danielle
03-18-2003, 05:26 PM
Commissioner rises through ranks over 20 years
By Patrice Sawyer
psawyer@clarionledger.com
Opportunity didn't knock for Christopher Epps.
It chased him and wrestled him to the ground.
When he graduated from Mississippi Valley State University in 1982, Epps filled out an application for the Mississippi Department of Corrections at a job fair. He received repeated letters and phone calls from MDOC asking if he were interested in working for the agency. A fifth-grade math teacher in Greenwood at the time, he initially ignored the inquiries.
Epps eventually took a correctional officer job working the graveyard shift at the State Penitentiary at Parchman, which houses some of the worst criminals in the state.
The introduction to the state's correctional system was a test for the Delta boy raised in Mileston, a 500-resident community a few miles south of Tchula. "I was nervous. It was the first time I had been around convicted felons," he said. "I think if a person goes into the gates of Parchman and is not nervous, something's wrong with him."
Epps overcame his fear and worked his way up through the ranks at MDOC over 20 years. In August 2002, Gov. Ronnie Musgrove appointed him to the $85,000-a-year job of commissioner shortly after Robert Johnson resigned.
State House Penitentiary Committee Chairman Bennett Malone, D-Carthage, said he hopes the Senate confirms Epps "because he's a tremendous asset to Mississippi and the Department of Corrections."
"My job has been made much easier because I've been working with somebody for a change who knows what he's doing. He's very knowledgeable of the fact we don't need to waste taxpayers' money, and his top priority is public safety," Malone said.
Epps' transformation from educator to top corrections official may seem like a stark contrast to some, but not to him. "Both of them are public service, but I really saw I was needed for corrections," he said.
Described as a tireless worker, shrewd manager and all-around nice guy, Epps had only a year to leave his fingerprint on the department when he agreed to accept the job. Musgrove is in the last year of his term, though he is running for re-election.
A major in the Mississippi National Guard, Epps said there is also the possibility he could be called into active duty for the possible war in Iraq, but "I don't worry about it," he said.
For the present, Epps' concerns are reducing costs, obtaining federal grants for programs and reducing the recidivism rate through education and improved drug and alcohol counseling.
Epps said statistics show 32 percent of those who leave prison return at some point, and if that trend can be curbed, the state would save money. MDOC already has received a $2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Justice to implement a program to reduce the recidivism rate.
Epps, who is married and is the father of two, usually starts his day early, around 4 a.m. He returns home around 10 p.m., and sometimes works on the weekends.
"I believe he works almost as many hours in a day as I do for the people of Mississippi," said Musgrove, also an early riser and late worker. "He has demonstrated ways to cut costs while maintaining a high level of safety for our communities, and when the Legislature gives him the flexibility to manage the system as a whole, I'm confident we will see greater things out of his agency."
Epps seems to be always thinking about improvements. After all, he's served under 10 corrections commissioners and said he has learned from their mistakes.
One lesson: inmates don't like squash. One year row after row of squash was planted in the penitentiary's fields, but few would eat it. Epps said they wound up giving it away.
The department's budget crunch is weighing on his mind, he said. MDOC, which historically has not gotten enough money from the Legislature each year, is short $32 million this year.
Legislation is pending to fund only $26 million of the deficit, and Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Jack Gordon, D-Okolona, has said MDOC will likely need a deficit appropriation next year for the other $6 million.
In budget times like these, it's nice to have someone with Epps' experience leading the agency, said Rick McCarty, MDOC deputy commissioner of administration and finance.
"He's probably one of the most well-versed commissioners we've ever had in the budget. He takes the time to know the budget and to study the budget," said McCarty, who has known Epps since 1989.
As a result, Epps knows nearly every nuance of his agency's budget, and he's adjusted expenditures to save every dollar he can find.
For example, Epps negotiated a new contract for house arrest electronic monitoring, reaping $43,800 in savings this budget year and $122,850 annually after that. He also entered into a more cost-efficient copier lease agreement, resulting in $50,000 in annual savings.
"While I haven't gotten into the millions of dollars, I am in the thousands," he said.
Epps said the main way to save millions is to look at the state's sentencing laws that are bringing more prisoners into the system and keeping them longer.
"The only way to cut costs in a prison is to cut inmates. If you cut inmates, you cut staff. That's where your money is, in your staffing, your medical, your clothing and your food," he said.
Epps' ascension to MDOC's top job hasn't come without troubles. When he was deputy superintendent at Parchman, an inmate, who says he was beaten after his escape and recapture, filed a lawsuit in 1992 naming Epps and several other employees.
Inmate Larry Floyd claimed that Epps was among the supervisors who failed to intervene or conspired to conceal the 1991 assault.
Claims against Epps in that lawsuit were dismissed. "That lawsuit, some of that was about my being in that position at my age," said Epps, around 30 at the time. "With faith in God, it was dismissed."
Holmes County Sheriff Willie March, who oversees one of the state's 11 regional jails, said he admires Epps and thought he should have been named commissioner before Johnson because of Epps' knowledge of the department.
"You don't get everything you want from him, but he's willing to listen. He doesn't have that attitude that it's my way or the highway ," he said.
