Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
and with me now is
my cash and in County Sheriff for selected 1974
7 six-year terms will culminate forty-two years in office
2016 you've decided you will not run again
sheriff's the thing that fascinates me is your background unlike most people
that
become shares not in law enforcement or corrections
UN Human Services you are a manager for a battered women's
program you know you work it down inside the great local program
for kids how do you think that background that experience
impacted your approach to corrections
all I just think chemists its
what was needed Hill you think back to how we
har have traded people who are incarcerated
yergin look into jails and prisons on a whole up you know sorta been a
warehousing kinda central over the years
anyone I know that that's not the right approach
the approach should be if you will corrections
have focus in on if you will try to provide people
other tools about that when they leave their they have a chance to make it in
society so when I always said
be in firm but fair in heaven that sentence trent's reinforced with decency
and
I'm just very proud up for the work up myself and the staff of challenges
inmates
not letting them just language if you will because when you look back at jail
there is this on a sense of a lifeless this
up up negativity
in people just languishing and and waste in their lives and I think that's the
pitcher people have children present
and and the we changed all that
you know in terms of the aspect i've seen that society
is not gonna put up with that we know you can do better and so we were very
firm
and so these are the kind of things that the and I'm very proud that we did
you know what terms and for you know like it to do Sheena
a forty hour work week you know our I'll
Hill so we have to do is look at their profile that typical Madl 56 grade
education
eighty-five percent there with to drug in
mental health issues a very a dominant issues
inside a facilities you know in fact a I'm always sayin is dead here in one way
we
we close the up metal institution on the hill
and the whole idea here was to provide
if you will that safety net of community programs in the community
but they were never there and we think a gf K and is closing
if you will months his administration I was a great piece of legislation they
put forth on
if you will treating the mentally ill in a very dignified way
hinder hinder so now I always was still struggling with that
and where they end up they end up in and I jails
in prisons and it's very unfortunate well let me ask you a and let me quickly
just say to our viewers Shareef I knew you were concerned
coming in you got a little cold and and that's where the throats a little rest
really viewers to get worried bout with you leaving
of the New Year to you wanna think there's anything wrong we appreciate you
coming in
still be visiting with us today I read recently that
the largest mental health institution in America right now
is the Cook County Jail in Chicago vast number of inmates
come to you come to every share for every direction institutionally
with mental health problems so it's a whole different
approach to treating and the that's what you were talking about you your really
at a multi-faceted facility you you're not
just putting someone in for corrections you really putting him in for
treatment and training in a lot of ways yet no question jim animal and always
her are villages should be there
you know it and up hull and I think that's
the struggle that we have today you know how best to deal with substance abuse
and the mentally ill and I was very pleased about that
just recently I went away form in Boston U-mass
in Boston put on by Messick a very
up I'll upscale sophisticated
magazine looking at policy issues in our state
hand people like Kevin Burke way in blood max stern
up in fact I was very honored I was on the advisory board there over the years
but they came out and today for example based on research they're looking at
substance abuse and people today
see that substance abuse is a disease that should be treated
if you will and be happy public health rather than a quote
incarcerating people million ill he or 90
we're very proud of the fact that we're now working with judiciary would judge
Mason
right here enough district court we now have a mental health court
where we're able to stop look and listen in and being able to put together a plan
where we involve community we source used to really help
up these people so these are the kind of things and a
I always remember years ago a very distinguished Commissioner up elections
in the state Ohio
her Commissioner Wilkinson he did a document Terry
know you the ohio prison system image showed horrific
issues dealing with the mentally ill inside the facility so
there's no question is it sir had national have a democrat
that hit as you know we carry the Miley L and along with substance abuse in
I'm really pleased I think hi I think there's some very exciting things he'll
be curry
her next five to 10 years in terms of a he'll
coming on board and put together strategies to
help society and help individuals help families
where will the struggling in this you don't deal with these very
significant issues their lot of things we think I'm corrections today as
that's just the way it was done but a lot of them
started here i mean you you and your people came up with
new approaches to do with friends I I think check with us back
gone back to the the mid-eighties a day reporting system
which I'm pretty sure was the first one in the country
wary nonviolent offenders prisoners get near the end to their senses with you
they were out a block up living at home but check in every day so
so they were being watched in the community in programs getting ready
that was revolutionary at the time he did that and I think was 86
you're absolutely right %um and I'll again something
very proud of because again overcrowding
haha not want me to if you will this release
inmates up my brother a Jay Webber very blessed to be a partner with okay to
help me
with this issue what the London came back and we started kicking around ideas
about
put together a plan for the day we poor teen and when we say day we poor teen I
know it sounds soft
bubbly you know and a cinema touchy-feely kind of program but
