By Warden Robert Hood
The 2011 American Correctional Association’s Winter Conference was held recently in San Antonio, Texas. ACA has a long history dating back to 1870, and at each conference enhancements are made, exceptional training is provided, and corrections professionals return to work better prepared to continue their careers in the criminal justice system.
This past week, approximately 2,000 correctional professionals attended myriad workshops, demonstrations, and planning meetings. In speaking to the attendees, Daron Hall, ACA’s President encouraged participants to attend events focused on health care costs, workforce issues, and a range of programs that are top-of-mind for criminal justice professionals who strive to provide quality care while facing dwindling corrections budgets.
ACA also hosted the Heath Care Expo and Health Fair — only the second time in its long history that ACA has held such an event. Correctional health care companies showcased products, services, and job opportunities, while participants received screenings and general health care materials.
More than 70 exhibitors displayed the latest innovations in corrections-related technology, health care, security, probation, parole, transportation, programs, and training. Facility tours to several local, state, and federal jails and prisons were also arranged.
Gene Stallings — “America’s Football Coach” — addressed the association during a General Session, offering correctional staff high praise for all they do, and encouraging them to continue to make a difference.
The Dominant Discussion
From my perspective, the overarching concern of the conference was finding ways to do more with less — to stretch tight budgets without cutting services. Attendees and exhibitors both focused on ways to improve performance, specifically by making reductions in recidivism. Overcrowding in some states continue to impact budgets for education, training and drug abuse treatment.
The budget solution I heard discussed most often focused on using evidence-based planning to empower administrators. With EBP, corrections administrators can create powerful arguments for their budgetary needs backed by statistics and hard data.
This scenario — tighter budgets forcing administrators to think seriously and creatively about where they allocate resources — isn’t going away. Unfortunately, the first thing cut in most facilities is programming, an often nebulous expenditure that is hard to back up with solid data. Less programming leads to idle inmates — a dangerous proposition. The surge in EBP is forcing administrators to find ways to save money on programming, for instance by increasing volunteer-led programs. Whether this is a long-term solution remains to be seen.
Leaders were scrambling to find cost-effective, evidence-based practices in correctional health care, treatment programs, re-entry planning, and other critical areas. Measureable outcomes, operational efficiencies, client compliance and managing risk were discussed in various social settings and during presentations. Methods of system integration were also commonly discussed.
Incident mapping to manage facilities received high interest. Mapping technology and statistical analysis of items such as disciplinary reports, commissary purchases, classification levels, program involvement, visitations, etc. were also discussed. Assessments, predictive data, and overall risk reduction were ongoing solutions communicated each day. Again, the focus remained on using research and data to manage operations more efficiently.
Although many great topics were presented, I observed the most participant interest in these:
• Telemental Health
• Implementing Treatment Programs in Administrative Segregation Units
• Evidence-Based Practice During Budget Cuts
• Managing Aging Offenders
• Preventing Fatal Attractions: Lessons Learned from Inmate Boundary Violators
• Identifying and Managing Dementia in Prison Populations
• Evidence-Based Planning for Correctional Facilities
• Research on the Role of Residential Reentry Centers in Federal Prisons
• Preparing Correctional Workers to Deal with Mexican Immigrants
• Technologies for Correctional Officers
• Predicting and Preventing Assaults Against Staff
Of this list, three things stand out.
Evidence-Based Practices
Not to beat a dead horse, but EBP will continue to drive budgetary decision-making. Consider healthcare: with the 3-strikes law, many offenders are living out their old-age in prison, which is creating a huge growth in corrections health care costs. In the worst states, up to 30 percent of the corrections budget is being spent of healthcare — a situation that can’t last forever.
