Springdale Private Alternative Natural Korrectional

Sadie's Arrival

Sadie had been caught red handed. She was having a girls night out, had a few too many drinks, and said "yes" when a stranger asked her if she wanted something a little stronger. Next thing she knew there were flashing lights in her rear view mirror. As she was failing her sobriety test, an officer searched her car and found the stash of illicit substances that she had purchased earlier. Sadie was charged with possesion and DUI, and spent the night in a cell before her friend came to pick her up. 

 "I don't know what I'm going to do!", sobbed Sadie from the passenger seat on the way home. "I'm going to go to prison. I'll lose my job, my house, everything! Know any good lawyers, Kathryn?"

Kathryn shook her head and glanced at Sadie out of the corner of her eye. "I don't know any lawyers... But I did hear that punishments for substance abuse are pretty... Fluid, I guess you could say. The prison system is so overcrowded, they've been offering alternative punishments to anyone who really wants to avoid jail time."

Sadie stared at Kathryn for a moment, blinked, and then asked for some more details. "What kind of alternatives? Like, community service?"

"Nah, it's more like they treat you like a kid. You stay at their facility, do chores, take classes, early bed times, that kind of thing. The classes are designed to teach you what you did wrong, and how to avoid those actions in the future.", said Kathryn. 

"Chores and classes? Sounds a lot better than prison to me...", said Sadie. "But if it's just those in place of being in a real prison, I'll still lose my job. I could be setenced for years!"

"I heard that the alternative punishments are only a month long. The point is to get people corrected and back into society. Otherwise they'd just send them to jail.", replied Kathryn. 

Sadie smiled. "Four weeks?! I can book an extended vacation and nobody will ever know!"

Sadie was dropped off at home, and began preparing for her time in court. A few weeks later, Sadie's court date arrived. She had submitted a guilty plea on the condition that she be punished at an alternative correctional facility. The judge peered over his glasses at her, glanced down at her plea agreement, and let out a sigh. "Ma'am", he began, "Do you understand that alternative correctional facilities are designed to deliver punishments that are just as severe as prison, but in a fraction of the time?"

"Yes your honor", said Sadie quietly. She was trying her hardest not to smile. Four weeks of chores and classes wasn't going to be anywhere near the level of punishment she would have gotten if she had spent even a few months in prison.

"Very well.", said the judge. "The court accepts your plea bargain. You are hereby sentenced to a transitional term of four weeks at the Springdale Private Alternative Natural Korrectional facility. Don't let me see you in here again." With that he banged his gavel, and Sadie sighed with relief. 

Sadie quickly booked her "vacation", telling her boss that someone she knew had to cancel their vacation, so she was buying their pre-booked flights and hotels from them for a great deal. Her boss agreed. A week later, Sadie found herself walking through the doors of Springdale Korrectional. 

"What kind of place spells 'correctional' with a 'k'?", she wondered aloud. 

"It means something.", said a guard sitting at the front desk. He then took her name, and brought her into another room for intake into the facility. "Wait here for Warden Shep.", the guard said on his way out the door. Sadie heard the door lock from the other side. 

A few moments later, Sadie heard the door lock click again. A short, balding, slightly overweight man came into the room and introduced himself. 

"I'm Mr. Shep, the warden at Springdale Korrectional. You must be Sadie?", he asked. 

"Yes sir", replied Sadie.

"Excellent. I see here that the judge confirmed with you that you understood what you were signing up for by opting for alternative punishment. I also see that you have been sentenced to transitional punishment for four weeks. So let's get started.", said the warden brightly. "The rules for transitional punishment are very simple. Number one, when you transition to a new task - be it switching classes, completing a morning or bedtime routine, or completing an after-class assignment - you will inform any staff member that you are transitioning to a new task, and that you need to be paddled."

"I'll tell them what?", gasped Sadie. 

"You'll tell them you need to be paddled.", said Warden Shep flatly. "You told the judge that you understood how alternative punishment facilities worked. Didn't you know about the paddling?"

"No...", said Sadie glumly. 

"Well you're here now. It's too late to back out. Rule number one understood Sadie?", asked the warden. 

"Yes sir.", she replied. 

"Good. Rule number two: The moment your diaper is wet or dirty, you will inform a staff member.", said the warden. 

"I'll tell them when my what is WHAT?!", exclaimed Sadie.

"You'll tell a staff member when you've used your diaper.", said the warden, sounding exasperated. "My goodness girl, did you not know about the diapers either?"

"No", said Sadie, "I really didn't." She was silently cursing Kathryn under her breath. Kathryn probably knew all along and thought this would be funny. 

"Again, it's too late now. Tell any staff member when you have used your diaper. If you are in class, raise your hand and wait for the instructor to call on you before you tell them. Rule number two understood Sadie?", asked the warden. 

"Yes sir."

"Fantastic!", beamed the warden. "The last rule is to simply do as you are told. You're in bed when a staff member tells you it's time for lights out. You will complete any tasks given to you by any staff member. You will go to the classes you are told to, and you will stay out of any areas you are told not to visit. Rule number three understood my dear?"

"Yes sir.", she said for one final time. 

"Perfect.", said the warden warmly. "That's it for your introduction to Springdale Correctional. It's time to transition from the task of learning the rules to the task of getting you dressed. Let's see how well you remember the rules we just went over...".