we've had thousands of inmates go through that
in it's cost-effective to a more particularly
promote public safety and today it's very clear statistically
from our research damn point that the more week in place and then made in a
lower security
hi he has a greater chance of making it in
and that you're all about about public safety
about making a street in a good safe and that's what potential
up hi exciting for me
working together with my staff is is lookin at
these issues about making this treats a neighborhood safe
because that's what it's all about it have been very pleased
what the great cooperation to from our law enforcement community
hope but very open to these ideas and
and that's what really spend our whole thrust is about public safety
and then rather than just you know up
playing the game up just up allowing inmates
if you will to languish and in warehouse you know
we whenever party that you know hinder here when you think a corrections
the other key aspect behind it because if your gonna
raised the bar set those high status strive towards excellence
unique wait staff had been so blessed to be able to hire some
very dedicated committed competent staff
stock about something else you did back in the mid-eighty's when
government got very serious by doing something about driving under the
influence
you created a separate institution hearing in the south end over downtown
Springfield
correctional alcohol Center separate placed it to work with inmates
with substance abuse problems are a whole separate program
yes right %um and and again if you remember back
that was governor Michael Dukakis here in Michael
I'll was very up much in the forefront the other disease if you will with an
assault family
had committed to dollars for two sites
are one in the east the one in the West highways member to GM
is a that a some staff people
are representing governor dukakis came out here hit one at the site
the deal I hear here but that also have to partner corrections run it
and I'll II members say it she's
that something that with my background hill with
up our knowledge of alcoholism
and substance abuse services a up a
a great challenge fresh staff and I asked to work
if they would be so kind to consider rushed to run the app is Shelly
hey remember the staff say it like if you can cite it
would be willing to let you wanted in a course now
the site if you will in the East is closed
here and there were still operating at a very high level
Jimmy kelleher and Ella Blake are the two leaders there along with very calm
prints tap
we've had thousands of inmates go through the program a 200-day program
art fortunately have to commit a felony
to be placed in the program and that I think we're gonna see today
with up this whole aspect of
revisiting and based on people's attitude in there insight regarding more
sophisticated
how to deal with these issues he said I think we're gonna be held
the front end a lot of these programs okay I think this is the key
rather than like it a lot always yeah were back in the people have to commit a
felony
the be subject to these programs but today I think this could be more more
money
this could be put up front to help families and to help individuals and
help society deal with these issues so
a no huge proven overwhelmingly successful
ha the completion rate on people in the program and we serve as a maid
he is just incredible ship. share for I was
preparing for this interview I ran across a number they couldn't believe
and I double checked it you talk about how if you're in the Pima County
Correctional Facility
forty hours a week you're doing something you're either in learning a
trade
you learning to read you you're studying the number I found was that more than
4,500 inmates in your time
have received their their GED to graduate equivalency diplomas
while they were in under your watch that that's pretty meaningful
yet thank you p.m. and again up
you when I know if you're really talking about to affectively
a helping somebody we all know haha
that education is so crucial here in providing them
if you will the skills and so up again I have to look back
to some great educators they've had hope help me and I think a bill taller
help bill is just done a remarkable job won my first persons I hired
because we knew that we want to get more hot for jail time
inmates and how best to do that we didn't want to do
food basket weave in we wanted to know if you will with
remedial education GD in vocational programs
bill came in what a great leader now he had
doctor Dan O'Malley he is carrying on the mission
and up and so we are very proud deal over
4,500 people have received their GED
we now have transitions the college hi except except for partnerships with
their two community colleges
has TCC and all you Community College Hill with the it goes on and on
gimme but again you when I know if you're dealing with a fifty six grade
education
in seventy-three percent of the Emmys come there had the point
up for arrest that are unemployed
anyone I know lack any kind of our a patron
hav success in terms of working hit so crucial
hell total cuz your money the greatest therapy for someone when they leave jail
or for anybody has a job and that's something we've really worked a
it on terms over the years providing the education
the vocational spirits in the community restitution that's gone on
in the community Tamil partner up with the
what pat's element at the park apartment
building other can affect community center down the north then
the green leaf community center in sixteen acres building the bridge
hinder he Sports Park these are all things but
they all happened because we'll welcomed
by certainly mayors but that the mere Saraland pat's element
here in housing authorities in I and all to judge a brass can all these wonderful
people
who %ah up had the courage
and had a vision to partner with us
and give us the opportunity and that's something how I'll always remember
because
you when I know and the public's eye have someone still in time
they don't want them to languish in be wasted
inside your cell they see work is a key thing
and constructive productive kinda work and that's something we've really
generated
yeah jim Sheriff Michael ash thanks for much free time with us today
at thank you to the gym