Laurel County Ky. Correctional Center

Laurel County Ky. Correctional Center The Laurel County Correctional Center is a modern, progressive facility that houses local, state and federal inmates.

HEALTHLINES:Most people don’t like to see a dentist, but that’s not the case with the medical staff and inmates at the L...
06/16/2026

HEALTHLINES:

Most people don’t like to see a dentist, but that’s not the case with the medical staff and inmates at the Laurel County Correctional Center.

They love to see Dr. Edwin Smith and his mobile dental unit roll into the loading dock at the correctional center. The unit is a converted semi trailer equipped with a generator that powers the air conditioning, x-ray machine, dental tools, central suction system other equipment needed for a functioning dental office.

“I’ve been on antibiotics for two weeks and it hasn’t helped much. It’s got to come out,” said one inmate as she pressed her finger against a swollen back tooth. “I’m glad I’m getting to see the dentist.”

She was all smiles after Dr. Smith and his staff x-rayed the infected tooth, numbed it up and extracted it about 20 minutes after she sat in the chair.

“These inmates are so appreciative, that’s one of the reasons I like doing this work,” Dr. Smith said. “All these people have been suffering for weeks with teeth problems, so I’m happy to come here and provide this service.”

Dr. Smith has been providing mobile dental services for the LCCC for about a year. It works better than transporting 20-30 inmates at a time to various dental offices.

He was recognized as a CNN Hero in 2016 for transforming a semi trailer into a free dental clinic for children in Appalachia. He was also profiled on Good Morning America and in the New York Times.

Last weekend he was in California performing mobile dental services for the National Guard. The weekend before that he was in Florida.

“This is just another area that our team has set the standard for the corrections industry,” Jailer Jamie Mosley said. “Our Dental Care program as you can see does a terrific job in addressing such a need. I am so grateful for this partnership with Dr. Smith.”

The medical staff is grateful too, because a dentist is the only way to deal with chronic dental problems in the inmate population.

“Anyone that’s had a toothache, you know it’s the worst pain ever,” said health services administrator Chelsea Jackson. “It makes them agitated. Most of the teeth problems are caused by substance abuse, primarily methamphetamine. We can treat the infection and give them Ibuprofen, but more than likely it will come back. The teeth will need to be extracted.”

Dr. Smith and his staff performed dental work, mostly extractions, on 29 inmates Tuesday. One inmate had five teeth pulled. She said she was looking forward to feeling better.

Inmates get on the dental list by placing a sick call with the medical staff, who evaluate the need for care and set the appointment with Dr. Smith. Federal inmates, the bulk of the LCCC population, are required to have their dental care approved by the U.S. Marshall’s Service, who then pays for the service.

05/27/2026

The Archery Shooters Association tournament the last week of May is the largest tourism event in Southeastern Kentucky, bringing in about 2,000 archers and their families from all over the country to Laurel County. After canceling last year due to the tornado, the ASA event returns Thursday to the revamped Wilderness Road Event Center at Levi Jackson.

Our work release inmates have provided manpower to help stage the event from its inception. This year, under the supervision of Officers Joe Frazier and Tony Desurne, the inmates worked about a week clearing brush, sawing trees, w**d eating, setting targets and completing many other tasks.

ASA officials expressed tremendous gratitude to the inmates for all their hard work.

05/21/2026

Our work release inmates played a vital role in the recovery operations after last May’s deadly tornado. They helped with debris removal and provided manpower for the distribution center that supplied tornado victims with necessities for months. Jailer Jamie Mosley said the recovery operation helped the inmates as well, as he explained during his comments at the Day of Remembrance for the tornado victims last Saturday.

We took the time Thursday to show appreciation to our officers and nurses during National Correctional Officers Week and...
05/08/2026

We took the time Thursday to show appreciation to our officers and nurses during National Correctional Officers Week and National Nurses Week, to thank them for their dedication, passion and commitment.

Jailer Jamie Mosley put his considerable chef skills to work preparing some tasty, tender ribeyes for the appreciation lunch. He paid for the ribeyes, sides and utensils from his own pocket.

We couldn’t house about 650 inmates effectively without our skilled correctional officers and nurses. We appreciate our hard-working staff!

We want to congratulate five new officers who graduated from cadet training last Friday and are now members of our dedic...
03/11/2026

We want to congratulate five new officers who graduated from cadet training last Friday and are now members of our dedicated officer corp.

