Its that Date and Time in the Year

 Here I am, this time of year is not my favorite time, I still have very, VERY, vivid memories of August 30,2005. Twenty years ago, I was in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, conducting an ACA (American Correctional Association) audit of one of Pennsylvania's main correctional facilities.   I got a call from the Secretary of the LADOC, asking where the Fuck I was at... I told him, he said, Tommy, tell the chair of the audit team you are bringing yourself back to Louisiana.  The Reason Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans and Louisiana was in a state of Confusion, Disbelief, and Terror. 

The Louisiana DOC administration had already booked a plane flight for me to come to Shreveport, Louisiana. We couldn't get any closer.  I couldn't fly into the Lil City by the Red, cause there were no flights to Baton Rouge or New Orleans.

I arrived in Shreveport late on Tuesday night, August 30th, and for the next 11 days, I had almost virtually no sleep. Those memories of those days still give me the chills in my skin and blood. I could almost cry at the memories of those 11 days. I will remember the friends and acquaintances who circled in my mind and are no longer here because of Hurricane Katrina. Then events, happenings of those 11 days, and the months that followed, scared my internal system.  The personal effect that it had on me was that three years later, in 2008, I retired from the Corrrections Department that I loved so much.

Back from Mississippi

 Today, I left Parchman around 8:30 a.m., having breakfast with my colleagues on this tour of duty before I left.  

I arrived around 2:30 pm. It rained heavily for the first four hours of the journey.

Glad to be home, in the Lil City by the Red.  

During this tour of duty, a comment was made stating that I was somewhat abrasive at times when addressing issues; I took note. I am not abrasive, I am Direct, Intense, Structured, and Honest..Period.

The Facility's accreditation hangs in the balance of what I observe and state in my reports. Period!!

After I explained my position, the colleague recanted his statement.

 

The Early Days. Memories

 Let's begin in the early days of Rural Louisiana.  As I stated in my August 17th post, my career began as a Deputy Sheriff in the very rural Parish of West Feliciana. Killing Rattlesnakes, traveling gravel country roads was a time-honored tradition in the office back then.  

I came across this photograph while playing with the scanner, so I decided to post it.  This period spans from approximately 1975 to 1978.  As you can see, I was the typical Deputy Sheriff in Rural Louisiana, but I was just fresh from college in Hammond, La.  There were nine deputies for the entire Parish back then. I believe I was the only one who had graduated from high school, let alone attended college and earned a degree.  And let's note I had a head full of hair.

Gettin' Ready

 On Monday, I will be back in Mississippi for almost the whole week....

It appears that one of the compounds, as I will now refer to them, has fallen behind in County/State inspections.

It's not a pleasant task we are about to perform; it seems that folks no longer take pride or care enough in their work... Most departments operate on the UMS Unit Management System, which is where the buck stops with the head administrator, warden, or superintendent.  They carry the weight of the total operation. They should cause they get paid the Big Bucks. It's their responsibility for the operation that lies before them. 

And it's up to my partner and me to determine what is really going on... 

That is on Monday, then on Tuesday, we head up to Northern Mississippi to Parchman, the site of their penitentiary, which spans all 22,000 acres of the Delta Flood Plain of the Big Muddy. It's all flat ground, with no trees.  You can see a man running for miles, kicking up dust with his brogans. We will spend three or four days there preparing them for reaccreditation, then head home. When we go to Parchman, we stay on the grounds, which is an experience all in itself.

Where I have been in my Life and Who knows what is next!!!

I'm sitting here thinking of my career, in public service, that has spanned 50 years from 1975 to now., It's been very rewarding for me, and at times it's been trying also. The complexity of the job has increased over the years and decades, becoming increasingly demanding. I'm not sure if I would have chosen this path; however, I have thoroughly enjoyed it. I was a member of the second graduating class in criminal justice from Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond, Louisiana. I immediately went to work in the field as a deputy sheriff, then in 1978, I was employed by the Louisiana Department of Corrections as a classification officer.  I rose through the ranks and achieved the highest status in the LaDOC,  as WARDEN,  over an entire facility. During my tenure as Warden, I had two facilities, both of which had their trials and tribulations. As I look back and reflect on my life, I have no regret!!!. 

