May/June 2015 Corrections Directions Newsletter

Corrections Directions
Association
of
State Correctional Administrators
May/June 2015, Vol. XXXII, No. 3
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
I recently had the opportunity
to work a shift as a uniformed
correctional officer in our
maximum security prison.
Such an experience would be
no big deal for those of you that
came up through corrections
and probably started as a
correctional officer. I did not.
The inter-workings of the
prison have always intrigued
Leann Bertsch
me, but it is hard to get an
accurate view of the operations when walking through the
facility as the Director.
I learned a lot and have a great appreciation for all of
the work that goes into keeping a prison running like a
well-oiled machine. It was not only physically tiring
with the constant walking up and down stairs with the
added weight of all the gear on the duty belt, but mentally
exhausting as well. I am not sure I could get used to
constantly monitoring the environment, listening to the
radio traffic and responding to the constant demands of the
inmates. The experience did reinforce my belief that the
communication skills we teach our staff are important and
I was impressed with the respectful interaction between
officers and inmates.
Although I had reviewed the various officer posts and
recognized that we have a high ratio of inmates to staff, it
really sunk in how few officers we have staffing the entire
prison at any given time. I did not expect the officers to
be so isolated within the housing unit to which they are
assigned. It is easy to see how an officer can become more
familiar with the inmates they supervise than with fellow
officers that work in other areas of the prison.
I had asked to not be treated any differently than any
other rookie officer learning the job, and I wasn’t. After
observing the officer perform a task, I performed the task
while he observed. I learned how to roll open the tiers,
make rounds, take count, and search cells. I was quizzed
on how I would respond if a 10-33 was called, and was
very thankful it was a quiet and uneventful shift and did
not have to respond.
Having every part of the day scheduled down to the
minute would be a difficult adjustment, but it was clear
that both inmates and staff depend on that structure to
keep safety and order in the facility. One officer told me
that it was difficult to not structure her day at home in the
same manner, planning out every minute of her day off.
Observing and interacting with the inmates was the most
interesting part of the experience. I was amused to find
out that PREA has now become a verb much like Google
when an inmate stated he had PREAed someone. Curious
about a new officer on the tier, the inmates figured out
who I was about half-way through the shift asking if I was
the “Undercover Boss.” I was just as curious about them,
wondering why they were incarcerated and whether they
really needed to be separated from society, or whether they
needed to be separated from society for as long as they
were.
The experience was worthwhile and eye-opening and
reinforced that corrections is one of the most unique,
interesting and challenging careers no matter where an
individual works in the system.
1110 OPAL COURT, SUITE 5  HAGERSTOWN, MD 21740  301.791.2722  FAX: 301.393.9494  HTTP://WWW.ASCA.NET
GEORGE & CAMILLE CAMP, EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS
Corrections Directions • May/June 2015
UPCOMING EVENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
President’s Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
NEWSLETTER PERSONNEL
Editors: Camille Camp and Jill Brooks
Writers: Jill Brooks and Staff
Upcoming Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Efforts to Combat Mental Health . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Hepatitis C and the New Cures - Implications . . 3
ASCA Members Attend Int’l. Conference on
Restrictive Housing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
ASCA Welcomes New Members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
PBMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 - 6
Awards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Surveys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 -12
Jurisdictional News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 - 14
Association of State Correctional Administrators
1110 Opal Court, Suite 5
Hagerstown, MD 21740
P: 301.791.2722 F: 301.393.9494
www.asca.net
ASCA Upcoming Events
APPA 40th Annual Training Institute
July 12-15, 2015
Los Angeles, CA
Second World Congress on Community Corrections
July 14-16, 2015
Los Angeles, CA
ASCA Summer Business/Committee Meetings
August 14-16, 2015
Indianapolis, IN
ASCA Summer Business Meetings
Around The Corner
ASCA Symposium For Correctional Administrators
September 24-26, 2015
Atlanta, GA
The Westin Indianapolis, located in Indianapolis, IN,
will be the host hotel for the ASCA Summer Committee
Meetings and Business Meeting from August 13 through
August 16, 2015.
ASCA Southern Region Conference
October 1-4, 2015
Jekyll Island, GA
National Conference on Correctional Health Care
October 17-21, 2015
Dallas, TX
International Corrections & Prisons Association
October 25-30, 2015
Melbourne, Australia
International Community Corrections Association
November 8-10, 2015
Boston, MA
Because our ASCA meetings are held in conjunction
with those of ACA, please make your hotel reservations
through ACA to take advantage of the group-housing
rate of $185.
A Welcoming Reception will take place on August 13th
between 5:00 and 7:00 pm. The Executive Committee
meeting on Sunday from 9:00 to 11:30 am is open to all
Members and Associates and you are encouraged to attend. A full meeting schedule will be posted on the website as committee meeting times are confirmed.
