Hey all. I know I have asked many times about work release but I am so agrevated. My fiancee has been back and forth with medical turndowns for work release. He had some restrictions on him and he managed to get them taken off (or so they say they did). He has put in request after request to see the classification officer. The warden changed his class to a 1b from a 1c and moved him out to the MOD unit. He was glad of that but he wants to go to work release so that he can send some money home. He was turned down again by Pine Bluff work release because of medical and that was after all the restrictions were dropped and his class was changed. He hasn't even heard from Benton work release. I tried calling Benton and that lady won't tell me anything except he has to talk to his class. officer. Is there anyone else I can call? Sometimes I am hesitant to call because I don't want to cause him trouble. But it seems like they try their best to keep them at Cummins so they can work for them. I will call anybody that I can if ya'll have any suggestions. I would just like to hear someone tell me why without passing me off to someone else.

Constituent Services MAY be able to help.. 870-267-6385
If they can't help, at least they won't be ugly to you!

Thanks, Juliwaits. It gets really frustrating. I guess I should at least be happy that his blood sugar level has been good and he is doing okay with his health. It is just hard when he calls and he is wanting answers and he can't get them. He wants me to find out things and I haven't gotten him to understand yet that they are not very free with information. I have had to hold my tongue with some just because they are so rude. I try to remind myself that they don't always deal with the best of circumstances either and I have had conversations with some that are as nice as can be and more than willing to help.
Is it possible to talk to the classification officer from the outside and will it get him in trouble if I do?


One day it will all be over until then God will grant us the strength to survive.

It's possible to talk to the classification officer, but a lot of times it just feels like we're butting our heads against a wall. Just call the unit and ask for classification. It shouldn't get him in trouble, but there are no guarentees that it will help. It never hurts to try though.

I've found that the ONLY people i can count on to give me information AND be nice to me are Constituent Services. I hate being treated like I've committed a crime and that's why i cringe when my hubby asks me for info. When he does, i usually come here (PTO) first and if i can't find what i need, i call constituent services and then i not only tell hubby what he needs to know but include that info here at PTO.

It's raining again!!

I hope this will inspire someone to stand up for themselves and their loved ones inside. We can't always assume that the wardens have all the information they need to make decisions that affect all of our lives, not just the inmates! I sent this letter to the warden at Mississippi County Work Release after my husband was turned down. Two weeks after I sent this letter along with the certificates of achievement my husband had been sending home to M.C.W.R., my huband received another letter stating that he'd been accepted and they's be there to get him in a couple of days! If we don't stick up for our men, then who will? It is the least we can do. I think it has a major impact when they see that an inmate has someone who has faith in them and is actively supporting them. Just don't give up and don't stop trying! Here's a little background info: My husband got caught with cigarettes last time he was at Mississippi Co. Work Release and they shipped him down south until he was released on parole. He went back in April 2004 on new charges and was sent to Varner. He earned a spot in the faith-based barracks (17) and participated in and completed countless self-improvement programs. I had a feeling that the warden knew none of this when he made his decision to reject him when he applied for work release. I am so thankful for this site. It inspired the following letter:


Dear Warden Porchia,
I am writing on behalf of my husband and our family. His name is (deleted it for this posting). He recently put in a request to be transferred to your facility from the Varner Unit. He received a response from you that his “inmate jacket is very poor” and that he had “prior W/R failure at Miss Cty W/R” and he was disapproved. I understand that you had given him a chance the first time he came to prison, and although he was grateful, he also made a stupid mistake. Back then he had no real reason to be at work release, so maybe that’s why he didn’t take it more seriously. Since my husband has been back in the system, he has been a totally different person. Now he has us, his family, to think about. He stays away from many of the temptations that he could engage in because he doesn’t want to lose his class or risk losing visitation privileges with us. He has worked hard at the jobs he has been assigned to at Varner. He has a good work ethic. He wanted to get to work release this time for two main reasons: to help us out by sending home money for bills (and our new baby!) and to be closer to home so we can visit more often. Mississippi County Work Release is only about 2 1/2 hours from where we live in Kentucky. Varner is 6 hours away! That is such a long trip to take an 8-month-old baby to see her father, but I try to make it down there once or twice a month. It would be a lot less stress and strain money wise with gas as high as it is if he could be transferred to your unit. I am currently his only support system, and I try to do all I can to encourage and support him. The family he has in Arkansas doesn’t visit him at all. I know you are not supposed to consider where an inmate’s family lives when making your decision, but I wanted you to know that he is dedicated to being a better person for himself and for us. If you could find it in your heart to give him another chance, you would not regret it! He is not the same inmate that was under your supervision before. If there was anyway that you’d reconsider, we would all be so grateful! If he applies again, is there a chance that you might have a change of heart? We will understand if you won’t...we know he blew the chance you’d already given him. Please just have faith that people can change and know that now more than ever he regrets the choices he made back then. He has learned from his mistakes and is ready to live a better life. Thank you for taking the time to read this. We will look forward to hearing from you. Feel free to write, e-mail, or call if you wish to respond. Thanks so much, again!



Sincerely,
deleted my name for this posting


Thanks again to the families that come together to help each other on this site! I have found so much hope and comfort in your words. I apologize for the length of this post, but I hope that it might help others in similar situations. Good luck!