institution.

Polk Correctional Institution is a prison for approximately 1,010 male inmates ages 19-25.  It has 545 officers and administrative employees.

Solomon spent 26 years of his corrections career working at Caledonia Correctional Institution, where he was named administrator in 2006. He retired in 2009. For three years, he was administrator at Odom Correctional Institution.

Solomon also commanded the Division of Prisons’ Central Region Prison Emergency Response Team.

The Enfield native has an associate’s degree in criminal justice from Halifax Community College.

Solomon succeeds Randy Lee, who was promoted to administrator of the Division of Prison’s Central Region.

New superintendent named at Harnett Correctional Institution

LILLINGTON – Carlton Joyner is the new superintendent at Harnett Correctional Institution.

The facility houses 850 medium-custody male inmates, and it employs 385 officers and administrative staff members. It offers a wide range of educational and vocational programs for inmates. It is home to the state’s only in-prison treatment program for sex offenders and a newly opened school that teaches inmates to become barbers. Correction Enterprises operates a plant at Harnett CI to process meat and frozen foods for the state’s prisons.

Joyner, a 26-year Department of Correction veteran, began his career as a correctional officer at Central Prison. He worked his way through the ranks in correctional programs, most recently coordinating transition and re-entry efforts for the Division of Prisons.

Joyner has a bachelor’s degree in political science from N.C. Central University. He has completed the Department of Correction’s leadership development program and the state’s Certified Public Managers Program.

DOC works with Charlotte police to monitor high-risk offenders

Secretary Alvin Keller and Chief Rodney Monroe address reporters. 

SEPT 30 - Department of Correction Secretary Alvin Keller joined Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Rodney Monroe at a news conference announcing plans to enhance monitoring of high-risk probationers. The Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) uses global positioning system equipment to deter criminal activity by offenders who have been identified as high-risk.

The technology tracks the movements of offenders who have been court-ordered to wear the tracking equipment. CMPD, with its Priority Offender Strategy Team (POST), is a pioneer in monitoring serious offenders who have committed numerous crimes while awaiting trail on other charges.

Probation officers in Charlotte will work with CMPD to identify and work with high-risk probationers through POST.

State employees fill Food Bank shelves

Sept. 13 -- Gov. Bev Perdue and employees of the N.C. Department of Correction presented hundreds of pounds of donated food to the Food Bank of Central and Eastern NC as part of a statewide food drive for the Sept. 11 National Day of Service and Remembrance.
Sec. Alvin Keller had called on all employees statewide to donate 9 to ll items to a food bank during the drive conducted Sept. 10-12. The secretary had also challenged his executive team to each donate a number of food times equal to their age.

Governor Perdue participated as the food bank picked up donations at the DOC headquarters on Monday morning, Sept. 13. A truck from the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina arrived to transport food donations that had been collected from DOC locations in Wake County.

Employee food drive leaders from the DOC central office, the Division of Prisons, Correction Enterprises, Community Corrections and the Office of Staff Development and Training were present for the governor’s visit.

More photos are available on our Flickr photostream.

Inmates gather tires beached by Hurricane Earl

CARTERET COUNTY - A crew of 40 inmates from Carteret Correctional Center worked Friday to clean up hundreds of tires that Hurricane Earl washed onto the Bogue Banks beaches.   The inmates collected tires from beaches in Emerald Isle, Pine Knoll Shores, Indian Beach and Salter Path in order to clear the sand before beachgoers arrive for the long Labor Day weekend.

Thousands of car and truck tires were sunk offshore in the 1970s to create artificial reefs as a habitat for marine life.  The tires are occasionally stirred up by storms and tossed ashore.

More photos are available on our Flickr photostream.

Bringing about change: Evidence-based practices

Two things will make or break procedural change in any organization: Whether the change is truly for the better, and the attitude of the organization’s leaders.
Probation supervision is changing, and the officers are being trained in the changes in a series of presentations across the state. The training details how certain procedures will be different in the future.