Page 2
Corrections Directions • May/June 2015
CURRENT NEWS AND DEVELOPMENTS
Efforts To Combat Mental Health Crisis In
Criminal Justice System
On April 16, 2015, Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) and Rep. Doug
Collins (R-Ga.) introduced bipartisan legislation to improve
access to mental health services for people in the criminal justice system that need treatment. They hope to help with the
Comprehensive Justice and Mental Health Act, which has been
introduced in both chambers of Congress. The bill reauthorizes the Mentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime Reduction
Act (MIOTCRA), which funds specialty courts, such as mental
health courts, and adds an additional facet: training for every
public law enforcement officer in the Country to handle mental health crises.
By helping the nation’s criminal justice system work with
its mental health system, Sen. Franken and Rep. Collins’ bill
would help reduce the rates of repeat offenders and improve
safety for law enforcement officers.
The Comprehensive Justice and Mental Health Act would
improve outcomes for the criminal justice system, the mental
health system, and for those with mental health conditions by
accomplishing some of the following:
• Extending MIOTCRA and continuing support for mental
health courts and crisis intervention teams;
• Authorizing investments in veterans treatment courts;
• Supporting state and local efforts to identify people with
mental health conditions at each point in the criminal
justice system;
• Increasing focus on corrections-based programs;
•Supporting the development of curricula for police
academies and orientations; and
• Developing programs to train federal law enforcement
officers in how to respond appropriately to incidents
involving a person with a mental health condition.
The Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously approved the
Comprehensive Justice and Mental Health Act on April 30, 2015.
Recognizing the critical role local and state officials play in
supporting change, the National Association Of Counties
(NACO), the Council Of State Governments (CSG) Justice
Center, and the American Psychiatric Foundation (APF) have
come together to lead a national initiative to help advance
counties’ efforts to reduce the number of adults with mental
and co-occurring substance use disorders in jails. With
support from the U.S. Justice Department’s Bureau of Justice
Assistance, the initiative will build on the many innovative
and proven practices being implemented across the country.
To build on the foundation of innovative and evidence-based
practices already being implemented across the country, and
to bring these efforts to scale, NACO, the CSG Justice Center,
and APF are working with partner organizations with expertise in the complex issues addressed by the initiative, including those representing sheriffs, jail administrators, judges,
community corrections professionals and treatment providers, consumers, advocates, mental health and drug abuse service directors, and other stakeholders.
The initiative has three key components:
1. A Call to Action
2. Technical Assistance
3. A National Summit
On May 5, 2015, the Stepping Up Initiative kicked off outside
the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC. Local rollout events occurred in Johnson County, KS; Miami-Dade County, FL; and
Sacramento, CA.
At the kick-off at the U.S. Capitol, Sen. Franken stated: “it
doesn’t make sense for law enforcement officers who often
enter situations where they themselves are at risk or people
with mental illness are at risk and they don’t have proper
training.” He indicated that officers who are trained to deal
with mental health crises can appropriately close the cases in
a fraction of the time it would take for a layman to handle the
same situation.
Denise O’Donnell, Director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance
(BJA) at the DOJ, said “We know more now than ever before
what types of approaches can advance both recovery and
recidivism-reduction goals. The proposed initiative will
leverage a broad range of strategies that improve diversion,
community-based treatment, crisis intervention by police,
specialty courts and supervision caseloads reentry planning
and other approaches that can be taken to the next level.”
Hepatitis C And The New Cures – What Are
Implications For State Correctional System
Based on a policy memo produced in collaboration with the
Global Health Justice Partnership (GHJP) at Yale Law School
and the Association of State Correctional Administrators
(ASCA), the following conclusions were made:
• Several prison systems, including Illinois and Rhode Island have approved Sovaldi for use, but budgeted treatment for only a small percentage of their HCV-positive
population, triaged by disease stage and sentence duration. In addition, the FBOP with DOJ has already approved Sovaldi for use in treating prison populations,
and it is reported that it receives a 44 percent discount.
Continued on page 4
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Corrections Directions • May/June 2015
CURRENT NEWS AND DEVELOPMENTS
Continued
• We estimate that of the approximately 2,011,500 inmates
in state and local correctional systems custody, there
are about 350,000 HCV antibody positive prisoners and
about 255,000 with chronic HCV, of whom about 50,000
will develop cirrhosis and over 15,000 will develop liver
failure.
• In the absence of drug discounts, to treat all those with
chronic HCV could cost as much as $21.4 billion, though
taking into account prisoner turnover could easily triple
that number. Treating only those with pressing needs
due to liver disease could easily cost $300 million per year
or more, but this approach would not do much to limit
new infections within the prison or in the community
and would not prevent the costly development of liver
disease in prisoners with chronic HCV.
