Budget Cuts Must Lead to Innovation in Corrections
B. Diane Williams
President/CEO
Safer Foundation
December 2009, Corrections Today
As we in the corrections community know, when government starts
tightening the belt, corrections is often one of the first areas
to feel the crunch. At least 26 states have slashed prison
funding - seven by more than 10 percent. These cuts have
manifested themselves in many ways, including job losses, wage
freezes, reduced meal offerings for the incarcerated, and
cutbacks in in-prison and community based reentry programs.
Hawaii has cut budgeting for prison drug treatment programs by
one-third. The governor of Illinois announced that the state
would be laying off 1,000 state prison workers. Connecticut has
eliminated STRIDE, an in-prison and community-based reentry
program focused on job placement that has a 7 percent recidivism
rate.
Obviously, cutting correctional staff and meal offerings has the
potential to create extremely dangerous prison conditions for
correctional workers. This is particularly true considering the
astonishing number of people who are currently incarcerated (2.3
million). In California, a federal three-judge panel recently
found that overcrowding and poor health care causes one
preventable inmate death each week and that the system had
become 'impossible to manage.' The Chino prison riot further
illuminated this point. But perhaps less obvious are the effects
of cutting community-based programs.
According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, of the 2.3
million incarcer-ated, approximately 51.8 percent (1,191,400) of
those are people who have recidivated. A lack of community
resources and support has a huge impact on whether someone is
able to succeed once released from incarceration. We have a
significant amount of information on what works. Now, we need to
implement what we know and find a way to sustain the effort
beyond the short-term crisis. While we all understand that
budget cuts are inevitable during these challenging economic
times, cutting in-prison and evidence-based community reentry
programs is also the wrong solution to the current prison
epidemic. On the contrary, funding and focusing on reentry
programs is the key to ultimately cutting prison costs and
overcrowding, as well as increasing public safety. Perhaps
efficiencies in program structures and offerings is a better
focus. Fiscal crises can and should bring about innovation.
Multiple studies provide evidence that even a modest reentry
program in correctional facilities yields considerable benefits.
A study of 25 cognitive behavioral reentry-based programs by the
Washington State Institute for Public Policy found that such
programs on average reduce recidivism rates for state and local
governments by 6.3 percent. Other studies indicate that we are
more likely to experience a 20-40 percent improvement in
recidivism rates with in-prison and evidence-based community
programming. The Urban Institute found that under a variety of
conditions, reentry programs would only have to reduce
recidivism by less than two percent to offset the additional
costs of jail-based programs. The Urban Institute also reported
that beyond offsetting costs, a noncontracted reentry program
with even a moderate level of success could be expected to
return anywhere from $4.40 to $9 in social benefits for every $1
that is invested. Over time both monetary benefits and lowered
recidivism numbers would result. Investing in in-prison and
community reentry programs equals fewer people incarcerated;
fewer people committing new crimes; more people becoming working
tax-paying citizens; a more cost-effective criminal justice
system; and more available funding that the government can
redirect to other areas.
As states continue to release inmates earlier, it becomes
essential that there is a reentry blueprint in place to curb the
'revolving door' of our criminal justice system. We in the
corrections field are in a position to take an active role in
providing a continuum of services from prison to home (The
Illinois Sheridan model is a perfect example.). Ninety-seven
percent of the people that come under correctional supervision
will eventually be released. Whatever happens behind those walls
- good and bad - has an indelible impact not just on the
individual but also on our society and our economy. When people
walk out of prison, they should be equipped with the tools and
support to guide them toward becoming productive members of
society. It is my hope that as the government continues to trim
funding and evaluate whether to keep or cut in-prison and
community programs, it bears in mind that implementing the wrong
short-term solutions now can create difficult long-term problems
down the road. It is also my hope that the government continues
to examine alternatives to incarceration as another way to curb
recidivism and cut corrections costs.
Investing in Healthy Communities
Elizabeth F. Gondles, Ph.D.
Institute for Criminal Justice Healthcare
October 2009, Corrections Today
Many who commit crimes are unable to sustain healthy lives. They often
come from poor neighborhoods and dysfunctional families and lack formal
education, job opportunities, and quality health care. According to the
Bureau of Justice Statistics, as of 2007 there were more than 7.3
million people in correctional systems (jails, prisons, probation,
parole and community corrections). This population has a high prevalence
of chronic medical and mental health issues, high rates of infections
and sexually transmitted diseases, and substantial substance abuse
disorders.
