Mitchellville women's prison names new warden

Mitchellville, Ia. - Patti Wachtendorf, a state prison employee for the past 26 years, has been named warden of the Iowa Correctional Institution for Women at Mitchellville.

[virginia]

I don't think Patti W. is the right person for the job. I saw her at her worse when a gate at the prison wouldn't open. She cussed, rant and raved and kick the fence. But the Offenders are told that they can't us profanity. These are grown women. We know we are there to do ourn time. Let us do it in peace. Stop all the nick picking. If only the families knew how their loved ones were treated, they woukd check on them better.

[peter garcia]

Virginia,
Do i need to remind you that you are in prison, not a Days Inn. It has been my experience your behavior dicates how you are treated. I feel you have to many comforts already. If you want to be treated like grown women act like one.

[Lonise Porter]

as a former inmate mr. garcia you know thats not true. we do not get treated with respect and talked to with respect. im not saying that all correctional officers are like that because i was very close to one that i could go to about any issues i was having, but others, especially the male guards, they were always on power trips because they were the authority. i believe that some of the policies and the rules are ridiculous beyond relief, yes we committed the crime but do we have to be treated like animal

[Rockett]

peter garcia wrote:

Virginia,
Do i need to remind you that you are in prison, not a Days Inn. It has been my experience your behavior dicates how you are treated. I feel you have to many comforts already. If you want to be treated like grown women act like one.

Lets not forget that people go to prison for various reasons. The truth of the matter is the way the justice system is set up is not justly! In this day in age if you have money , your chances of imprisonment are slim to none. I am not justifying the fact that those who commit a crime should not be punished. I gurantee you that prison is not the answer for all crimes. Do you research before you open your mouth and judge. You never know if it may affect you directly some day.

[Gordon Packard]

If Patti is intimidated by a 75 year old retired priest she should try a different line of work. I bet they are hiring at McDonalds.

[bjoy_past _ICIWinmate]

it's about freakin time iciw changes up... yes they really needed a different warden..2 many bogus azz rules we in da past got into trouble for..she sure got her thrillz off of seeing us women in the hole for sumthing sum of us didnt do..now dat they got a new warden in there maybe things will be different for all them women in there and how it is now..,yes things really need to change cause it is not fair that the women go straight to the hole once they get there...the hole is another form of county jail...it is wrong to put them in the same exact thing they came out of...shoot let them breath...also garcia u don't know a dam thing to be judging cuz u havent been there and back..get ur shyt str8 b 4 u speak of dis topic again

[Tina]

I was in Mitchellville, I have to agree that Patti is not the best woman for the job.

[Tina]

peter garcia wrote:

Virginia,
Do i need to remind you that you are in prison, not a Days Inn. It has been my experience your behavior dicates how you are treated. I feel you have to many comforts already. If you want to be treated like grown women act like one.

Some of us who were in Mitchellville know the way things run there and would have to agree that Patti is NOT the best person to be warden.

[Tina]

Lonise Porter wrote:

as a former inmate mr. garcia you know thats not true. we do not get treated with respect and talked to with respect. im not saying that all correctional officers are like that because i was very close to one that i could go to about any issues i was having, but others, especially the male guards, they were always on power trips because they were the authority. i believe that some of the policies and the rules are ridiculous beyond relief, yes we committed the crime but do we have to be treated like animal

I agree, the inmates NEED to be trwated like humans and not animals, we do have feelings. Even though we commited a crime and have time to do we should be treated with the respect that the CO's expect us to give them.

[Abby]

I was there & they sure don't treat us with any kind of respect. I agree with Tina.

[michelle Arizona]

Let me break this down for you some are incarcerated for self defence crimes or protecting their children from predators. As for your comment think before you open your mouth because if someone hurts your child i can almost gaurantee you will do some time.

[michelle Arizona]

Are you serious, Patti W. She is about as rude as the last warden. I did 12 years in mitchellville and Patti. WOW. Several officers have asked how to "RETURN TO SENDER" Staff are moved way to fast up the ladder at Mitchellville, half of the employees are fucking each other or married to each other. It is a family business. There are staff members who have been in administration way before Patti showed up.

[Florence]

I,was in Mitchellville 59 Years ago. It sure wasn't like it sounds today. Our supertendent was Mrs. Carter. She, was so fair to everyone. The employees couldn't be mean to the girls. She had a beauty schooln started for the girls. She, also changed the name to TRAINING SCHOOL. She was so good. God rest her soul.

[sherry kern]

i was in mitchellville from 95-2000 and i hate patti to this day! she is life ms flannigan from the movie annie. i remember she asked me if i could read and i said yes she said then why are u talking in line, and she wrote me up for answering her question. fuck that bitch! ms. doris, fran, mike and carol smith, loretta and ken. erskin was my favorite cos there because they treated us like humans. now randy rice and steve heston are no better than patti...

[mel]

sherry kern wrote:

i was in mitchellville from 95-2000 and i hate patti to this day! she is life ms flannigan from the movie annie. i remember she asked me if i could read and i said yes she said then why are u talking in line, and she wrote me up for answering her question. fuck that bitch! ms. doris, fran, mike and carol smith, loretta and ken. erskin was my favorite cos there because they treated us like humans. now randy rice and steve heston are no better than patti...

I am sorry to bother you could you tell me if you remember how bad steve heston was to you. I am curious.

[Abbey ex inmate 2005]

I was At mitchellvile, and some co's do take advantage of There power, when there's no need i remember i was walking from my #6 to school and a femeale co stoped me and told me to go Wash my face, because i was wearring make up, i never did anything, bad, or was i ever a bad inmate i was inly trying to do my time and go home to AZ to my kids, and this co just wanted to humiliate me, i don't know now, but back THEN they sold make up on comisary. I wish i colud remember her name, but u just can't...there was another insident with a male co, he hide my time clock sheet. I had left it on his desk,for him to sign because he was buisy At the moment like i had done before with other co's, and when i came back to get it he told me that i should never leave it anywhere, and that he never saw it, and it was in front of his face. I told him i didn't need the to get paid, and that thank God i had lot's of money in my acct. And left. I HATED THAT MAN!!!! He would follow me around the building when i was cleaning, he was stoking me trying to get me in trouble... He is a lost soul, that enjoy to use his power, when is not needed!!! I can't remember his name eighter....

[Michelle]

peter garcia wrote:

Virginia,
Do i need to remind you that you are in prison, not a Days Inn. It has been my experience your behavior dicates how you are treated. I feel you have to many comforts already. If you want to be treated like grown women act like one.

Have you ever been in prison? If not shut the hell up. regardless of how one acts they officers treat everyone like crap. So unless you have been there please shut it down. the mentality of the correctional system is "I'm the C.O your the inmate". whether someone was there for protecting their child or dealing drugs everyone deserves respect if respect is given