The changes are not experiments. They are not “Let’s do this a different way and see if it works.” The changes come from practices that have already been tried, and more importantly have been proven to work. They are known in many professions, including corrections, as Evidence-Based Practices (EBP).

The evidence is clear, so to speak, that the EBP way of doing probation is better than what had been in place in North Carolina. The training sessions make that clear.

But change being what it is, is still understandably difficult to accept for many people. Change requires extra effort: Learning and using something new can shake people’s confidence until they get the hang of it. It seems to be easier to stay in the old mode.

Getting past that requires assurances from leaders: Repeated demonstrations of their belief that the changes will truly be for the better; openness to questions and opinions; and being on the frontline instead of in the front office while the changes are introduced and implemented.

Case-in-point: Community Corrections Director Tim Moose was present and interactive during the Aug. 11 training session in Williamston. Frequently, he rose to help answer questions, demonstrating that the department’s senior management is committed to being leaders, not just supervisors and policy makers.

In fact, an open and honest discussion arose regarding a policy on drug-testing new probationers. Many of the officers made persuasive arguments about how the new policy could be improved. Director Moose was actively involved, and he and the presenters listened carefully.

A bit later in the session, one of the presenters announced that their director had to decided to change the questioned drug-testing policy as requested by the officers in that training session.

These are good signs that EBP will be good, for all of us.

Barber school graduates first class

Two years after its opening, the Central Carolina Community College barber school at Harnett Correctional Institution is ready to graduate its first class.

Last week, thirteen inmate barbers passed their exam administered by the NC Board of Barber Examiners. Each has completed more than 1,500 hours of classroom work and practical instruction and a full year working as an apprentice under the guidance of a licensed barber at Harnett CI.

The inmate barbers have received their Provisional Registered Barber License. After a graduation event on Sept. 10, they will be assigned to work until their release at a licensed prison barber shop.   After release, they will be ready to receive their full barber license from the board and work as a professional barber.

Congratulations to the barber graduates!

One Tree Hill films at New Hanover Correctional Center

The production crew from "One Tree Hill," the Wilmington-based TV drama that airs on the CW network, filmed scenes at New Hanover Correctional Center on Friday.

Look for these scenes in episode four of the upcoming season of "One Tree Hill". 

Excellent Security Work

Kudos are due for some excellent security work by a Nash Correctional Institution gatehouse lobby officer. A staff member was caught trying to bring this frozen lasagna dinner into the facility. That might have been okay, except the box was concealing about 40 ounces of tobacco and rolling papers intended for delivery to an inmate. The employee has been arrested and charged on a criminal warrant. This might serve as a good reminder to all prison staff to be aware of Division of Prisons entrance/exit policies on bringing contraband into the facilities and to be vigilant about possible creative methods that might be used to smuggle items into the prisons. It is a Class 1 misdemeanor to provide tobacco or cell phones to inmates.

Probation, Parole and Community Superivision Officers' Week

If you see a probation officer this week, be sure to thank them.   

Governor Perdue has proclaimed this week (July 18-24) as Probation, Parole and Community Supervision Officers Week to recognize the work of more than 1400 probation/parole officers who supervise offenders across North Carolina.   Read the Governor's proclamation. 

NCCE Janitorial Plant works toward cleaning and greening our world

Since 2008, Correction Enterprises (NCCE) Janitorial Plant has partnered with Mission PACT, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving hygiene to curtail the threat of disease in third world countries, to produce soap products.


In early spring 2010, Mission PACT contacted Correction Enterprises and explained that they had seen pictures of women in third world countries washing clothes in the river using Mission PACT bath soap manufactured by Correction Enterprises. They asked if NCCE could develop a more versatile bar soap that could be used for multiple purposes – washing clothes, washing dishes and bathing.  READ MORE

Warren Correctional Institution has new leader

Joyce Kornegay is the new superintendent of Warren Correctional Institution, a prison that has approximately 975 inmates and a staff of 395.

