I have been enjoying your reports on prisons, but as a counselor in a state prison I would like to make a couple of comments. I do agree with many of your points, but think you should mention the officers that are willing to walk into a group of fighting inmates with nothing more than a small can of pepper spray in order to help save an inmates life. Or the officers that will listen to an inmates problems and call someone like me to help, all because the officer has a real desire to help. Please don't just talk about the bad things that some of the officers might do, but talk about the many caring and concerned officers in the prision system. If you see this as something easy to do then I recommend you work for a while in a prison with all the imates that will cut your throat, rape your child or steal anything not bolted down. Most inmates are not really bad people and it is up to the officers and other employees of the system to make sure they become better people, not worse, while locked up. My hat is off in praise of the Correction Officers who risk their lives every day to do this job under often poor conditions. In most areas the officers are considered to be an important part of the community on and off duty.

I am a correctional officer with the state. It so very true that everday i risk my life going to my job for the safety and security of the community, the officer and the inmate. We deal with some real issues behind those walls.I spend many hours dealing with inmates with all types of concerns. I am there also to try and help rehabilitate them so that they can go out and live a decent life without crime. I believe some can be reformed by changing their thinking with positive input. this is the hat that I wear also. there are roles that I have to play sometimes like speaking in the voice of a mother or sister, something they need hear. I am a mother of five, so I know how to relay some instructions in that motherly tone, while at the same time, remaining in a professional manner. I deal with Maximum security inmates and some Close security. I am over-worked and under-paid while my life is at risk. The state is not paying the officer what we deserve to be paid, for all that we do. Just think, if there were no officers to run the prisons, there would be a lot more crimes committed in a major way. PLEASE, GIVE US OUR PROPS !