SUMTER, S.C. — The 2023 South Carolina Jail Director of the Year is from right here in the Midlands. Patricia Ray with the Sumter Lee Regional Detention Center was recognized by the South Carolina Jail Administrators Association for her work.
Maj. Ray has been working at the Sumter County Detention Center for a little over three years.
“Now I just feel like it's just full circle. I'm back in corrections again,” Ray smiles. “But I like it. I really do.”
Ray started out working in a detention center more than 30 years ago. She then became a class one officer before trying out jail administration. This year, Sumter County Sheriff Anthony Dennis nominated her for the award, which Ray says she won after being voted on by other jail administrators across the state.
“When you look around the territory, look around the state, there are a lot of different detention centers, but I know in my own backyard, we have one of the best to do it and Major Ray is that person,” Midlands Fatherhood Coalition (MFC) Director of Programs Keith Ivey shares.
Ivey says that Ray invites him along with Terrance Osborne to the jail every week to speak with the male inmates about the importance of fatherhood.
“A lot of [the inmates] come to me and they say they really appreciate, you know, the time, energy and effort that she puts in to allow us to really come in because they feel like we're really really touching them,” Osborne explains.
“To want to have a good valuable service to come in and provide services for the guys, it touches your spirit,” Ivey adds about Ray. “And that's what we need. We need people who really care about what they're doing.”
Like Ray, Ivey says, who is working to provide opportunities to inmates, including GED training, connections with local pastors and substance abuse and mental health treatment.
“Because a lot of them when they come, they don't know who they are, what’s the purpose of being here. It’s just so wide open in the streets. This is a slow down time. So once we get them slowed down and get them focused, I just want to put everything in place that they need to say, ‘Hey, you know, I need to be a better mom.’ And here you go. ‘I need my GED.’ Here you go. ‘I'm having problems with drinking and drugs.’ There you go. I want to be able to wrap that person,” Ray explains about jail time. “because you want to make a better person to go out. You don't want them to be the same as when they came in. Because they're just going to go back out and do the same thing again and come back. And they may do that. But I want them to have time to slow down and think about why. Or should I do this again? Or is it worth it?”
When it comes to Ray’s favorite part of the job, she says it’s her co-workers.
“My most favorite thing that I've done since I've been here is holding together a team of people and making them see that they can be the best that they can be and be the best at what they do, love what they do,” Ray explains. “I feel like I've built a very good team since I've been here.”