They have had no one to tell them the rules for living and they are very immature. I try to tell them they picked the wrong friends. They should get into church work, get involved and they won't have time to get in trouble, and to choose a girlfriend from that group. You see some good results occasionally which makes up for the inmates who come back after a month or so. The public is not very good with people who are just out of prison.
Many inmates work on a team fighting forest fires and clearing mountain trails.
The inmates enjoy their work and don't want to be kept from it even when they aren't feeling well. On a typical day, Johnson will see an inmate with a toothache, backache, sunburn, or an upset stomach. Also, inmates with chain saw cuts get taken directly to the emergency room. The inmates respond to her calming influence. That soothing voice and loving, gentle touch will long be remembered in the mountains of Avery County.