Institutional and Departmental Responsibilities

Section II

Chapter 5

Custody and Security

Objectives• Understand the role of classification,

accountability, clutter control, and inmate personal property in maintaining security.

• Grasp the various components of security, including staff management, community awareness, and victim protection.

• Comprehend high-risk inmates and security threat groups

Levels of Security

• Four general security levels:– Minimum– Medium– High/Close– Maximum/Supermaximum

Inmate Classification and Accountability

• Violent, aggressive, escape prone inmates require more physical security and staff

• Inmates with similar characteristics living together are much easier to manage

• Housing officers should be accountable for inmates in unit and those leaving the unit

• Formal call-out system, counts, random census counts all ensure accountability

• Accounting for staff is a priority in emergencies

Emergency Preparation• Institutions should have plans to ensure staff

are prepared to deal with emergencies• Emergency plans should be easy to read,

informative, and set out specific responsibilities• Staff should read and discuss plans yearly• Mock exercises should be held in conjunction

with sister agencies and law enforcement

Unacceptable Possessions• Contraband – an item that an inmate is

forbidden to possess• Controlling contraband should be a top

priority• Weapons, drugs, alcohol, rope, maps,

unauthorized clothing, etc.• Need regulations on amount of personal

property inmates can possess• Legal property needs to be searched well

Unacceptable Possessions (cont.)• Boxes and packages should be x-rayed and searched

thoroughly• Suspicious visitors should be searched thoroughly• Random, frequent searches of living areas can reduce

contraband• Daily search of common areas in housing unit• Account for all tools in the institution• Regular urinalysis and breathalyzer tests for inmates

Use of Force• Written use of force policy increases

probability of gaining inmate’s compliance• Immediate use of force occurs when an

inmate acts out and has to be restrained• Proper training allows staff to gain control of

the situation and prevent abuse• Calculated use of force occurs when inmates

are confined in an area and are refusing to comply with staff orders

Staff Management

• Accurate and reliable information are essential to running a secure prison

• Administrative staff should tour the prison often to assess the atmosphere

• Staff who supervise inmates (teachers, counselors, work detail, housing units) are often excellent sources of intelligence

Outside the Prison

• Correctional institutions are major employers and very visible to local communities

• External world has a strong influence on the institution

• Administrators should stay tuned to outside events that may influence attitudes and beliefs of inmates

Protecting Inmate Victims

• Weaker inmates and those who committed heinous crimes may be victimized by other inmates

• Often spend sentence in special housing units for protective custody

• Often litigious, filing appeals and court documents, complaining about conditions of confinement

• Highly assaultive inmates live best with other aggressive inmates

Protecting Inmate Victims (cont.)

• Policies and guidelines for handling aggressive inmates should be specific

• Sophisticated or manipulative inmates may target staff, inmates, and political systems to gain favors

• Inmates who pose a risk of escape may watch staff for habits and failures to follow policy

Security Threat Groups

• Security threat groups = prison gangs• Are responsible for the majority of homicides

and assaults in prison• Well-organized, highly structured prison gangs

provide illicit drugs, alcohol, and contraband to other prisoners

• Street gangs are unpredictable, less structured, and more difficult to manage than traditional prison gangs

Conclusion

• Key to a prison or jail security system is a well-trained staff who are alert and accountable to the inmate population

• Prisons and jails must develop a culture that treats prisoners with respect, reinforces positive communication between staff and inmates, and offers inmates humane, safe, and sanitary housing

Inmate Classification

Chapter 6

Objectives

• Explain classification, its role in the penal system, and the benefits of an objective classification system

• Outline the difference between case and unit management

• Define a reliable and valid classification system

Classification• Classification – categorizing offenders by assessing

social and criminal background and current programming needs

• Leads to assignment of an appropriate security level, housing area, work assignment, and program assignment

• Historically, such decisions were made by one senior manager

• In most facilities currently, broad-based classification committees now gather data and evaluate inmates for assignments

Classification (cont.)

• Case management team is responsible for a significant part of the institution’s operation

• Responsibilities include inmate classification, social service support, institution program planning, and release preparation

• Accurate inmate classification is a primary contributor to a safe and orderly environment

• Classification ensures that inmates are placed in an institution with appropriate security and supervision

Classification (cont.)

