By Rod Miller
Sheriff Magazine
This is the fourteenth article in a series on jail staffing analysis, exploring the methodology developed by the National Institute of Corrections and presenting enhancements developed since NIC’s latest workbook1 was published.
Daily operations are tougher when inmates don’t follow the rules, cooperate, and engage in activities, programs and work. Dealing with inmate misbehavior and boredom takes valuable time away from the many other tasks that already burden our jail employees. During a recent staffing analysis, the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office calculated the time jail officers spend handling a range of inmate behavior problems. They were surprised at the number of employee hours consumed by handling misbehavior and following up with documentation and, at times, discipline.
Many jails have found that innovative, aggressive and coordinated management of inmates’ conditions of confinements creates an environment in which inmates behave appropriately and get involved with activities and programs. The Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office in Ann Arbor, Michigan, implements an innovative “Earned Release Time” program that motivates pretrial detainees and sentenced offenders to work and participate in programs. The National Institute of Corrections (NIC) has developed a new initiative-Inmate Behavior Management-to help jails motivate inmates. 2
This article draws on the experiences of Montgomery County, Maryland, during transition planning for their new correctional facility several years ago. It also updates elements of an article published in American Jails in May 2001.
Managing Conditions of Confinement to Improve Inmate Behavior
It’s a simple concept and it’s not new. Correctional managers set policies about all aspects of inmates’ lives-their physical setting, opportunities, programs, and privileges. We control just about everything for inmates in our custody and care. This can be a burden, or an opportunity.
Taking an aggressive, coordinated and proactive approach to the management of conditions of confinement establishes a setting in which inmates have constant and consistent encouragement to demonstrate appropriate behavior and become involved with productive activities.
This article focuses on innovative ways to manage inmates’ conditions of confinement to promote desired behavior and to engage inmates with activities and programs. “Conditions” include the physical setting and the operational environment.
Carefully determining conditions of confinement for the entire inmate population will ensure that:
* Inmates are rewarded with better conditions of confinement as they improve their behavior
* Employees promote consistent and fair inmate behavior management practices
Coordinating Conditions of Confinement
Every jail already has some sort of “conditions of confinement” system in place. Many are inadequate because:
* Conditions are inconsistently allocated to different types of inmates
* Few elements are actually used as incentives
* Elements are not used to their full potential
A quick three-step process can identify inconsistencies and opportunities:
1. Classify various types of inmates and housing units into distinct categories that should have similar conditions of confinement
2. Select the specific conditions of confinement elements that you want to use to promote improved inmate behavior
3. Assign variations of each selected element to each grouping of inmates
Step 1: Classify Inmates Into Groupings
Take a hard look at your inmate population and your facility. Identify inmates who should have the “worst” conditions of confinement (such as disciplinary segregation) and those that should have the “best” conditions (such as trusties).
Start to group various classifications of inmates together according to the level of conditions of confinement that they should receive. The number of groupings will depend on your facility mission, your classification system, and to some extent the opportunities your facility offers to distinguish the treatment of different types of inmates.
To help frame your thinking, consider the diagram in Table 1. This may help to identify some of the key attributes that will distinguish one group of inmates from another. Add additional considerations to those identified in Table 1 based on your own policies and practices.
Table 2 offers an example a jail that identified six distinct groupings of inmates. Some jails might have fewer groupings (possible, but not likely) and some might be able to accommodate even more groupings.
Make a chart like the one in Table 2 for your own facility. After you have completed it, take a hard look at it to be sure that it is realistic and fair. Make adjustments as needed to correct any problems that you identify.
Step 2: Select the Conditions Elements That You Want to Manage
Your policies and practices already describe ways that conditions of confinement vary for different types of inmates in your facility. These are a starting point for this step, but should not limit your thinking. Be creative and consider expanding the ways that you manage conditions of confinement in your jail.
Use Table 3 as a “shopping list” to identify each condition of confinement element that you want to manage. This list is a starting point- there are many additional ways that creative managers use conditions of confinement to improve inmate behavior.
Complete Table 3 and step back and consider your work.:
* Have you identified all of the existing elements that you manage?
* Have you identified some new elements that can be managed?
* Is it realistic to think that you can manage each element that is checked?
Consider passing the completed chart around to employees to secure their ideas and to identify their concerns.
Step 3: Assign Specific Levels to Each of the Groupings
For many managers, this step is the fun part: creating a comprehensive and proactive setting in which every inmate is given constant and consistent incentive to improve his/her behavior.
Create a chart that is organized like the one in Table 4 (see page 66), with a column for each of the “groupings” that you identified in Step 1. Enter a conditions element from Step 2 on each row of the chart and then work your way across the groupings, making distinctions.
Fill in the chart as a draft and then step back and take a close look at it, asking the following questions:
* Are there consistent improvements in conditions as an inmate moves from left to righton the chart? (look at each row from left to right)
* Are the cumulative conditions of confinement (the horizontal columns) appropriatefor each group of inmates?
* Is it realistic to think that you can make all of the distinctions that are described in the chart?
After you have made initial revisions, pass the chart around to employees, contractors and volunteers and ask for their ideas. You may even want to sit down with some inmates to secure their reaction. After all, they can tell you what is most important them. Don’t forget to ask reviewers to offer their comments about the groupings and possible additional elements to consider.
After you have secured a thorough review of the draft, make revisions and start the implementation process. Make periodic reviews and revisions. Consider this to be a work in progress that should be improved with experience.
The results-inmates who behave the way you want them to behave- will be realized soon.
The materials identified in this article, along with many other resources, are available at no cost at our on-line staffing analysis clearinghouse: www.staffinganalysis.com. The clearinghouse is a service provided by CRS, Incorporated, a non-profit organization (www. correction.org).
The National Institute of Corrections (NIC) offers training and other resources that address inmate behavior management, and many other aspects of jail operations. Contact NIC through their web site: www.nicic.org.
FOOTNOTE
1 Staffing Analysis Workbook for Jails, First Edition. Rod Miller and Dennis Liebert. National Institute of Corrections, Washington D.C. 1987. Second Edition published 2003. The NIC methodology has been embraced by jails throughout the United States and has also been adopted by police, fire, transportation, health care and nursing home operations.
2 Contact NIC at www.correction.org to learn more about Inmate Behavior Management and other programs and resources.
By Rod Miller, founder CRS
Rod Miller has headed CRS Inc. since he founded the non-profit organization in 1972. He is the author and co-author of numerous texts and articles on various aspects of jail planning, design, and operations. For more information, contact him at rod@correction.org, 925 Johnson Drive, Gettysburg, PA 17325, and (717) 338-9100.
Copyright 2008 National Sheriff’s Association
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