• State DOCs are in a good position to pilot programs to
treat a large portion of the nation’s HCV positive population.
ASCA Welcomes New Members
HAWAII
Effective December 31, 2014, Nolan
Espinda was appointed to serve as
the director for the Department of
Public Safety. Espinda had been
serving as the warden at the Halawa
Correctional Facility since 2009. He
has been employed by the departNolan Espinda
ment since 1983, and has served in
multiple correctional facility positions. Espinda earned
a BA in political science from the California State University.
MICHIGAN
• In addition, collaboration between state correctional
systems could be important in addressing the price of
HCV medications, as well as sharing information on the
clinical management of the disease and the operational
challenges in expanding access to these drugs.
ASCA Members Attend International
Conference On Restrictive Housing
Heidi Washington
On July 1, 2015, Heidi Washington
will replace Director Heyns as the
Michigan Department of Corrections Director. Washington has
served as warden of the Charles
E. Egeler Reception and Guidance
Center (RGC) since 2009, and is also
responsible for the 1,400-bed Duane
L. Waters Health Center.
Bernie
Warner
(WA) and Rick
Raemisch (CO) attended the UN
Conference in Cape
Town in March
2015 to represent
ASCA regarding
recent discussions
on the use of Restrictive Housing.
Prior to becoming warden of RGC, Washington
served as warden of Robert Scott Correctional Facility
and administrative assistant to the department’s
executive bureau, where she provided oversight for the
department’s Legislative Affairs office and represented
the MODC before the legislature. She joined the DOC
in 1998 as a legislative assistant after working for
state legislators for five years. She continues to serve
as the corrections liaison to the Michigan Women’s
Commission.
Rick reported that 46 countries were represented at the conference. You can view a pre-conference working paper on
Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, and
a link to additional information at:
Washington holds a degree in political science from
Michigan State University, and a Law degree from
Thomas M. Cooley Law School.
(l-r) Bernie Washington (WA) & Rick Raemisch (CO)
http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/justice-and-prison-reform/expert-group-meetings-8.html
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Corrections Directions • May/June 2015
PERFORMANCE BASED MEASURES SYSTEM
Arizona is Blue for PBMS, which is AWESOME!
“Chuck and his staff made full participation in PBMS a priority and moved quickly through the colors. Outstanding effort and
demonstrated results. Kudos to Arizona!” -- Bob Lampert, PMC Chair
California is off to the Race to Blue for PBMS and Idaho has been Very Busy Implementing PBMS. Thanks a million to Secretary
Beard and Director Kempf, as well as their staff for their Commitment and Determination to implement PBMS.
Just a reminder: at its February 2015 meeting, the Performance Measures Committee approved revised counting rules for the
organizational characteristics. The changes expand the counting rules for the Organization Inmate Population to include:
• Inmates housed in facilities not operated by the DOC, such as county or regional jail facilities or facilities operated by
private vendors.
• DOC Inmates housed in community-based facilities operated by the DOC, county, or private vendors.
The revised counting rules will go in effect for the July 2015 data.
Please go to the following ASCA webpage to review the PBMS Counting Rules Effective July 1, 2015 with the changes highlighted
in yellow: http://www.asca.net/articles/3553
If you have any questions about the revised counting rules, please contact Patricia Hardyman — phardyman@asca.net
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Corrections Directions • May/June 2015
PERFORMANCE BASED MEASURES SYSTEM
It is clear that the Midwestern Region is the leader among the regions, followed in order by the Western, then Southern, then
Northeastern regions. Kudos to the Midwestern region!!!
Solitary Confinement: Common
Misconceptions and Emerging
Safe Alternatives
On May 12, 2015, the Vera Institute of Justice released
a new report: Solitary Confinement: Common Misconceptions and Emerging Safe Alternatives. This report identifies 10 misconceptions about solitary confinement to
which many still subscribe and identifies alternatives
that have been implemented across the country. The
report is the first in a series on solitary confinement,
its use and misuse, and ways to safely reduce it in our
nations’ correctional facilities made possible in part
by the Robert W. Wilson Charitable Trust.
To download a copy of the report, please use the
following Vera website address:
http://www.vera.org/pubs/solitary-confinementmisconceptions-safe-alternatives
Correctional Industries: A Guide To
Reentry–Focused Performance Excellence
NIC and the National Correctional Industries Association
(NCIA) have collaborated efforts to create the Correctional
Industries Reentry-Focused Performance Excellence Guide.
This guide was designed to empower Correctional Industries
organizations.