Previously superintendent at Durham Correctional Center, Kornegay succeeds the retired George “J” Haynes.

Beginning her corrections career as an accountant in 1983 at the N.C. Correctional Institution for Women in Raleigh, Kornegay advanced to superintendent at Umstead Correctional Center in Butner in 2006. Kornegay had been superintendent at Durham Correctional Center since December 2009.

An education major, Kornegay graduated from St. Augustine’s College in Raleigh. She has completed the department’s Correctional Leadership Development Program and Warden Training.

Governor visits Tyrrell Prison Work Farm

Governor Bev Perdue visited Tyrrell Prison Work Farm on July 13. Her tour included meeting staff, visiting inmate areas, medical facilities and programs. Shown, from left, are Dalen Holmes, assistant superintendent of program, Governor Perdue, Rep. Bill Owens, Sgt. David Williams, Eastern Regional Director Danny Safrit, Fentress Bryant, assistant superintendent of custody and operations, Lt. David Carl Tarkington, and Superintendent David Elliott.

Prison organizational changes take effect

Several prison organizational changes went into effect with the beginning of the new fiscal year on July 1.

The Female Command, announced earlier in 2010, is formally established. It shifts the management structure for all of the Division of Prisons’ facilities housing women.

All facilities housing the female inmate population are under the Female Command, and are no longer under the DOP’s five regional operations. This management model brings female units into one centralized supervision structure, similar to the existing five regions.

When the re-established command was announced earlier, DOP Director Bob Lewis said, “This concept will enhance our efforts to be more consistent operationally and improve our efforts to stay current nationally as it relates to female issues and best practices on the state and national level.”

Lewis noted that the number of female offenders the entering prison system continues to increase, presenting a variety of unique and complex population management challenges.

“The re-establishment of the Female Command structure will be of major assistance as we continue to deal with these challenges,” Lewis said.

Region changes

With the re-establishment of the Female Command, DOP adjusted the five male facility regions to balance inmate population numbers and mission within the five regions.

Wayne Correctional Center and Neuse Correctional Institution have been moved organizationally from the Eastern Region to the Central Region, and Harnett Correctional Institution has been moved from the South Central Region to the Piedmont Region.

Additionally, because of recent prison consolidations, Anson and Rowan correctional centers are no longer considered as individual minimum custody facilities. Anson is a satellite unit of Brown Creek Correctional Institution, and Rowan is a satellite of Piedmont Correctional Institution.

Orr Wins Order of the Long Leaf Pine

Judicial District Manager Barbara Orr was recognized in the Richmond County Daily Journal when she retired on July 1 after 31 years service to DCC.  Read story HERE.

A Good Fit

Dog trainer Yvonne Fehr of Charlotte has found a good fit for her talents by working with New Leash on Life programs at North Carolina prison facilities.  Read the complete story HERE.

Dan River prison has new superintendent

Rudy Foster has been named the new superintendent at Dan River Prison Work Farm.  See complete story HERE.

Wake Correctional Center has new superintendent

Kenneth Royster, a 22-year Division of Prisons veteran, is the new superintendent at Wake Correctional Center.  Read the story HERE.

Randolph prison volunteers featured in National Enquirer

For 40 years, Ruby Hall, 85, and her husband Rayborn, 97, have been volunteering and ministering to inmates at Randolph Correctional Center in Asheboro.  They're featured in this week's National Enquirer for their "Acts of Kindness."

Read the story here.

State budget restores 39 community work crews

The budget that Governor Perdue signed yesterday restores $1.62 million to the Department of Correction to  re-establish 39 Community Work Program officer positions.

With the passage of last year’s state budget, DOC lost 127 officers responsible for supervising community work crews. Many cities, towns, schools and other government agencies relied on those inmate crews to perform all sorts of work - from painting and repair to cleanup and landscaping. Using inmate labor helped these municipalities and agencies achieve considerable savings. When the popular program was eliminated last summer, the letters and phone calls poured in to DOC and legislative offices, asking lawmakers to reconsider.

