We first reported on this guy when we received so many complaints from San Carlos residents in February. The article was about his propensity to authorize “excessive shakes” at his unit. Jones has virtually no work experience with women, as he came to Perryville from a male prison for his first deputy warden post. Reportedly, the gals say Jones got there Oct 1st and to date put them through 18 grueling shakes (A shake takes almost an entire day, the women are stripped, marched through a metal detector, their rear ends sniffed by dogs, herded into visitation with nothing to do, and come back to their home ripped apart and property missing…..it’s being VIOLATED).

According to policy, shakes are only supposed to be done QUARTERLY…. not whenever the DW feels like punishing the ladies. The alleged reason for the shakes is “finding drugs”. Maybe they should put their own staff through the body scanner…..just a thought.

During Covid when there was no visits in any prison, the reported increase in drugs tripled in state and federal lockups. These drugs could only be coming in from one source, because it sure wasn’t from visits.

In addition to the shakes, the Carlos residents feel Jones has not done one thing to make their lives better or more comfortable in any way. For example, the ladies hate living in a “toaster oven” with all bay lights on even with the 118 heat outside. They have pleaded, begged, and grieved, to have the hot lights turned off especially during the summer, to no avail. Ideas and proposals from residents land on Jones deaf ears, usually to the tune of “We don’t have money in the budget for that.” Jones should go back to the men’s unit, and let the Carlos women have a DW that will make their life better, not adding more stress to their already tortured lives.

Ever so slightly, and slowly, at a snail’s pace, does the DOC change for the better. We had to double-check this story to make sure it was true. Some enlightened individual started a Perryville Focus Group to “drive positive change, discuss ideas to improve life in Perryville.” There has only been one meeting, but look what they’ve come up with so far: Family reunification program, Senior activity center, ASU lounge, Reentry skills for long-term residents, Culinary program, Cosmology certificate program, grow our own veggie greenhouse. This appears to be a diverse group of ladies with new and innovative ideas. We hope this idea gains traction and their great ideas are implemented!