The guide was developed with the knowledge that every
Correctional Industries program is unique in its design and
operation as well as where they are positioned along the road
of Reentry alignment. Each program may develop and use
the Reentry-Focused Performance Excellence Guide to integrate and enhance its own existing processes and available
resources.
The guide was developed using a systems approach to
achieve the following:
-- Reduce Recidivism
-- Increase Public Safety
-- Improve Offender Success
-- Ensure Sustainability
-- Enhance Operations
To view this new guide, please go to the following website:
http://nicic.gov/go/ncia
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Corrections Directions • May/June 2015
AWARDS
NCIA’s 2015 Rodli Award Goes to Montana’s
Corrections Industries Administrator
On April 14, 2015, Gayle Lambert, administrator of the Montana Correctional Enterprises
(MCE) division, was recognized
as the recipient of the National
Correctional Industries Association’s (NCIA) 2015 Rodli
Award. This award honors a
senior level executive in correcGayle Lambert
tional industries who has made
an outstanding contribution in this field.
Lambert has served as MCE’s administrator since
2003. In that capacity, she has been instrumental in
introducing a number of new inmate training programs, including the inmate wild land fire crew
that last biennium helped fight 21 wild land fires
throughout Montana, and the community work
program that provides janitorial and maintenance
services to non-profit organizations and city and
state governments. Lambert and MCE team also
converted license plate factory to flat plate technology while making it a self-supporting operation.
With her fiscal oversight, the food factory was
converted into a self-supporting enterprise, which
has increased production from 2,000 meals a day
to over 12,000 a day. Lambert was instrumental in
implementing the offender technology education
system known as Student On-Line Academic Resources (SOAR). SOAR is an online network that
teaches offenders the critical technology life-skills
required to gain employment prior to their reentry
into the community.
Throughout her tenure at MCE, Lambert has also
been active in the NCIA, promoting correctional
work programs at the national level.
2014-2015 Public Safety Officer
Medal Of Valor
Nomination Period
Congress passed The Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor
Act of 2001, which created the Public Safety Officer Medal
of Valor, the highest national award for valor by a public
safety officer. The medal is awarded every year by the
President or Vice President to public safety officers who
have exhibited exceptional courage, regardless of personal
safety, in the attempt to save or protect human life.
A “public safety officer” is a person (living or deceased)
who is serving or has served in a public agency, with or
without compensation, as a firefighter; law enforcement
officer, including a corrections, court, or civil defense
officer; or emergency services officer, as determined by the
U.S. Attorney General.
An act of valor is defined as:
–Above and beyond the call of duty; and
–Exhibiting:
•exceptional courage, extraordinary decisiveness, and
presence of mind.
•unusual swiftness of action, regardless of his or her
personal safety, in an attempt to save or protect human
life.
To receive this prestigious award, public safety officers
must be nominated by the chief executive officer of their
employing agencies, recommended by the bipartisan
Medal of Valor Review Baord, and cited by the Attorney
General. OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) assists
in overseeing the Medal of Valor Initiative and is accepting
applications until July 31, 2015.
For additional information regarding the Medal of Valor
award, please go to the following website: https://www.
bja.gov/programs/medalofvalor/
Page 7
Corrections Directions • May/June 2015
SURVEYS
Crisis Intervention Team Training
The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction
requested a survey regarding other agencies’ Crisis
Intervention Team (CIT) training. Crisis Intervention Training
is an innovative and effective program designed for first
responders (in law enforcement and in corrections) who
handle crises involving persons with mental illness and/
or addiction. CIT emphasizes collaboration among the first
responder, the mental health and substance abuse treatment
system, mental health advocacy groups, and consumers of
mental health services and their families. Thirty-six agencies
responded to the survey.
According to the survey results, eighteen agencies utilize
Crisis Intervention Teams; whereas, eighteen agencies do not.
Chart 1 indicates the length of time agencies have been using
CIT training.
When agencies were asked if they have increased or decreased
the annual hours of training for the CIT program, five agencies
said they increased, one agency said they decreased, and
twelve agencies said they made no change. Please see the
Excel Spreadsheet of responses on ASCA website to see what
years these agencies changed their annual hours.
Nine agencies stated that they have an application process
for individuals who get CIT training. Eight agencies said that
they mandate CIT training to certain staff.
Six agencies have had cost savings due to CIT training;
whereas, ten agencies have not had any cost savings.
Chart 3 indicates factors agencies consider when monitoring
the effectiveness of CIT training.
Chart 3
Chart 1
Gender Identity Inmates Survey
The survey asked agencies to provide the year in which they
last modified their CIT programs. Responses are displayed in
Chart 2.
Chart 2
The Massachusetts Department of Correction requested
a survey about other agencies’ policies regarding gender
identity inmates. Forty-three agencies responded to the
survey.
