JMCC Profile

Dorothy M. Harris, CJM, Major, Charleston County Juvenile Detention Center, Charleston, South Carolina

Hello, my name is Dorothy M. Harris—Major at the Charleston County Juvenile Detention Center in Charleston, SC. I have been with the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office for 22 years. I started my career as a line officer and moved through the ranks to my current position. I was the first African American Female Major for the Sheriff’s Office.

I decided to enter the field of corrections and make it my career because… I needed a job with benefits. I came to love the family atmosphere and camaraderie within the facility. It is a very fulfilling career that has offered me the opportunity to learn different areas of the facility but also l

What quote do you find to be the most inspirational and why?… A team is not a group of people who work together. A team is a group of people who trust each other.‚ Corrections is all about trust. You must trust your team whether it’s a group of people or your partner. That trust may be the difference in you going home at the end of your shift.

Explain what you feel is the importance of professional jail certification?… Corrections is a complicated field and getting a professional jail certification allows others within the correction’s field know that you are dedicated to a high level of achievement and a leader in your field.

Who has been the most influential person in your life? How have they helped you become the person you are today? My Mom has been the most influential person in my life. She has helped me become the person that I am today. Through the good, bad, and the ugly, she has always been there for me.