The Division of Prisons is working now to determine how it will deploy those 39 crews across the state - and we know that many cities, towns and county governments will be glad to have those inmates back on the job.

Blood drive collects 43 pints

Thank you to all Yonkers Road - Raleigh DOC employees who donated blood today.  Forty-three pints were collected by the American Red Cross. Your gift will be used to help other people who really need our help.

We exceeded our goal of 40 by three pints.  Excellent.
Our next blood drive is scheduled for Tuesday August 17th.

New warden named at state's largest prison for women

RALEIGH - Bianca Harris is the new warden at the state's largest prison for female inmates, N.C. Correctional Institution for Women (NCCIW).
She succeeds Annie Harvey, who earlier was promoted to Female Command manager in the Division of Prisons.

NCCIW - commonly known as women's prison - houses 1,300 offenders, the largest population of female inmates in the state. It manages all custody levels and control statuses, including death row, maximum, close, medium, minimum and safekeepers. Also, primary medical, mental and alcohol and chemical dependency treatment are provided.

Women's prison is also the diagnostic center that serves as the point of entry into the prison system for all women sentenced as felons.

In addition to being responsible for the facilities and operations, Harris will oversee the management of more than 650 correctional officers and administrative staff members.

Harris had been NCCIW deputy warden since 2008. Her entire corrections career has been at Women's Prison, beginning in 1993 as a correctional officer.

A 1991 UNC-Chapel Hill graduate, Harris has bachelor of science degree in criminal justice administration. She is an American Correctional Association accreditation manager.

Research office releases annual statistical report

This week the NCDOC Office of Research and Planning released its annual statistical report for fiscal year 2008-2009.

This year's report includes updated narratives and statistics on the Division of Prisons, Division of Community Corrections, the Criminal Justice Partnership Program, the Division of Alcoholism and Chemical Dependency Programs, and Correction Enterprises.

In addition, this report includes updated maps depicting Department of Correction populations by county of conviction, an updated listing of prisons and probation offices.

You can download the document from the Research and Planning website.

Program graduates future DOC leaders

Twenty-four employees graduated today from the tenth class of the NCDOC Correctional Leadership Development Program (CLDP).    It's a intensive year-long leadership training program for DOC employees.  

For many years, DOC executive managers have realized the importance of training those who will lead the agency in the future.   The Department of Correction saw 400 employees retire in the past year and knows that by 2015 - 30% of its workforce will be at retirement age. It's clear that training future leaders is a significant need. 

Since it's inception eleven years ago, 155 employees have graduated from CLDP and 126 of those are still working as managers within the agency.   In the years since, other agencies have developed their own leadership training programs modeling them after CLDP - including the Indiana DOC, the North Carolina Department of Revenue and the North Carolina Justice Academy.

Congratulations to today's graduates:

Jesse Andrews - Division of Alcoholism and Chemical Dependency Programs

Mary Barnhardt - Division of Community Corrections

Ladonna Browning - Division of Prisons - Foothills CI

William Carroll - Division of Prisons - Odom CI

Tom Corley - Division of Prisons - West Region Maintenance

Faye Daniels - Division of Prisons - Craven CI 

George Dudley - Secretary's Office - Public Affairs
Stephanie Freeman - Office of Staff Development and Training
Max Gerald - Division of Community Corrections
Johnny Hawkins - Division of Prisons - Warren CI
Joel Herron - Division of Prisons - Scotland CI
Joyce James - Division of Community Corrections
Tass Jansen - Correction Enterprises
Mike Jenkins - Correction Enterprises
Jay Lynn - Division of Community Corrections
William Mann - Management Information Systems
Tom Meister - Division of Alcoholism and Chemical Dependency Programs
Katy Poole - Division of Prisons - Morrison CI
Barbara Revels - Human Resources
Jeff Sipes - Division of Community Corrections
Richard Terry - Division of Prisons - Buncombe CC
Kevin Wallace - Division of Community Corrections
Nelson White - Internal Audit
Randy Willey - Central Engineering

Recruiting probation officers

The Division of Community Corrections has been working in overdrive for the past several months to recruit probation officers and fill a large number of vacant positions.  As of this week, the number of vacant positions is down to 16 - with 98.9% of positions filled.  Eleven job offers have been extened for the remaining postions - leaving only 5 vacant positons to recruit.

