Caught My Case: verb: To be arrested and ultimately convicted and subsequently serve time for an alleged crime. A popular phrase in trying to explain the misfortune of being at the wrong place at the wrong time. (urbandictionary.com)
I am 32-years-old, and I served nearly two years in state prison for a white collar crime in 2005 and 2006. The prison sentence was quite a surprise, as I had an agreement with the State for Probation and restitution. Instead, the Judge tacked on the prison time and a week later I had to turn myself in. I had never known anyone who had even been arrested before, much less gone to prison. What should’ve been the worst experience of my life (and in many, many ways it really was) turned into some of the best opportunities of my life.
While incarcerated, I became one of the first of four female inmate firefighters in the state of Georgia and part of the only all-female fire department in the country. This was an amazing experience since my father, my hero, was a volunteer firefighter for 25 years before he passed away. I always knew I’d follow in his footsteps; I just didn’t know it would be in prison.
As if that weren’t amazing enough, I was unexpectedly transferred to a work release program for the last 9 months of my sentence where I once again made history. It was devastating to have to leave the fire department on the verge of becoming fully certified. I had no idea something bigger was in store.
I became the first inmate to work for the Governor of Georgia while incarcerated. Under a new program, I was hired as a paid intern to work in the Office of the Governor, Constituent Services. I have always been politically inclined so I was thrilled about working behind the scenes, attending daily meetings with the Chief of Staff, interacting with Senators and Representatives and being in the middle of things during election season, protests and the signing of Bills into Law. It was also a very conflicting time, afforded the luxury of working for the State and feeling important by day, but living as as an inmate in a prison by night.
After my release, the Governor’s staff hired me as a full-time, permanent employee, where I was promoted from Mail Scanner (I handled all of the Governor’s incoming mail) to Legislative Liaison. I was a direct contact between the Governor and the people of the State of Georgia. I also had the honor of serving on the same fire department as a volunteer that my father served on before he passed.
Before my prison sentence, I made a living in graphic design. I did well in the field, but it wasn’t my passion. Psychology has always been my passion. I returned to school the year I was incarcerated to complete a degree in Psychology, but I struggled with deciding on an area of Psychology in which to focus.
Between serving time, which meant living in an environment I would never have known otherwise, and having worked with the Governor and closely with the Department of Corrections, the answer fell in my lap. I wanted to continue to work with inmates and work within or around the prison system.
In recent times I worked for a non-profit agency in St. Louis, Missouri that mentors and assists women transitioning out of prison. I am returning to school to finish a Bachelor’s Degree in Clinical Psychology and going on to a Master’s in Forensic Psychology. My goal is to work closely with the prison system by way of policy and recidivism prevention. My dream job? I would love to be appointed by a future Governor as Commissioner of the Department of Corrections.
I know that’s aiming high, but that’s the only way I know.
On the rare occasion I am not working, I fill my time various activities. My passion is reading and studying (I have been a ‘nerd’ all my life). I like to do a lot of volunteer work and I love writing. I have been published in several small publications and hope to publish again very soon. I scrapbook when I can find the time, but above all, I love living life to it’s fullest and spending as much time as I can with my amazing husband. We are very blessed and expecting our first baby at the end of July or beginning of August, so most of our ‘free time’ is spent getting ready for the new arrival.
I hope one day to see someone like you as Commissioner for DOC. It would be awesome to have someone in that position that could truly understand what prison is all about. Somehow there has to be better programs created that is spread over the entire sentence instead of crammed into the last several months. Programs that will really help, more education and training and most important—hope. Hope for a better way to live and a chance to start over. Best of luck and would love to correspond with you. I’m a mom with a daughter in prison.
I’m sorry to hear that you ended up in prison (especially for a white-collar crime), but I’m glad that you were able to make everything work out for you, in the end.
I stumbled pretty randomly on your blog, and you seem to have interesting things to say. My boyfriend is in graduate school in criminal justice, and for awhile he was specializing in prison reform, though he had to stop that specialization, as he found it too depressing – like beating your head against a brick wall, he said.