An officer past away on friday!

[nana_356 0]

A correctional officer was killed on friday, at atwater correctional facility!

My husband, his co workers and all the familys, are so sad, and I spend most of friday night crying.

He was only 22, and since details are not being released to the public, i'll share here.

He was held down by some inmated and while held down the others stabbed him to death with their home made weapons.

What many dont realize is that since bush came in office, correctional facilities have been understaffed, the ratio is at least 130 inmates to 1 officer.

My husband has 200 inmated in his unit, and he works it alone. They used to all have stab resistant vests, but there is no budget for that either.

Officer rivers was a truly hero in my eyes, he served in iraq, and continued to put his life on the line every day being an officer!

I realize that some here dont feel that police officers or correctional officers do anything heroic, as they have expressed it here before, and openly critisized my husband, so I respectfully ask you to please keep your comments to your selves! Thank you

http://www.ksee24.com/news/local/20621269.html

Edited June 22, 2008 by nana_356

[MrsCat 6]

I am really sorry to hear that Nana.

Correctional facilities in Canada are experiencing the same thing, increased inmates and no increase in staffing is making the ratio very dangerous here as well.

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

so sorry to hear this

[Kathryn41 3,205]

I too am sorry for your loss. My heart goes out to this officer's family. My brother worked as a teacher in the Canadian Penitentiary system for a while (until the threats against his new family got to him). It is NOT an easy place to work, and has many serious problems as well as understaffing. Again, I am sorry.

[PlatyPius 5]

I read that this morning on MSNBC. There is a prison near us (Putnamville), so CO is a common job for people who live around here. I've always wondered....what exactly do the inmates hope to gain by doing something like this?

Incidents like this just make me more convinced that the death penalty is more than warranted....

[SaadBell 0]

I used to work with offenders, counselor, and seen this thing happen before, it is a horrific death, I am so sorry. Prisions are understaffed, and this puts the guards at great risk. Just a waste of a young life, so sad.

[~PalmTreeGurl~ 154]

Nancy, tell your hubby we are sorry for all their loss plz its saddening to hear that... my step dad is also a correctional officer in Texas like your hubby and he said the same thing about not enough help for the mass of inmates. We send our love ya'lls way -Tam

[rebeccajo 14]

Correctional officers usually don't get paid much either. Not nearly enough for the daily risk factor.

I'm sorry to hear this...I hope everybody can come to terms with it.

[palilover 1]

Incidents like this just make me more convinced that the death penalty is more than warranted....

[Nagishkaw 510]

[almaty 19]

i am sorry, having worked in corrections, i admire the work and bravery when needed..of the correctional officers... t times.

[mohamed and trina 0]

been there and done that i know how hard of a job that is.and scary to if you dont know what you are doing so sorry for your loss.and God bless

[churipu 4]

[Alexandra_v 0]

I’m so sorry!

[mawilson 2,133]

what exactly do the inmates hope to gain by doing something like this?

We don't know the details, do we?

We don't know what he had done to the persons who killed him.

Why do you think correctional officers are often portrayed in movies as

inherently sadistic and mindlessly authoritarian one-dimensional characters

without any redeeming qualities?

Things aren't always black and white. Just because he was a CO

("a good guy") and was killed by criminals ("the bad guys"), doesn't mean

he was right and they were wrong.