 In February, there were more than 115 vacant probation officer positions - out of a fully staffed workforce of 1,453.  Almost 100 vacancies have been eliminated since February.   In that time, we've hired more than 126 new officers, and at least 56 have left the department, promoted or transferred - creating new vacancies. 

You can follow the week-by-week recruiting numbers online and you can also learn more about a career in probation and parole.

Governor Perdue visits Greene County probation office

This week Governor Perdue made an unanounced visit to the Greene County probation office in Snow Hill.  She spoke to probation officers and community corrections staff about their work and asked plenty of questions.  She also visited the county sheriff and and dropped in on a session of superior court.

You can read the Governor's office news release about her visit.

Commission terminates parole agreement for inmate Alford Jones

RALEIGH – The Post-Release Supervision and Parole Commission has terminated the Mutual Agreement Parole Program (MAPP) for inmate Alford Jones (#0214013). Jones was scheduled to be paroled June 27, 2010, upon successful completion of the MAPP. However, the Commission determined that Jones was not complying with the MAPP conditions.

The Commission concluded that the inmate is a moderate to high risk for release. In addition, Jones willfully failed to participate in an assigned treatment program; made inappropriate comments to a prison employee; and on two occasions failed to maintain his work release job, which was a condition of the MAPP.

Jones was sentenced to life for first degree murder. He was convicted in Lenoir County on March 19, 1975, and has been parole eligible since 1986. His next review for parole consideration is scheduled for May 2013.

MAPP is designed to prepare selected inmates for release through structured activities, scheduled progression in custody levels, participation in community based programs and established parole dates. It is a three-way agreement between the Division of Prisons, the Commission and the offender.

The Post-Release Supervision and Parole Commission is an independent agency that is responsible for releasing offenders who meet eligibility requirements established in North Carolina General Statutes.

Piedmont region has new prisons director

KERNERSVILLE - A new director has been named for the Division of Prisons’ Piedmont Region, which covers 15 correctional facilities in 12 counties.

George Solomon, a 26-year corrections veteran, was named to oversee the operations of the prisons, which house more than 7,800 inmates and employee nearly 2,750 officers and staff members. He was previously superintendent of Dan River Prison Work Farm in Yanceyville.
He succeeds the retired Jim Pierce.

Beginning his career in 1984 as a correctional officer at the now-closed Blanch Youth Institution, Solomon steadily rose through the ranks. He was deputy warden of N.C. Correctional Institution for Women in Raleigh from 2000 to 2003, when he was promoted to superintendent at Dan River Prison Work Farm.

Solomon received a Governor’s Award For Excellence in 2000, and completed the department’s Correctional Leadership Development Program in 1999.

Inmates clean state’s roadways during spring Litter Sweep

RALEIGH – The results are in and they show that North Carolina’s inmates cleaned thousands of miles of roadway this spring. In total, the inmates collected 49,832 bags of litter along 4,891 miles of roadway during the Spring Litter Sweep 2010 from April 17 to May 1.State prison facilities contributed 66,570 inmate man hours to the litter reduction efforts, Division of Prisons Director Bob Lewis announced today.

“Comments received by this agency and by the Department of Transportation clearly reflect the appreciation of the citizens of North Carolina for this effort,” Lewis said. “The results of the Spring Litter Sweep are yet another example of the excellent cooperation and dedication we continually see from our employees when faced with important challenges.”

Each year, the Litter Sweep is conducted during the fall and spring. Adopt-a-Highway volunteers, local governments, schools, churches, businesses, concerned citizens and inmates conduct community cleanups in all 100 counties across the state.