In the final part of the Behind Bars series, Warden Jim McKinney interviews inmate Joseph Hansen to show what makes a meth addict tick and what can be done to stop it. "I don't feel good about it. It's always been there," Hansen said. Hansen is talking about methamphetamine. A theme seen over and over with the three inmates KCCI has sat down with at one Iowa prison. "It is a full time busy operation," McKinney said. McKinney took KCCI crew around the entire correctional facility in Coralville, explaining how they're working around-the-clock to try and help each of the thousands of inmates who walk through its doors. "We're talking about guys that are allegedly one of the worst in the state, and turning their lives around," McKinney said. He has a positive philosophy that others can feel in the prison. "What changes people is holding them accountable if they do wrong, but also giving them encouragement to do well," McKinney said. As the warden made Hansen sweat, KCCI's Tommie Clarke listened to how difficult it is to quit an addiction that alters everything. "If your choice is you see the meth and you know where you're going to end up, why do you still choose the meth?" McKinney asked Hansen. "You can't shrug your shoulders! You gotta answer the question!""Because I'm a drug addict and that's what I like," Hansen answered. "It helps me escape reality because I don't like dealing with reality." "Is it fair to the victims and the society to have to pay for you to be here?" McKinney asked. "Nope," Hansen said. "And yet it doesn't matter? Just putting you on the spot," McKinney said. "It's not that it doesn't matter, but at the same time it doesn't matter. I don't know how to explain it," Hansen said. The warden hopes that direct conversations like this, coupled with treatment, will keep inmates like Hansen out longer. "I've always had the attitude of just saying, 'The heck with it,' and that's an easy way to escape and I don't want to do that no more," Hansen said. "The better job we do inside to try and get them to change, the better off society is," McKinney said. "Our main job is how well we do when they get outside the fence. That's really our true measurement." However, when inmates are released and they're still addicted to an artificial euphoria, the warden said their job is working to minimize that addiction while improving the mental health of each inmate.

In the final part of the Behind Bars series, Warden Jim McKinney interviews inmate Joseph Hansen to show what makes a meth addict tick and what can be done to stop it.

"I don't feel good about it. It's always been there," Hansen said.

Hansen is talking about methamphetamine. A theme seen over and over with the three inmates KCCI has sat down with at one Iowa prison.

"It is a full time busy operation," McKinney said.

McKinney took KCCI crew around the entire correctional facility in Coralville, explaining how they're working around-the-clock to try and help each of the thousands of inmates who walk through its doors.

"We're talking about guys that are allegedly one of the worst in the state, and turning their lives around," McKinney said.

He has a positive philosophy that others can feel in the prison.

"What changes people is holding them accountable if they do wrong, but also giving them encouragement to do well," McKinney said.

As the warden made Hansen sweat, KCCI's Tommie Clarke listened to how difficult it is to quit an addiction that alters everything.

"If your choice is you see the meth and you know where you're going to end up, why do you still choose the meth?" McKinney asked Hansen. "You can't shrug your shoulders! You gotta answer the question!"

"Because I'm a drug addict and that's what I like," Hansen answered. "It helps me escape reality because I don't like dealing with reality."

"Is it fair to the victims and the society to have to pay for you to be here?" McKinney asked.

"Nope," Hansen said.

"And yet it doesn't matter? Just putting you on the spot," McKinney said.

"It's not that it doesn't matter, but at the same time it doesn't matter. I don't know how to explain it," Hansen said.

The warden hopes that direct conversations like this, coupled with treatment, will keep inmates like Hansen out longer.

"I've always had the attitude of just saying, 'The heck with it,' and that's an easy way to escape and I don't want to do that no more," Hansen said.

"The better job we do inside to try and get them to change, the better off society is," McKinney said. "Our main job is how well we do when they get outside the fence. That's really our true measurement."

However, when inmates are released and they're still addicted to an artificial euphoria, the warden said their job is working to minimize that addiction while improving the mental health of each inmate.

Continued here:
Prison warden works to improve mental health of inmates with addictions - KCCI Des Moines