(By Sheri Trusty, Public Relations/Community Engagement Coordinator)
The Seneca County Jail’s 30-plus correctional officers (C/Os) bring different skills and personalities to the job, but they have one thing in common. They want to help the people under their care.
“I like trying to help people,” said C/O Aaron Mason. “I talk to people and try to help them get back on a better direction for life.”
On a recent day, Mason manned Central Control inside the Seneca County Jail, a difficult duty that requires quick-thinking, attention to detail, and the ability to do many things and talk to many people at once. Central Control officers man multiple phones, inmate intercoms and radio traffic, all while monitoring cameras across the jail. They keep watch over the movement of staff, inmates, and visitors inside the jail and keep accurate logs of jail activity.
“The Central Control officer has to keep his head on a swivel,” said Jail Supervisor, Sgt. Charles Dell. “He has to watch all the cameras, all the doors, and all the movement.”
Mason chose to become a C/O because it kept the best parts of the military in his life.
“This was the closest thing to being back in the military. It has a team atmosphere, and we’re trying to help people,” he said.
That compassion can sometimes add to the stress of being a C/O. The C/Os impact many of the inmates they work with at the jail, so it can be difficult to see someone they invested in fall into the same mistakes.
“The biggest challenge is seeing the same people coming in after you thought they were doing better. It’s challenging to sit here and watch them come back over and over again,” Mason said. “It’s hard because you see their potential. But they have one mess-up, and they’re right back in.”
Like Mason, C/O Jonathon Burlile uses his authority as a C/O to help inmates find a better path in life.
“I want to have an impact in here and change lives,” Burlile said.
The C/Os rotate duties, and on the day that Mason was manning Central Control, Burlile was in charge of H Block, the jail’s least restricted cellblock which houses up to 62 inmates and ICE detainees. Mason managed the block alone, making sure the inmates were safe and the day’s routine flowed smoothly.
Burlile decided to become a C/O after watching family members “go through the system,” he said. By stepping into the world of criminal justice, he hoped to help inmates make good choices that will change their future and prevent recidivism.
He said the biggest challenge is trying to help inmates who struggle with mental health. Although C/Os are trained professionals, it is not within the scope of their work to address mental health needs in inmates. Instead, they rely on their compassion and experience to help any way they can.
“The biggest challenge is the people who come in with mental health struggles. Understanding that platform is hard,” Burlile said. “Sometimes jail isn’t the best place for them, especially when they don’t understand.”
But for most of the inmates, jail can be a stepping stone to a new and better life.
“Jail isn’t just designed to be a punishment. The judges give them time so they will hopefully break through whatever habit they have, whether that is addiction or something else. Hopefully, they’ll sit in here and polish that behavior,” Burlile said. “The best thing about this job is seeing a behavior trait change.”
