Wilkinson County Prison Celebrates 5-Year Anniversary

Commemoration Observed by Community Leaders, Elected

Officials, Representatives of Law Enforcement

By Roscoe Barnes III

Wilkinson County Correctional Facility (WCCF) recently celebrated Management & Training Corporation’s (MTC) 5-year anniversary as operator of the Woodville facility. From left: Deputy Warden of Operations Gabriel Walker, Warden Jody Bradley, Deputy Warden of Programs Tonya Toomey, and Warden Frank Shaw of East Mississippi Correctional Facility (EMCF) in Meridian. Shaw was WCCF warden when MTC took over the facility in 2013. Bradley became warden of WCCF in 2015.

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WOODVILLE, Miss. -- Wilkinson County Correctional Facility (WCCF) held a special luncheon recently to celebrate Management & Training Corporation’s (MTC) 5-year anniversary as operator of the Woodville facility.

Monique Alexander, administrative assistant, organized the event which took place on Tuesday, July 31, 2018, in the Visitation Room of WCCF. More than 80 people attended, including 30 guests and the 50 staff members who were honored for their five years of service.

Local community leaders and elected officials joined in the commemoration. Chief Jesse Stewart of the Woodville Police Department participated, as did Sheriff Travis Patten, who came with several deputies and officers from the Adams County Sheriff Office in Natchez.

Woodville Mayor Keshia Stewart Ford and Circuit Clerk J. Lynn Delaney also took part in the celebration, along with the Rev. James and Louise Hardy.

“This is a celebration of each other” Warden Jody Bradley said of WCCF staff. “Nothing’s more righteous in our business than taking care of each other.”

Bradley has served as WCCF warden since 2015. He took over after Warden Frank Shaw, who now serves at East Mississippi Correctional Facility (EMCF) in Meridian. EMCF is also managed by MTC.

Shaw became the warden of WCCF on July 1, 2013, when the management of the facility transitioned from Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) to MTC. Shaw returned to WCCF for the anniversary.

“Woodville is a very welcoming community and a good place to live,” he said as he reminisced on his time in Wilkinson County. “This is a good facility. You do what you can to provide important services and meet the needs of the offenders.”

When MTC took over, its goal was to give the offenders opportunities to be educated and attend programs “so we could help them turn their lives around,” Shaw said.

“I had amazing people who worked with me and it made all the difference in the world,” he explained. “I thank you for making my first two years here incredible.”

Larry Lee, contract monitor for the Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC), congratulated WCCF on behalf of the state. “I was here when MTC came,” he said. “It was interesting to see the transition take place. It’s an awesome pleasure to take part in this event today.”

Bradley, who has more than 30 years of experience in corrections, served as warden of WCCF shortly after it opened in 1998. He said the facility is continuing to make progress as it works to change lives for the better.

The facility is seeing a drastic reduction in the number of “uses of force,” he said. It is seeing a growing number of GED graduates and proud achievements in other areas as well, he said.

WCCF is a 1,000 bed facility located at 2999 U.S. Highway 61 North in Woodville, in southwest Mississippi. Its managing company, MTC, was founded in 1981. MTC is a privately-held company headquartered in Centerville, Utah.

Representatives of law enforcement in Woodville and Natchez joined in the celebration of MTC/WCCF’s 5-year anniversary. Pictured from left: Sheriff Travis Patten, who came with several deputies and officers from the Adams County Sheriff Office in Natchez; Warden Jody Bradley; and Chief Jesse Stewart of the Woodville Police Department.

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ROSCOE BARNES III, Ph.D., is a writer, chaplain, historian, and former newspaper reporter. He is the author of more than a dozen books and Gospel tracts. For more information about his work and history, see his Personal Profile here or visit his website: http://www.roscoebarnes.net. Connect with him on Twitter (@roscoebarnes3) or by email: roscoebarnes3@yahoo.com.