The survey asked if agencies’ policies allow male gender
identity inmates to possess wigs. The forty-two responding
agencies all said no. A follow-up question asked if agencies,
responding “yes” to the first question, house male inmates in
separate units from the general population. Six agencies said
no and thirty-six agencies skipped the question.
Continued on page 9
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Corrections Directions • May/June 2015
SURVEYS
Continued
Inmate Receipt of Funds via U.S. Mail or
Electronically
The Nebraska Department of Correctional Services requested
a survey about other agencies’ policies and procedures regarding the receipt of funds by inmates through the U.S. mail or
electronically. Thirty-eight agencies responded to the survey.
The survey asked agencies if they allow inmates to receive
funds via U.S. mail and/or electronically. Chart 1 displays the
responses.
Chart 1
agencies return the funds to the sender. One agency places
funds in the inmate’s confiscated funds account. Thirteen
agencies responded “other.”
Nineteen agencies have an appeals process for inmates to
challenge decisions made regarding incoming funds; whereas,
fourteen agencies do not.
Inmate Transfers Survey
The Michigan Department of Corrections requested a survey
to obtain information about how other agencies manager their
routine transfer process of inmates between prisons. They are
looking to determine acceptable reasons why an inmate may
be transferred, who coordinates and authorizes the transfer,
and what the volume of the transfers are on a given month.
Thirty-four agencies responded to the survey with thirty-five
responses.
The survey asked agencies to provide how many individual
prisons they operate as of March 1, 2015. Thirteen agencies
said less than ten prisons and twenty-two agencies said more
than ten prisons.
Furthermore, agencies were asked to provide their total inmate population as of March 1, 2015. Eighteen agencies reported less than 20,000 inmates; whereas, seventeen agencies
stated more than 20,000 inmates.
Six agencies stated that they have a policy in place that limits
how much money inmates can receive at one time; however,
thirty-one agencies stated that they do not have such policy.
Three agencies have a limit that is less than $200. Two agencies have a limit in excess of $200.
Chart 1 indicates agencies’ average number of inmate transfers during the first three months of 2015.
Chart 1
Chart 2 indicates agencies’ requirements for checks and/or
money orders received by inmates.
Chart 2
Agencies were asked what actions are taken if funds are sent
to an inmate in a manner that violates policy. Twenty-four
Six agencies stated that staff at each individual prison approves their own transfers. However, twenty-nine agencies
responded that staff at each individual prison does not approve their own transfers. Of those twenty-nine agencies,
twenty-eight said they use a central approval board, committee, team; etc., to coordinate all inmate movement. One
Continued on page 10
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Corrections Directions • May/June 2015
SURVEYS
Continued
agency said they do not use a board, committee, team; etc., to
coordinate inmate movement.
Chart 1
The survey asked agencies how many employees are on their
approval board, committee, team, etc. Responses are displayed in Chart 2.
Chart 2
Agencies were asked to provide the makeup of their approval
board, committee, team, etc.; describe the inmate transfer process between facilities; and list all acceptable reasons for inmate transfers. For information on how agencies responded to
these open-ended questions, please see the Excel spreadsheet
of responses on ASCA website.
Policies and Procedures for Searching Persons
Entering Correctional Institutions
The South Carolina Department of Corrections requested a
survey regarding their policies and procedures for the search
of employees, contract employees, vendors, outside law
enforcement officials, volunteers, inmate visitors, etc. who
enter correctional institutions. Forty agencies responded to
the survey with forty-one responses.
The survey asked agencies if pat down searches are performed
on all persons entering correctional institutions. Fifteen agencies said yes and sixteen agencies said no. Chart 1 indicates
persons exempt from pat down searches at various agencies.
Thirty agencies said that pat down searches are performed by
employees of the same sex on persons entering correctional
institutions. Five agencies said persons of the opposite sex
could perform pat down searches. Agencies were also asked
if they have written documentation for when an employee pat
down searches someone of the opposite sex. Eight agencies
said yes. Ten agencies said no.
When agencies were asked if they have guidelines for pat
down searches performed on minors (under the age of 18)
when entering correctional institutions, fifteen said yes and
eighteen said no. Agencies were asked to provide their policies and guidelines for pat down searching minors, which can
be found on the Excel spreadsheet of responses on the ASCA
website.
Risk Assessment Tool for Segregation/ Restrictive
Housing Survey
The Nebraska Department of Correctional Services requested
a survey about other agencies’ use of validated risk assessment tools for offender retention and release from segregation/ restrictive housing. Thirty-four agencies responded to
the survey.
When agencies were asked if they use a risk assessment tool
to determine the need to hold an offender in segregation/ restrictive housing, three agencies said yes and thirty-one agencies said no.