By Patrice Sawyer
psawyer@clarionledger.com
Opportunity didn't knock for Christopher Epps.
It chased him and wrestled him to the ground.
When he graduated from Mississippi Valley State University in 1982, Epps filled out an application for the Mississippi Department of Corrections at a job fair. He received repeated letters and phone calls from MDOC asking if he were interested in working for the agency. A fifth-grade math teacher in Greenwood at the time, he initially ignored the inquiries.
Epps eventually took a correctional officer job working the graveyard shift at the State Penitentiary at Parchman, which houses some of the worst criminals in the state.
The introduction to the state's correctional system was a test for the Delta boy raised in Mileston, a 500-resident community a few miles south of Tchula. "I was nervous. It was the first time I had been around convicted felons," he said. "I think if a person goes into the gates of Parchman and is not nervous, something's wrong with him."
Epps overcame his fear and worked his way up through the ranks at MDOC over 20 years. In August 2002, Gov. Ronnie Musgrove appointed him to the $85,000-a-year job of commissioner shortly after Robert Johnson resigned.
State House Penitentiary Committee Chairman Bennett Malone, D-Carthage, said he hopes the Senate confirms Epps "because he's a tremendous asset to Mississippi and the Department of Corrections."
"My job has been made much easier because I've been working with somebody for a change who knows what he's doing. He's very knowledgeable of the fact we don't need to waste taxpayers' money, and his top priority is public safety," Malone said.
Epps' transformation from educator to top corrections official may seem like a stark contrast to some, but not to him. "Both of them are public service, but I really saw I was needed for corrections," he said.
Described as a tireless worker, shrewd manager and all-around nice guy, Epps had only a year to leave his fingerprint on the department when he agreed to accept the job. Musgrove is in the last year of his term, though he is running for re-election.
A major in the Mississippi National Guard, Epps said there is also the possibility he could be called into active duty for the possible war in Iraq, but "I don't worry about it," he said.
For the present, Epps' concerns are reducing costs, obtaining federal grants for programs and reducing the recidivism rate through education and improved drug and alcohol counseling.
Epps said statistics show 32 percent of those who leave prison return at some point, and if that trend can be curbed, the state would save money. MDOC already has received a $2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Justice to implement a program to reduce the recidivism rate.
Epps, who is married and is the father of two, usually starts his day early, around 4 a.m. He returns home around 10 p.m., and sometimes works on the weekends.
"I believe he works almost as many hours in a day as I do for the people of Mississippi," said Musgrove, also an early riser and late worker. "He has demonstrated ways to cut costs while maintaining a high level of safety for our communities, and when the Legislature gives him the flexibility to manage the system as a whole, I'm confident we will see greater things out of his agency."
Epps seems to be always thinking about improvements. After all, he's served under 10 corrections commissioners and said he has learned from their mistakes.
One lesson: inmates don't like squash. One year row after row of squash was planted in the penitentiary's fields, but few would eat it. Epps said they wound up giving it away.
The department's budget crunch is weighing on his mind, he said. MDOC, which historically has not gotten enough money from the Legislature each year, is short $32 million this year.
Legislation is pending to fund only $26 million of the deficit, and Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Jack Gordon, D-Okolona, has said MDOC will likely need a deficit appropriation next year for the other $6 million.
In budget times like these, it's nice to have someone with Epps' experience leading the agency, said Rick McCarty, MDOC deputy commissioner of administration and finance.
"He's probably one of the most well-versed commissioners we've ever had in the budget. He takes the time to know the budget and to study the budget," said McCarty, who has known Epps since 1989.
As a result, Epps knows nearly every nuance of his agency's budget, and he's adjusted expenditures to save every dollar he can find.
For example, Epps negotiated a new contract for house arrest electronic monitoring, reaping $43,800 in savings this budget year and $122,850 annually after that. He also entered into a more cost-efficient copier lease agreement, resulting in $50,000 in annual savings.
"While I haven't gotten into the millions of dollars, I am in the thousands," he said.
Epps said the main way to save millions is to look at the state's sentencing laws that are bringing more prisoners into the system and keeping them longer.
"The only way to cut costs in a prison is to cut inmates. If you cut inmates, you cut staff. That's where your money is, in your staffing, your medical, your clothing and your food," he said.
Epps' ascension to MDOC's top job hasn't come without troubles. When he was deputy superintendent at Parchman, an inmate, who says he was beaten after his escape and recapture, filed a lawsuit in 1992 naming Epps and several other employees.
Inmate Larry Floyd claimed that Epps was among the supervisors who failed to intervene or conspired to conceal the 1991 assault.
Claims against Epps in that lawsuit were dismissed. "That lawsuit, some of that was about my being in that position at my age," said Epps, around 30 at the time. "With faith in God, it was dismissed."
Holmes County Sheriff Willie March, who oversees one of the state's 11 regional jails, said he admires Epps and thought he should have been named commissioner before Johnson because of Epps' knowledge of the department.
"You don't get everything you want from him, but he's willing to listen. He doesn't have that attitude that it's my way or the highway ," he said.