• Central reception center – all newly committed inmates are placed at this institution for extensive evaluation and review

• Historically, all offenders were housed together

• Prior to the development of team classification, decisions were often made based on intuition and experience

Case Management• Case management focuses on the provision of

social support programs to an inmate population

• Provide a variety of tasks pertaining to inmates’ daily lives and strive to help them transition back to the community

• Gather background information about new inmates during initial screening

• Create a classification study report that emphases the individual and his/her needs

Case Management (cont.)• Details about progress and program

participation are added to the record• Reception and diagnosis center – extensive

evaluation of new inmates including personality assessment, intelligence and psychometric testing, review of past work habits and lifestyle, observation of interactions, identification of factors leading to crime, as well as basic demographic information

Case Management (cont.)

• Important that inmates be placed in the least restrictive facility to meet their security needs

• Case managers track inmates, offer assistance, participate in disciplinary hearings, assess needs for program reassignment

• Final component is release planning

Unit Management

• Involves dividing a large prison or jail population into smaller groups

• Decision making by those who supervise inmates in the housing unit

• Staff offices in the unit make staff more accessible to the inmates

Comparison of Management Models

• Decentralized unit management model permits decisions about inmates to be made by staff who know inmate best

• Positive, professional relationships are likely to develop – daily interaction is helpful

• Interdisciplinary staff working together in a unit can develop close relationships

• Staff and inmate morale is improved

Comparison of Management Models (cont.)

• More difficult to maintain consistency in classification

• Need policies to guide unit teams• Unit management must have open and

effective lines of communication• Main functions of unit management:– Correction– Care– Control

Objective Classification

• Typical system considers criminal and social history, current crime, length of confinement, offender’s response to confinement

• Objective classification system must be reliable and valid

• Inmate is to be classified at the least restrictive security and custody level that meet their individual needs

Objective Classification (cont.)• Objective classification should:– Be validated on prison populations– Utilize the same standards for all inmates– Use a rational, uncomplicated process– Recommend classification decisions that are based on

the offender’s background– Promote consistent decisions for similarly situated

offenders– Use a process that is understood easily by staff and

inmates– Allow staff to monitor the inmate’s progress

• Inmates are usually assigned to an institution that meets their security needs, is close to home, and offers appropriate programs

External vs. Internal Classification Systems

• External classification is a process that determines how much security a specific inmate requires

• Internal classification is used to determine an inmate’s housing, work, and program assignment

Reclassification

• Classification and reclassification represent an outstanding means of keeping up to date with an inmate’s progression

• If behavior deteriorates, staff should consider transfer to a higher security level

• May consider transfer to a less secure facility for those with good behavior

• Initial classification should also identify program needs

Gender Differences

• Females are generally less violent than males• Female offenders should be classified using a

separate classification system from males to identify gender-specific needs

Conclusion• Inmate classification, if appropriately

accomplished, serves all aspects of institutional management

• Inmates and staff are safer, institutional organization by security level is cost effective, and program resources maybe directly focused

Chapter 7

Education and Vocational Training

Objectives

• Understand the need for education programs for inmates and the value of educational programming.

• Report how technological innovations can improve the delivery of educational services in prison

• Outline the difficulties involved in making use of emerging technology.

Introduction

• Incarcerated persons are among the most educationally disadvantaged groups in the nation

• Most inmates lack high school diplomas• Inmates who complete education and training

programs exhibit improved institutional behavior and have greater success after release

Research on Educational and Vocational Programs

• Low level of program availability in local facilities due to short stay, size of institutions, focus on other programs

• GED lessons are most widely offered• Research indicates a positive relationship

between education and lower recidivism rates• One study found that educating inmates was

twice as cost-effective as incarceration at preventing crime

Needs Assessment

• Intake interviews and presentence investigations yield important data including:– Education attainment prior to incarceration– Functional performance– Prior skill training– Employment history– Prior specialized treatment

• Development of an effective correctional education program will require objective test data to determine an inmate’s needs

Needs Assessment (cont.)• TABE and CASAS are frequently used measures of

adult basic education• Adult education providers and community colleges

solicit input from students to ensure that their offerings meet students’ needs

• Labor market conditions and trends should be considered in development of training programs

• Involvement of potential employers in development process

Needs Assessment (cont.)

• Linking with community organizations can assist with resources– Financial support– Training of inmates and staff– Sponsorship of educational activities– Volunteers to serve as instructors or tutors– Sponsorship of graduation ceremony– Volunteers to mentor students on employment

readiness and postrelease opportunities

The Technological Continuum

• New technologies include networked computer-assisted instruction, interactive video classrooms, satellite broadcasting, Internet services

• Older, but usable, computer equipment might be donated

• Video GED lessons can be used in conjunction with workbooks

• Part-time instructors or volunteers can supplement workbooks

The Technological Continuum (cont.)