Furthermore, the survey asked agencies if they use a risk assessment tool to assess offender readiness for release and/or
promotion to general population from segregation/restrictive
housing. Three agencies said yes; whereas, twenty-nine agencies said no.
For a list of the risk assessment tools agencies use to hold offenders and/or release offenders to general population, as
Continued on page 11
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Corrections Directions • May/June 2015
SURVEYS
Continued
well as agencies’ risk assessment tool development processes,
please see the Excel spreadsheet of responses on the ASCA
website.
received some inquiries from the legislature on the subject
and wanted to know how many states still use towers. Thirtyeight agencies responded to the survey.
One agency stated that the risk assessment tool for segregation/restrictive housing that was developed by the agency
is validated. However, eleven agencies responded that their
tools are not validated.
The survey asked agencies how many prisons they operate.
Twenty-eight agencies said less than 30 prisons and ten agencies said more than 30 prisons. Agencies were then asked in
how many of their prisons are perimeter towers staffed (other
than sally port entrances). Thirty-one agencies said less than
10 prisons and seven agencies said more than 10 prisons. Furthermore, agencies were asked how many of their perimeter
towers, other than sally port entrances, are staffed 24 hours a
day/ 7 days a week. Twenty-nine agencies said less than 10
prisons; whereas, seven agencies said more than 10 prisons.
The Average Length of Sentence for Inmates Convicted of an 85% Crime
The Oklahoma Department of Corrections has two sentencing structures. One is 85%, in which an offender must serve at
least 85% of their sentence prior to release. These are generally violent crimes and include some drug trafficking offenses.
The non-85% crimes are sentenced for generally non-violent
offenses. A recent audit conducted by the Oklahoma Department of Corrections found:
Agencies were asked if they plan to make adjustments in staffing days and/or hours, which is reflected in Chart 1.
Chart 1
• The average length of sentence for someone convicted
of an 85% crime was 17.5 years.
• The average length of sentence for someone convicted
of a non-85% crime was 14.5 years.
The State Legislature would like to determine where Oklahoma
sits in the average length of sentence for both categories. The
Oklahoma Department of Corrections requested a survey to
obtain information about other agencies’ average length of
sentence for inmates convicted of an 85% crime. Thirty-four
agencies responded to the survey.
The survey asked agencies if they confine inmates sentenced
to serve 85% of their time. Sixteen agencies said yes and
seventeen agencies said no.
Agencies were asked to provide the average length of sentence
for inmates sentenced to serves 85% of their sentence prior
to release, as well as the Calendar Year (CY) or Fiscal Year
(FY) of the data provided. Eight agencies said less than 15
years; whereas, nine agencies said more than 15 years. For
information on the CY or FY, please see the Excel spreadsheet
of responses on ASCA website.
Furthermore, agencies were asked to provide the average
length of sentence for inmates not sentenced to serves 85%
of their sentence prior to release, as well as the Calendar or
Fiscal Year of the data provided. Eighteen agencies said less
than 10 years. Thirteen agencies said more than 10 years. For
information on the CY or FY, please see the Excel spreadsheet
of responses on ASCA website.
Towers in Prisons Survey
The Wisconsin Department of Corrections requested a survey
about other agencies’ uses of towers in prisons. Wisconsin has
When agencies were asked if they have stopped staffing perimeter towers (other than sally port entrances), in what year
were no perimeter towers being staffed, one agency said prior
to 2000 and eight agencies said after 2000.
The survey asked if agencies anticipate building new facilities that include perimeter towers (other than sally port entrances). Eight agencies said yes. Twenty-four agencies said
no.
Agencies listed technologies they use in place of perimeter
towers to monitor or detect movement or activity along the
perimeters, which can be found in full detail on the Excel
spreadsheet of responses on the ASCA website.
Use of Tasers by Probation and Parole Officers
The Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections
requested a survey about other agencies’ use of Tasers by Probation and Parole officers. Forty agencies responded to the
survey.
Continued on page 12
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Corrections Directions • May/June 2015
SURVEYS
Continued
Chart 1 indicates the number of agencies responsible for probation and/or parole.
Chart 1
2015 Survey Participation By Agency
Our ASCA surveys are only as good as the information received by our participating agencies. Since January 2015, 28
surveys were disseminated for your response. We extend our
appreciation and gratitude to you and your staff for your participation and would like to recognize those states that participate on a regular basis.
Wyoming
Arkansas
Rhode Island
Wisconsin
Colorado
Kansas
North Dakota
Ten agencies allow probation and parole officers to utilize
Tasers; whereas, twenty-eight agencies do not. Chart 2 shows
the most common models used.
