The Pennsylvania Prison Society gave its 2011 Visitor of the Year Award to Janie Burd.

1. Correctional Forum Spring, 2011
John Wetzel is
Pennsylvania’s New
Secretary of Corrections OFFICIAL VISITOR OF THE YEAR:
JANIE BURD
“Prison construction is not
economic development,” said
Janie Burd, a answers. Such tenacity is necessary in
Secretary of Corrections John
regular Official order to be a successful visitor.
Wetzel at the Prison Society’s Visitor in Burd says, “When I stop doing this
Convener Conference in April. Dauphin County, I will leave part of my heart at
“We’re spending too much money is this year’s Muncy because I love the women
on corrections.’ Official Visitor of there. I am amazed at what the
Secretary Wetzel became the the Year. Two Prison Society does and how unique
acting secretary in January, and Saturdays a month, she makes a two- it is in this country, and am grateful
was sworn in as the official hour trip to SCI-Muncy, where she is that the Prison Society exists so that
secretary in May. So far he has: a beloved humanitarian and known we can do this work”
• Canceled the planned for her self-sacrifice and caring for all
construction of a new prison in she serves. Superintendent Nancy
Fayette County Giroux of SCI Muncy says, “I can tes- Superintendent Nancy Giroux of
tify that Muncy has enjoyed the won- SCI Muncy shared a poem by
• Revised plans for a new prison
derful presence of a loving woman Mother Teresa to relate her
in Graterford, Montgomery
who has dedicated her life to helping esteem for Ms. Burd:
County others.”
• Moved Pennsylvania’s A few years before she retired, Life
prisoners incarcerated in Burd started looking for interesting Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.
Michigan back to volunteer work. She had never Life is beauty, admire it.
Pennsylvania; prisoners worked with prisoners before, but Life is bliss, taste it.
currently housed in Virginia the idea kept coming to the forefront Life is a dream, realize it.
will be back in Pennsylvania by of her mind. She began to go to Life is a challenge, meet it.
the end of the year agencies she thought could help her, Life is a duty, complete it.
• Recognized the importance of but due to restraints placed on these Life is a game, play it.
a support system in the agencies, she was not able to visit Life is costly, care for it.
community — housing, jobs, prisoners. Then she found Irene Life is wealth, keep it.
addiction treatment, etc. — to Baird, who took her to a Prison Life is love, enjoy it.
Society meeting in Harrisburg. A Life is mystery, know it.
help lower the rate of
recently-retired Visitor, Kathy Bell, Life is promise, fulfill it.
recidivism
became her mentor. That was in Life is sorrow, overcome it.
Secretary Wetzel began his 2005, and a few years later Burd Life is a song, sing it.
corrections career in 1989 as an assumed leadership of a group of Life is a struggle, accept it.
officer at the Lebanon County regular visitors and became a mentor Life is tragedy, confront it.
Correctional Facility. Since then, he to a new visitor, Kate Whiteley. Life is an adventure, dare it.
has risen through the ranks at the Helping incarcerated women solve Life is luck, make it.
Berks County Prison to become their problems often requires infor- Life is too precious, do not destroy it.
warden of Franklin County Jail in mation from outside agencies, and Life is life, fight for it!
2002 and the newly-appointed persistence is necessary on Burd’s
Secretary of the Pennsylvania part. Women want to find their chil-
Department of Corrections. Wetzel dren, regain custody of their children,
is now responsible for overseeing and need special medical care. They
the state’s 27 prisons, more than need a home plan that will satisfy a
51,000 inmates, 16,000 employees parole system that often appears
unyielding and inflexible. Burd tack-
and a $1.9 billion budget.
les these issues and demands
12 www.prisonsociety.org