An aspect of EBP that has relevance here is the use of data-collection software in corrections management. (I touch on something similar below in the section on Ramsell technologies.) The next generation of corrections administrators will use technology to collect data on inmates and facilities in a way that allows us to measure our objectives, and determine whether or not we’re meeting them. With the ability to collect data on everything from commissary purchases to your facility’s water pressure, administrators can both protect themselves from potential calamity (for instance, a spike in commissary purchases could mean that inmates know a lockdown is imminent), while also creating the sort of data officials love for Evidence-Based Practices. It’s the application of market-style research to corrections management, and its use signals a sea-change in the way administrative decisions are going to be made.
Telemedicine
Another healthcare discussion focused on the growing use of telemedicine — both for traditional doctor visits and, increasingly, for mental health treatment. Instead of spending a huge sum on a psychiatrist in every facility, with telemedicine one doctor can easily oversee a number of facilities.
Telemedicine is also interesting because it addresses another high-risk problem: inmate transportation. Reducing the number of times you have to transport inmates to healthcare facilities also reduces the number of escape risks you expose yourself to, and that’s good for everyone involved, from line officers up to officials deciding the budget.
Implementing Treatment Programs in Administrative Segregation Units
Inmates who are in administrative segregation — as most readers probably know — are suspected of committing an offense that deserves segregation, but whose guilt remains unproven or were possibly just in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Some have begun to discuss whether it is fair to fully deprive inmates in this situation of programming without full evidence that they deserve to be punishment with segregation. I didn’t hear a solid argument either way, but there is definitely a growing awareness of the potential for offering some programming to these offenders.
Standout Exhibits and Organizations
During the conference, and the social networking that followed many of the workshops and exhibits, I observed the most buzz around these organizations:
Ramsell Technologies, Oakland, CA — Ramsell has developed a web-based solution specifically designed to automate the inmate discharge planning process, which can help reduce recidivism and improve continuity of care throughout the re-entry process. Their web-based solution creates a lifetime electronic record that matches parolees’ needs around healthcare, housing, employment, and other social services. This idea is great. With this technology, case managers can get timely and comprehensive information about a parolee’s adherence to his or her discharge plan, creating a much more stable foundation for inmates to stand on when re-entering society. Currently, many inmates simply do not have a continuity of care. If they had medical issues in prison, then there should be a structure allowing them to continue their treatment or regimen after release. Many do not, and consequently return to jail or prison sicker than when they left, which only serves to increase costs, which strains budgets, and the negative effects just ripple outward.
Performa Inc., De Pere, WI — Performa are planners, architects, and engineers working on “prisons of the future.” The corporation is licensed in 42 states and is gaining much attention for their humane security applications. CEO Jeff Kanzelberger and his team are a tight-knit group with vision. They balance interior design, space planning, architecture, and engineering with secure facility construction. This company goes beyond just bricks and mortar. They get the need for humane treatment within a “correctional” setting.
PharmaJet, Golden, CO — PharmaJet is expanding into correctional healthcare with their needle-less injectors. ACA participants were highly impressed with this alternative to needles in prison. Correctional staff appreciate technology that protects staff from needle assault, reduces contraband, limits hazardous disposal issues, and is well-received by inmates needing shots. During the conference, many wardens and mid-management staff received demos on this product from PharmaJet’s founder Kathleen Callender, and all interested in starting a “needle-free” prison environment.
International CURE, Washington DC — CURE (Citizens United for Rehabilitation of Errants) was founded in Texas in 1972 and became a national organization in 1985. CURE believes that prisons should be used only for those who absolutely must be incarcerated and that those incarcerated should have all the resources they need to turn their lives around. Dianne Tramulta-Lawson represented the international organization during the ACA conference. Many of the CURE campaign and policies are making a significant difference for our criminal justice system, and many correctional professionals are seeing the value in developing programs that focus on helping inmates re-enter society.
Conclusion
ACA participants continue to praise their staff for their ongoing commitment to the criminal justice system. Many attendees commented on the recent death of a young, female correctional worker in a Washington state prison. The ongoing need for ACA conference — and the sort of professional training and open discussions it provides — is validated after hearing of such a tragedy.
The Annual 2011 ACA conference is scheduled for August 5-10 (location — Kissimmee, Florida). See www.aca.org for more information.