Chart 2
100%
96%
96%
92%
92%
92%
92%
Survey Summary for April 2015/May 2015
The following surveys were completed during the
months of April & May 2015:
April Surveys
• ASCA/YLS – Hepatitis C Treatment Access
• HI – Methods of Collecting, Tracking, and Accessing
Custody
• ASCA – Status of PREA Audits
• OR – Restricted Housing Resolution #24
• SD – Obligation Recovery Center
Thirty-five agencies allow probation and parole officers to use
other non-lethal weapons. Three agencies do not. In the comments, twenty-eight agencies said they allow OC Spray and
thirteen agencies said they allow batons.
When agencies were asked if they have been involved in any
litigation regarding the use of Tasers by probation and parole
officers, thirty-nine agencies said no.
May Surveys
• OH – Sustainability Practices
• ASCA – Senate Judiciary Committee/Mental Health
Act
• OR – Position Certification
For detailed survey responses, please go to the ASCA
website is: Research and Best Practices Committee/ASCA
Surveys page:
http://www.asca.net/projects/12/pages/117
These pages are password protected and require Director
approved sign-in access.
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Corrections Directions • May/June 2015
JURISDICTIONAL NEWS
ALABAMA
Prison Arts & Education Project
Auburn University has created the Alabama Prison Arts and
Education Project (APAEP), which is dedicated to bringing
educational opportunities to prisoners in Alabama. The
program stresses the importance of providing the prison
population a quality education, as well as builds a relationship
with learning that will continue to grow for the rest of their
lives.
APAEP provides access to sustained and quality educational
experiences in the arts, humanities, hard sciences, and human
sciences. Classes are based on introductory college level
courses, running for 14 weeks for 15 to 20 students.
This program is funded by Auburn University and through
grants. Studies have shown the more education someone
has while incarcerated, the less likely they are to come back
to prison once released. For more information about the
program go to: www.auburn.edu/apaep.
ADOC Rehabilitative & Reentry Programs for
Female Inmates
The Alabama DOC offers a multitude of institutional
programs that provide rehabilitative training and support
services to female inmates. Programs include the Substance
Abuse Program (SAP), which is an evidence-based, 8-week
program that takes a positive, comprehensive approach to
helping inmates with drug and alcohol dependency. The
program focuses on drug education, the addiction process,
signs and symptoms of chemical dependency and relapse
prevention. Inmates are referred to support groups and
sponsors once they leave prison to help them remain drugfree and to transition and re-enter back into society. The
Institutional Pre-Release and Re-Entry Program is offered to
inmates who are preparing for re-entry back into society. The
program includes six life enrichment modules ranging from
job, career and financial planning, to faith based character
training and reestablishing parental roles and responsibilities
after release.
FBOP
FCI Aliceville Holds First Rubies for Life
Graduation Ceremony
The Rubies for Life program helps female offenders change
their behavior and attitude by reconciling themselves with
God, their families, and society, and learning to break the
cycle of recidivism in hopes of a more successful reentry back
to their communities. There are two phases to the program.
The first phase (18 weeks) consists of memorizing scriptures,
memorizing the Rubies’ pledge, writing two letters per month
to their child(ren), making daily journal entries, writing a
reentry plan, and attending one mentor session. Phase two
(12 months) included practical application of skillsets learned
during the foundation phase while completing activities.
This first class included 55 inmates, who were recognized at
a graduation ceremony in February 2015. The second class
began in February 2015 with 223 inmate participants.
INDIANA
Donations of Clothing for Offender Releases from
Rockville Correctional Facility
Each month, approximately 100 offenders from Rockville
Correctional Facility are released back into the community.
Not only does the facility provide reentry programming,
which includes education, assisting with resume writing,
obtaining birth certificates and locating substance abuse and
medical treatment and a place to live and/or work, the facility
also provides clothing for the offender’s release.
In April 2015, the facility received a donation of 32 bags, one
tote and two boxes of clothing from the Memorial Presbyterian
Church of Rockville. This donation consisted of 565 articles of
clothing to include: jackets, slacks, tops, and shoes.
This annual clothing drive, sponsored by the Memorial
Presbyterian Church with donations also accepted at the
Montezuma and Clinton Presbyterian Churches, provides
much needed resources for the offender population.
LOUISIANA
Sign Language Interpretation Program at Elayn
Hunt Correctional Center
In February 2015, the Louisiana Department of Public Safety
and Corrections (DPS&C) held a graduation ceremony at the
Elayn Hunt Correctional Center for eight male and female
offenders who had recently completed a three-year sign
language interpretation program.
