Warden Draws on Personal Experiences In Work With Female Inmates

Reaching into the realm of personal experience, Nola Blackburn has a passion for empowering women. She has used this passion to run and maintain Wyoming Women's Center in Lusk, Wyo., as warden since late 1997. During her time there, she has initiated programs, promoted a secure environment and has

Blackburn says she wants to serve as a role model for women in the facility, many of whom have never had a positive female figure in their lives. The feminine posture has evolved from the homemaker mom of the past, and Blackburn is aware that for many women to survive today, they need independent living skills. Female inmates are encouraged to become "stand-alone women," Blackburn said. "A stand-alone person is someone who knows who they are spiritually, mentally, physically and emotionally."

Blackburn tells her female inmates that they must gain power in the world economically, and to do that, they need to be educated and must develop job skills and a work ethic. The desire to empower women stems from personal experiences that required Blackburn to empower herself. "I was in an abusive relationship for about five years, before I finally decided I had had about enough," she said.

Able to break loose from the confines of domestic violence that held her fettered for years, Blackburn emerged with a strength she hopes to instill in other women. This experience has proved to be an asset for the warden. Often, when appropriate, Blackburn relates her personal story to her inmates to illustrate that hardships in life can be overcome and difficulties can be resolved. "What I tell them is that your life halfway brought you here, I want you to take advantage of every opportunity to become a better person and correct your criminal thinking and deal with your addictions," she said.

Blackburn is not satisfied with just sitting behind a desk and overseeing staff. Once a week she hops in the trenches of the population and meets with a group of inmates called "the investors." Blackburn started the investors six years ago and explains that it allows inmates with life sentences to meet and discuss issues unique to them; for example, the relief of not receiving a death sentence. Inmates must be disciplinary free for three years and a model citizen within the prison population to be eligible for the group.

Blackburn's inmates have come and thanked her for her positive influence and candor. She recalls one inmate who had killed her husband and served 12 years at the facility. Her troubling past and mental illnesses made her one of the most difficult and hopeless inmates, Blackburn said. Blackburn developed a relationship with her and helped her through difficult times. This once hopeless inmate is currently in Korea on a mission for her church teaching children. "She has thanked me and the staff for saving her life and for having her learn how to live," Blackburn said.

Blackburn credits knowing when to be stern and when to be kind as a key to survival in the corrections field. "That's been one of my blessings; I am tough when I need to be tough, and I can be a no-nonsense lady," she said. However, it is her kindness that really shines through, say her staff. "You have to care for people. [Blackburn] demonstrates this in her day-to-day operational decisions, which uphold the dignity of each individual, be it staff or inmate," said Kathleen Heine, business and personnel manager for Wyoming Women's Center.

Blackburn takes pride in her facility's safe environment for both staff and inmates, but she realizes she could not do this on her own. A key component to this safe culture is the inmates who, she says, must bear some of the burden for the safety of their community. "What we teach them is to be a good citizen. If someone in your community on the outside was selling drugs and harming your community, you would do something about that," Blackburn said. She encourages this community thinking and says that the word "snitch" has almost disappeared from the facility. Blackburn also attributes this healthy prison environment to the diligence of her staff, whom she refers to as her corrections family. "They are committed and I am proud of them," Blackburn said.

Throughout her 28-year career, Blackburn steadily climbed the ranks, performing her duties faithfully and was named warden in 1997. She plans to continue working as warden at the facility and says, despite other offers, "my heart and head are still here." Within the confines of a tough business it is easy to become jaded and lose oneself, but Blackburn has managed to evade the shrouds of hopelessness. "My spiritual core tells me that people are worth something, that we have a responsibility in this life to do good and not do evil, and not to ignore our brothers and sisters in trouble," she said.