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A Compassionate and Professional Example: How Shelby Smith Makes a Difference at Arizona State Prison – Marana

Treating those around her with respect, dignity, and kindness is what Support Services Sergeant Shelby Smith is all about.

“She’s always professional. She’s fair with both the residents and the staff,” says Warden Jeremy Casey of the Arizona State Prison – Marana. “She’s very good at it. She does very well.”

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Shelby Smith, support services sergeant.

We asked Shelby to share the favorite part of her job.

“My staff,” she answered. “Definitely my staff that I get to work with every day. We have really good teamwork and camaraderie. I have a really good team behind me. And if the dynamic or the vibe isn’t always operating correctly, then we adjust, adapt and overcome and get through it all together.”

As much as she enjoys her work, Shelby’s life is all about her kids. She has four.

“The value of my life is definitely those kiddos. We like to be outside a lot. My oldest son plays club baseball. My daughter shows pigs, she’s in 4-H, so we’re always outside doing that. My youngest two are into horses, roping and barrel racing, so everything that we do is outdoors. We love being outside together.”

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Shelby and her children.

“She’s a very good mentor for the staff,” says Warden Casey. “She carries herself professionally. She’s a very good example of what MTC is about. [She is] caring and very supportive of both the resident population and [the] staff that report to her. She leads by example. And she’s a good reflection of us at the facility. All the employees are just as passionate about what they do. I’m proud of all of them.”