Kelly McEvers and Stephen Mcevers
Recorded
September 18, 2023
Archived
September 18, 2023
37:37 minutes
0:00 / 0:00
Id:
mby023113
Description
Kelly McEvers (53) interviews her father Stephen McEvers (79) about his career as a prison warden.Subject Log / Time Code
Stephen McEvers (S) tells Kelly McEvers (K) about what it was like to be a prison warden for eighteen years.
S describes how he came to his career. He says he started off as a correctional counselor.
S explains how it was difficult to change the behavior of some older staff who were used to beating prisoners, something that when he started was no longer acceptable.
S recalls the times when escapes took place in the prison.
S details how he saw things change in correctional facilities over the course of his career.
S talks about the impact of the war on drugs in prisons. He said it increased the over population of prisons.
S says before the prison was overpopulated, he would go on a picnic with the inmates and their families. he adds that he and the other wardens made it a point to eat with the prisoners so that they could available for questions.
K says it was important to S that he hired Black wards so that they looked like the inmates. S adds that he was sued for reverse discrimination.
S reflects on whether he feels like he made a difference in his career.
S talks about how is job made him feel about the death penalty.
K says she always thought of her dad as someone who tried to be fair and do good in an imperfect system. K and S share closing thoughts.
Participants
- Kelly McEvers
- Stephen Mcevers