Officer Sheri Lazarus, Officer Breanna Reynolds and Officer Michael Haugher have been assigned to booking. Officer R. Vogel and Officer James Gray are working the floor.

If you are interested in an exciting career in corrections, go to:
https://laurelcountycorrections.org/

EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT:Watching Lieutenant Jason Jones work the inmate halls at the Laurel County Correctional Center is wat...
02/17/2026

EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT:

Watching Lieutenant Jason Jones work the inmate halls at the Laurel County Correctional Center is watching a seasoned correctional officer enjoying his work. But he’s only been in corrections for two years.

He talks to sergeants and officers making their rounds, gives them instructions and has answers to most of their questions. He goes into cells to give messages to inmates about their lawyer visits or addresses their grievances. That’s a big part of his job as lieutenant. He knows most of them by name. He’s got a big smile that he shows often, but he’s firm when he needs to be.

Jones‘ success and rise as a lieutenant at the LCCC can be credited to his upbringing, work ethic, management experience and accepting an offer from Jailer Jamie Mosley to begin a new career.

“I was looking for a new job and talked to Jamie,” Jones said. “He offered to let me work part time and see if I liked it. Then he sold me on it. He opened the door and I’ve tried to meet and exceed his expectations.”

Jones worked as a manager at Averitt Express for six years, supervising more than 50 drivers. After that, he worked as a manager for 23 years at Chaney Lumber, which was owned by his father, Ed. Chaney Lumber was started in 1951 by Glen Chaney. He sold it to his son-in-law, Ed Jones, in 1999.

When Ed decided to wind down and sell the business, Lt. Jones took a part-time job in the evenings at the correctional center, which was not far from Chaney Lumber and his home.

“It was a great transition for me and my family,” he said. “It’s two miles from my house. Jamie has been very good to me, when he didn’t have to be. We really didn’t have a relationship until I walked through the door. He didn’t owe me anything, he just gave me a shot.”

Jones said he received excellent training from Mosley, Captain Doc Martin and Captain Shawn Davis. They all have similar backgrounds and work ethic.

“Everyone here is excellent to work with,” he said. “We’ve got 100 people working and it’s a very diverse group of people. I’ve learned a lot from about everyone here. I’m just trying to soak it up like a sponge.”

As lieutenant, Jones primary job is it handle inmate grievances, manage the special housing unit (SHU) with Capt. Martin, assist the sergeants and anything else that needs to be done.

“There’s nothing that I’m not willing to do here, whether it’s picking up trash or cleaning toilets,” he said. “That’s the way I was raised. You won’t outwork me.”

Jones said inmate grievances “are a process. Some of the grievances are way out in left field, coming from inmates with mental issues. Then you have people with real grievances, so you have to sit down and read everything thoroughly. You remember that these are people, not just inmates, and you treat them that way.”

That empathy, combined with his reliability and a knack for remembering names and faces have earned Jones respect among the inmate population.

ªA lot of these inmates have been here a couple of years,” he said. “Some of these guys are looking at a life sentence. You’re not only an officer, but you’re a counselor. You’re trying to get them through the day, because you don’t know what they’re dealing with.”

Jones has fit in well in his new profession, and plans to retire at the correctional center sometime down the road. When he heads to the house, he won’t have far to travel.

His grandmother, the well-known Laurel County political figure Billy Chaney, would have been proud that he’s contributing to the success of the LCCC.

“My grandmother was a big proponent of Jamie bringing the jail to Fariston,” Jones said. “She toured the place when he built it. She knew it would build up the community and it would get Hammock Road straightened, which indeed happened. Plus she also knew that Jamie and the work release inmates would pick up the garbage and keep the community clean.”

Jones supports Mosley’s vision of the correctional center setting the bar in the industry for how well a large facility is managed. He enjoys coming to work each day.

ªIt’s a lot like the transpiration industry,” he said. “Everything is so fast paced. You can come in here and work 12 or 13 hours, and it goes by quickly. You’re not sitting here looking at the clock. It’s a lot of people contact. I enjoy that, even though some interactions with inmates are not pleasant. It’s problem solving. I like that.

“I wish I’d done this sooner, and that says a lot.”

The savory smell of smoked brisket filled the sallyport at the Laurel County Correctional Center Thursday afternoon. It ...
02/12/2026

The savory smell of smoked brisket filled the sallyport at the Laurel County Correctional Center Thursday afternoon. It was time for Jailer Jamie Mosley’s annual First Responder Brisket Lunch that he and is staff prepare for all the community volunteers as thanks for their service.