This program began in 2009 and consists of six modules
of American Sign Language instruction, six modules of
Interpretation instruction and six months of internship in
specialized areas, such as mental health, deaf culture, ASL
grammar, religious interpreting and cultural arts. Thirtyfour offenders have graduated from this Sign Language
Interpretation program, and thirteen of those offenders have
earned national certification by scoring a minimum of 3.0 on
the Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment test and
passing a written exam.
During the Winter ACA conference, Louisiana DPS&C’s
program was recognized with an “Innovation in Corrections”
award for outstanding efforts in reducing recidivism and
promoting future success for offenders.
DPS&C Secretary James LeBlanc said “the success of this
program has exceeded our expectations.” Not only has it had
an important function in our prisons, it has changed lives for
Continued on page 14
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Corrections Directions • May/June 2015
JURISDICTIONAL NEWS
Continued
both our hearing impaired offenders and for our interpreters.
It continues tight knit bonds that have followed interpreters
and those they are helping from prison to the community.
stations that collect critical data. With these tools, students
define, measure and map boundaries of land, air and sea
while aiding licensed surveyors.
PENNSYLVANIA
Vivitrol Program Offered to Female Offenders at
SCI Muncy
The surveyor assistant program is in keeping with the
agency’s reentry efforts, which promote former offenders’
successful reintegration into society. This is a field that has
good job opportunities.
In October 2013, The Department of Corrections began
piloting the use of Vivitrol to female offenders at the State
Correctional Institution (SCI) at Muncy who were returning
to Allegheny, Dauphin and Philadelphia Counties upon their
release from prison.
The course usually takes less than one year to complete.
The high-achieving students advance to take a nationallyrecognized test for survey technicians through the National
Society of Professional Surveyors. Since the program began
in 2008, 141 students have graduated.
Vivitrol was designed to reduce cravings for alcohol and/or
opiates, and it acts as an antagonist blocking the ability to get
high or feel euphoria. Prior to release from prison, Vivitrol is
administered to allow eligible offenders the ability to focus
on immediate reentry needs without struggling with possible
drug cravings and relapse.
Surveyor assistant jobs around Virginia offer a starting pay
of $15 to $25 per hour. With the market coming out of the
recession, it is starting to hit its stride.
To become eligible for this pilot project, an offender must
volunteer to participate and commit to remaining drug-free,
and will participate in a community-based treatment service
while taking Vivitrol. In addition, they must have successfully
completed alcohol or other drug treatment during their
incarceration, are at medium to high risk to reoffend, have
alcohol and/or opiate abuse/dependency and do not have
any medical conditions that would interfere with the use of
the drug.
Commissioner Derrick Schofield and Representative Johnny
Shaw (D-Bolivar) brainstormed on a way to ease the transition
home and came up with the idea for what has become Take
One. This program creates a network of faith-based and nonprofit organizations that provide supportive services and
mentors for offenders transitioning back into society. Nearly
90% of all inmates will eventually be released from prison.
Take One asks churches and other faith-based nonprofits
to help ensure their success by mentoring one offender and
helping them make that transition during their first year out
of prison. Commissioner Schofield said “Take One is an
opportunity for citizens to take an active role in enhancing
public safety in Tennessee by helping offenders find their way
to new, productive and crime-free lives.”
Currently, 10 SCI Muncy inmates have received the Vivitrol
injection prior to their release from prison. These injections
total more than $14,301 and are funded from a Second Chance
Act grant.
Commencing in April 2015, this Vivitrol project will
continue at SCI Muncy and will be expanded to include 175
male offenders at SCIs Chester, Mahanoy and Pittsburgh.
Participants will also be monitored for an outcome evaluation
to determine the efficacy and impact of Vivitrol on recidivism
for offenders diagnosed with opioid and/or alcohol addiction
issues.
VIRGINIA
Offenders in Virginia Have Found Something in
Common with Founding Fathers
Surveyors have a long and storied history in Virginia, and
now offenders at Green Rock Correctional Center are taking
steps to successfully reenter society by learning to be surveyor
assistants.
This vocational program, combines the earliest surveyor tools,
such as plum bobs and rods, with computer aided drafting
software, global positioning technology, and tripod total
TENNESSEE
Take One Program
The Tennessee Department of Corrections hosted a series of
informational prayer breakfasts to introduce the program
to clergy across the state. With more than 5,000 volunteers
across the state that work with our offenders behind the
wall, the prayer breakfasts introduced them to a new way
of volunteering that goes beyond the prison and into the
community.
Since that initial rollout, more than 100 nonprofits have signed
by to be mentors. At press time, more than 70 offenders have
been matched with an agency.
When a nonprofit signs up to be a mentor, they are asked
for their geographical preferences and have to undergo
a background check to make sure they meet volunteer
requirements. After the check is completed, the mentors
receive training about the program and working with our
prison population. After these steps are completed, they are
then matched with an inmate mentor.
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