Lake County sheriff begins self-imposed jail sentence
It seemed somewhat awkward for corrections officer Kimberly Corsaw as she took vital information Wednesday from the 6-foot 5-inch prisoner towering over her at the booking desk.
It might have been because Corsaw had to crane her neck to question the guy, then again it might have been because he was her boss.
Lake County Sheriff Mark Curran began a weeklong sojourn into his own jail, hoping to raise his awareness - and that of others - to the plight of prisoners.
"I believe I can be a better sheriff by having a better understanding of jail operations from the perspective of an inmate," Curran said during a news conference. "I believe I will receive significant introspection from staying in the jail with the inmates."
Long a champion of prisoner rehabilitation programs, Curran said he hopes to draw attention to the need for more such efforts at the local and state levels.
He said virtually every person in local jails and 97 percent of the people in prison will eventually be released from custody, and society must play a role in shaping those who come out.
Curran said he believes Lake County jail is among the leaders in providing education and rehabilitation programs for prisoners, programs he intends to participate in while in custody.
He called for the state prison system and other jails to follow suit.
"The biblical adage that we reap what we sow is very true in criminal justice," Curran said. "The Illinois Department of Corrections has treated inmates like caged animals only to see them released angrier and more bitter than they originally were."
Curran said he will leave the jail during the week only to attend a couple of meetings as sheriff and to teach a college class one evening. He will work in the kitchen and with a roadside cleaning crew and take classes. He is scheduled to leave the jail Aug. 27.
The idea of going behind bars came to Curran two weeks ago as he entered the Willow Creek Church in Barrington with some of his staff for a conference.
"I turned to my deputy chief of the jail, Patrick Firman, and said 'I am going to spend a week in the Lake County jail'," Curran told the news conference. "I believe that because the idea came to me in a church that it may have been divinely inspired."
Curran acknowledged his time inside will not mirror a regular inmate's, because he will not have a cellmate nor sleep among the general population for security reasons.
He did say he wanted it to be as realistic as possible.
"I want to as much as possible do what the inmates are doing and experience what they go through," he said.
Curran is prepared to have some people denounce his move as a publicity stunt.
"I am sure some people will spin it that way, but I do not live my life for other people," he said. "I live my life doing what is right and let the chips fall where they may."
After completing the paperwork and having his fingerprints and photo taken, Curran moved to a private area and changed into a standard-issue blue jail uniform before returning to talk with the media.
"I don't think I can tell you how it feels, because I never really thought about how it would feel," he said of his new duds before going behind the steel door.
"I know the reasons I am here are very personal for me and I believe in them in my heart of hearts."
He said he planned to discuss his experiences with his staff at the end of the week, with an eye on identifying changes or improvements needed in the jail.
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