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Photo courtesy of Second Mountain Leadership and Golden Eagle Creative |
“It’s so hard for people in law enforcement and corrections to change the way they’ve been taught through the years,” said Morriss. “Ultimately, my ability to change and lead others in making a change is why I’ve been honored with this award.”
After earning a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice, Morriss relocated from Huntsville, Texas, to his birthplace of Missouri to serve as a correctional officer at Western Missouri Correctional Center. From there, he advanced through various state institutions, taking on roles such as case manager, functional unit manager, assistant warden, deputy warden and warden. To further his education, Morriss also earned a master’s degree in criminal justice administration from Columbia College in Columbia, Missouri.
“I really enjoyed my time at SHSU,” Morriss said. “I’m very proud to have graduated from there before starting my career.”
In 2017, Morriss was promoted to warden at Algoa Correctional Center (ACC), where he transformed the facility's culture through his unique leadership style and support toward reentry programming.
“The combination of the Growth and Leadership Program and the honor dorm system we were utilizing really improved the morale of the offenders,” said Morriss. “We brought outside visits inside the facility with families, which had never been done in Missouri, and it was amazing.”
Seven years later, Morriss was asked to serve as warden of JCCC, a maximum-security facility, to replicate the transformation he had achieved at ACC. Since then, the institution has seen a significant increase in staffing and a notable reduction in serious incidents.
“I really feel like the JCCC staff and I have just totally changed the way we do corrections in Missouri,” said Morriss. “I went against the grain of what corrections has done in the past and it works.”
Reflecting on a 35-year career, Morriss takes pride in contributing to the positive development and innovative practices seen in corrections today.
“I’m past retirement, but I know I can leave this field better than how I found it, and not too many people can say that,” Morriss said. “This is what I’ve always wanted for my career.”
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This article was originally published on Sam Houston State University's website.