The briskets were smoked all night in a large smoker outside the sallyport entrance. They were paired with crispy home fries, homemade mac and cheese and fresh baked rolls.

“We wait all year long to do this,” said Mosley, who purchases all the food personally. “This is one of the most favorite things we do. We could have one these dinners every week and it would not show adequate appreciation for what each and every one of you do, regardless of the agency you’re with.”

A new group of cadets began their training this week to become correctional officers. They will undergo about four weeks...
02/11/2026

A new group of cadets began their training this week to become correctional officers. They will undergo about four weeks of training, which includes classroom work, firing range and shadowing experienced officers to learn their specific job functions and responsibilities.

HEALTHLINES:Dental problems can cause prolonged pain and agony. When left untreated, infections from bad teeth can lead ...
01/06/2026

HEALTHLINES:

Dental problems can cause prolonged pain and agony. When left untreated, infections from bad teeth can lead to heart damage and other serious problems.

Addressing dental health in a correctional setting with more than 650 inmates is a challenge, because many of them have bad teeth due to years of prolonged drug abuse. Finding a dentist to treat them on a regular basis is difficult as well.

The Laurel County Correctional Center is fortunate to have a partnership with a renowned dentist with a mobile dental unit and staff that can see about 20-40 inmates each visit.

Every month or so, Dr. Edwin Smith of Barbourville pulls his tractor trailer into the loading dock at the correctional center and sets up shop. He turns on a generator that powers the heat, x-ray machine, dental tools, central suction system and other equipment needed for a functioning dental office.

Dr. Smith was recognized as a CNN Hero in 2016 for transforming a trailer into a free dental clinic for children in Appalachia. He was also profiled on Good Morning America and in the New York Times.

His nonprofit, Kids First Dental Services, treated more than 43,000 children throughout Kentucky during that period.

“(I hope) none of these kids ever have poor oral health and bad teeth as a barrier to keep them from moving up in life and bettering themselves,” he said on CNN.

Now, Dr. Smith is extending that philosophy to jail inmates. He also provides dental services for the Knox County Detention Center and the National Guard.

“These guys need treatment, and they have a hard time getting it,” he said. In years past, we’ve seen them at our office. But logistically, that’s tough. I’m just happy to be here for the people who need me.”

For Chelsea Jackson, health services administrator at the correctional center, seeing Dr. Smith roll up with his unit is a godsend. Her staff deals with cranky inmates with bad teeth on a regular basis.

“Anyone that’s had a toothache, you know it’s the worst pain ever,” she said. “It makes them agitated. Most of the teeth problems are caused by substance abuse, primarily methamphetamine. We can treat the infection and give them Ibuprofen, but more than likely it will come back. The teeth will need to be extracted.”

Extractions were the primary procedure performed by Dr. Smith on his last visit after Christmas, including one inmate who had five teeth removed. A couple got fillings. The doctor and his staff of five worked on three inmates at a time, and treated about 20 by the end of the day. He plans to return in a few weeks.

Inmates get on the dental list by placing a sick call with the correctional center medical staff, who evaluate the need for care and set the appointment with Dr. Smith. Federal inmates, the bulk of the LCCC population, are required to have their dental care approved by the U.S. Marshall’s Service, who then pays for it.

Inmates who sit in Dr. Smith’s chair are in pain and need relief. “You’ve got to get it out. It’s sitting on a nerve!” one inmate said. Another couldn’t keep from shaking as the doc numbed a severely abscessed front tooth.

He was still shaking after it was extracted and couldn’t leave the chair for several minutes. The staff just let him relax. But he got up and nodded his head, knowing that the pain he endured would finally be gone.

“A lot of these inmates are so appreciative,” Dr. Smith said. “They won’t take care of their dental problems out on the street. They just take drugs to dull the pain. Hopefully by taking care of their bad teeth it set some things in motion that will help them better themselves.”

It was a time of food, fun and fellowship during our annual Christmas dinner Friday night at the Levi Jackson Clubhouse....
12/20/2025

It was a time of food, fun and fellowship during our annual Christmas dinner Friday night at the Levi Jackson Clubhouse. Employees and their families enjoyed a delicious meal and had a chance to win some very nice door prizes. Jailer Jamie Mosley thanked everyone for a great year in which the correctional center remained self sufficient financially, while adding needed staff and programs. We want to wish all of our officers, staff and vendors a Merry Christmas!

Address

440 Hammock Road
London, KY
40744

Telephone

+16068789431

Website

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