• Those with very limited budgets can base instructional programs on inexpensive GED workbooks

• Trained inmate tutors can assist those in need of instruction as well as provide work opportunities for the tutors

• Correctional systems remain opposed to inmate access to the Internet, but the prohibition against access further marginalizes inmates from mainstream society

Incentives and Achievements

• Incentives for participation include good time, wages or stipends, parole considerations, priority transfers, extra visits, telephone privileges

• Completion of a major educational milestone can improve an inmate’s success after release

• Major educational achievements should be recognized with a graduation

Anticipated Results

• Inmates who participate in educational programs exhibit improved institutional adjustment and postrelease success

• Positive results are correlated to the intensity and length of education involvement

Accreditation and Certification

• Organization providing the educational program (such as a community college) is usually responsible for their accreditation

• Degree to which instructional staff is certified or meet other standards is a measure of program quality

• ACA and CEA have developed detailed standards for correctional education programs

Program Evaluation• Assessment of program impact is essential• Programs must consider:– Impact on inmate clients?– How will improved institutional behavior be

measured?– What rate of student progress has been

identified?– How many inmates are expected to achieve an

established goal?

Program Evaluation (cont.)

• Instruction time can be affected by operational programs

• Need to consider effect of services on postrelease success of inmates

• Programs without objective, verifiable measures of results are at risk

• Reasonable evaluations of postrelease success can be accomplished with limited resources

Chapter 8

Recreation

Objectives

• Explain how the attitude of the public has affected prison recreation programs

• Describe the positive and negative implications of recreational programming in penal institutions and explain how recreation programs can serve the goal of rehabilitation.

• Grasp how recreation programs affect the overall level of tension and safety within a correctional facility

“Get Tough” Policies

• Attempt to crack down on crime by increasing sentence lengths and punishment

• Another “get tough” attempt focuses on prison recreation programs, which have been curtailed by several states and the federal government

The Zimmer Amendment

• Passed by Congress in 1996 which prohibited the purchase and replacement of weightlifting equipment and musical instruments and the showing of R rated movies

• Administrators argue that it adversely affects inmates’ use of leisure time and inmate management

• Recreation such as weights fills idle time, reduces boredom, reduces tension, builds self-esteem, and teaches the necessity of cooperation

Criticism of Prison Recreation

• Many Americans believe that amenities provided prison inmates are too costly, coddle inmates, and create dangerous consequences for safety of citizens

• High cost– Major problems plaguing prisons are

overcrowding and idleness– Recreation programs reduce violence by giving

inmates constructive use of their time

Criticism of Prison Recreation (cont.)

• Coddling Inmates– Corrections managers see them as benefiting

inmates, staff, and the public– President’s Commission recommended that model

institutions should have classrooms, recreational facilities, day rooms, a shop, and a library

Criticism of Prison Recreation (cont.)

• Consequences for Public Safety– Many fear that offering recreation will make

prison a positive experience and reduce deterrent effect

– Others fear that recreation programs will allow prisoners to develop themselves physically and will then commit additional crimes when released

– Difficult to prove that either of these scenarios actually occur

Criticism of Prison Recreation (cont.)

• Myths of Weightlifting and Violence– Some believe fitness leads to ability to harm

others after release– Correctional workers argue that weightlifters are

among the best-behaved prisoners because they do not want to jeopardize the privilege of working out

Tools of Rehabilitation

• In most correctional institutions, counseling is the main treatment strategy

• Must include voluntary and active participation, free of manipulation

• Properly administered recreation program can be an effective tool for teaching and developing the social skills that are necessary for participation in free society

Tools of Rehabilitation (cont.)

• Inmates involved in recreation activities learn the value of teamwork, fair play, anger management, and amiable conflict resolution

• Provide opportunities for constructive use of idle time, relieve the stress and tension of incarceration, help increase self-esteem

• Few other institution-based programs are as enthusiastically received by the inmates or are more effective management tools

Community Involvement

• Activities that involve the community provide the institution administrator with the opportunity to prepare the public and the prisoner for reintegration into the community

Recreation Staff

• Role models and parental figures to inmates• Serve as an outlet for inmates to relieve the anger

and tension they experience when they feel they have been wronged

• Input from recreation staff should be considered by classification committee

• Recreation activities should be led by carefully chosen staff

• Emphasize the importance of balancing work and free time

Conclusion

• Public decries recreation programs, but the advantages exceed the costs

• Professional corrections organizations and prison administrators support recreation programs because they reduce idleness and tension produced by incarceration

• Recreation is an effective management tool and assists in the development of social skills