After I retired from corrections in 2008, I went on to serve as the director of public works and chief of staff in the little city by the red for the office of the mayor. After that, I became the executive administrator for the local district attorney's office. After a few years, I thought I had had enough of public service. 

Evidently, the work ethic that my Mother had instilled in her three children brought me back to public life. I returned as a consultant in corrections, working in another state. However, I have never left the little city by the red, nor do I intend to. Hopefully, I have a few years left; my social circle is shrinking due to people moving away and passing away. It's just part of life.

 

Back in the Lil City by the Red

 I left Tuesday Morning early, made tours, inspections of two units, one that was accredited in early 2025 and one that is approaching accreditation in early 2026. According to my Apple Watch and phone, I walked 8.8 miles inside the facilities' compounds.  I interviewed at both units, speaking with approximately 30 corrections officers and offenders, and then drove home 268 miles on Friday. 

One of the discussions with the administrators of both units focused on the Unit Management System and its operations.  Which means that the Superintendent or Wardens is where the buck stops...  Both my colleague and I agree that this system of management provides a hands-on approach and is the only way to manage public facilities.   The drawback is that you rarely have time for any "away time" from the units.  Both she and I contributed to our retirement by having each accumulated approximately 4 years of leave.  However, we ran some of the best units in our respective departments.

Trying to convince the new generation of administrators that UMS is the best way to manage doesn't sit well with them.   

I'm back in the Lil City by the Red for another whole week, and then I am on the road again on August 25 or 26th for a week at Parchman, Mississippi's largest penal farm. 22, 000 acres.

Headed East!! Cross the Big Muddy

 Tuesday is just around the corner. Time is Ticking Away for my departure early in the morning.. 

I will be headed out to Mississippi tomorrow to do a review at one of the disciplinary units, its in eastern Mississippi nearer the Alabama line Poor Folks, Pine Trees etc... Rural Mississippi.  The next unit review is one of the three main units.  This is a two-facility tour, wrapped into four days.  

Tis Saturday Night, 1130 pm

 1130 PM

I was tossing and turning, so I thought I would mention one of the causes was... the following event. It does take a lot out of me to "Go Home." But (and there is always a but)  all in all, I did have a nice time seeing everyone I needed to see.

 I was invited out to supper tonight; I was worn out from Yesterday, I had to decline....  That 240-mile round trip to Mississippi, then down to the farm to see all the Kin folks, wore me out. I made a complete round trip, first to Natchez. to cross the River, then to the  Lunch in Woodvlle MS then to the Prison in Woodville, which happens to be a max unit for a meeting, then down to the place, which is where I was raised and most of my immediate family still lives, they have a 400 acres there, parceld out between of of them.  After supper, I gathered myself up and made the trip back to the Lil City by the Red, crossing the River at St. Francisville on the new suspended bridge that connects West Feliciana Parish to Pointe Coupee Parish....  I left the Lil City by the Red at 9am and returned home to it around 845pm..... .... 

Sunday, Time to Reflect before the week .

 Well, today is Sunday,   Time for me to step back and look forward... 

This coming week, its doctors appt for the blood pressue, haircut, travel to Mississippi for lunch and tour of prison, then visit with the Sister and Son.. back home to rest 

We are certainly in the Dog Days of Summer here. That means the dogs are lying up on the porch, waiting for people to approach. No, I have no pets —other than myself. I am the only Pet here —a household of One. 

 It's time to check out the world around the Brick Streets of the Lil City by the Red. There's not much going on...  Hot, Sweaty, Dog Days... waiting for that whisp of Cool Air to blow in, which hopefully will be by mid-October.