When I interview offenders, most of them say that
they want help with their health problems, but have had limited or no
access to health care throughout their lives. Time spent incarcerated
may be the only time these men and women have access to adequate care.
The majority of the diseases and disorders found in
correctional populations are contracted or developed in the community as
a result of high-risk behaviors: substance abuse, unsafe sexual
practices, violence, smoking and poor diet. This offender population
with infectious or chronic diseases moves from the community, through
correctional systems, and back to the community. Offenders in our
correctional system today have been given the chance to improve their
health through quality health care and to learn what they can do to
support their continued wellness both 'inside' and when they reenter the
community.
Correctional health care professionals and public
health agencies have a responsibility to reach this population.
Together, in partnership, we have a responsibility to society and to
offenders to continue developing and evaluating efficient, effective,
and cost-conscience methods of delivering valid, evidence-based
treatment and programs. We also have a legal, ethical and moral
obligation to return offenders to the community in a reasonable state of
health to facilitate their successful reentry.
In state correctional systems, at least 95 percent
of all inmates will be released to the community - and more than 12
million people pass through our nation's jails annually. While
incarcerated, inmates receive health care that requires continuity in
community health systems. In order to optimize this care they receive in
our facilities, inmates must not return to a society plagued with social
disparities, exhausted community resources, poorly equipped health
clinics, and economic disadvantages. To address these public health
challenges and ensure continued wellness and quality of life, community
leaders must work with correctional health professionals, nurses, and
the allied health professions to improve access to health, mental health
and support services to the correctional population in our charge.
Our professional and fiscal responsibility is
clear: corrections, public health agencies, and community health
programs must collaborate to promote continuity of care for the
incarcerated and ex-offenders. Correctional systems should have access
to public health services in the community, and more attention should be
focused on preventive care, as well as connecting successful
interventions to both correctional and communal settings. Using
evidence-based research, we must develop innovative programs that
involve community educators and stakeholders in these health care
initiatives. Correctional health professionals can help improve the
health of communities throughout the country when they address the
health concerns of offenders.
Health care is an ever-growing and ever-changing field. Correctional
health care is growing and changing as well. These developments are not
only the concern of health personnel, they affect all corrections
professionals from line personnel to wardens to agency directors. It is
important for society to recognize that the health care and education of
offenders is closely tied to improved community health. Investing in the
health care of adult and juvenile offenders and returning them back home
healthy is a key to overall public wellness. By reaching offenders in
the criminal justice system, we in corrections have the ability to
deliver vital messages about healthy practices and strengthen and
improve the health of the overall community. We must continue to
reinforce and develop new strategies, as well as revamp old partnerships
and form new ones to improve the health of all.
Maryland
Calls for Unified Action On
Contraband Cell Phones
Martin O'Malley
Governor of Maryland
August 2009, Corrections Today
The use of cell phones inside America's prisons is
a growing problem and has become a top safety priority for many of our
nation's correctional systems. Last year, California found 2,800 cell
phones or related equipment in its prisons. South Carolina uncovered
2,000. In Maryland, we interdicted 1,642 throughout the Department of
Public Safety and Correctional Services.
Last year, a Texas death row inmate was caught
harassing a state senator from a smuggled cell phone. Recently in
Maryland, a man was convicted of murder after ordering a fatal hit on a
citizen set to testify against him in court. He did this from a jail
cell inside one of our facilities.
In Maryland, cell phones have become the top target
of our increased institutional security priorities. Illegal cell phones
give offenders the opportunity to connect to their former lifestyle and
criminal associates. They also foster communication between gang members
and fuel illegal activity in our institutions.
During the last 20 months, Maryland has made great
strides to secure its prisons. Our Canine Unit began training its own
dogs to locate cell phones in June 2008 ' the first homegrown program of
its kind in the country. These dogs have since sniffed out 80 cell
phones in institutions across the state.
Between 2006 and 2008 these canine units, a greatly
enhanced gang intelligence gathering capability, and other security
practices resulted in a 71 percent increase in recovered cell phones in
our corrections division. But while these efforts have reduced the
overall number of serious assaults on the state's correctional staff,
they are not enough.
Nationwide, hundreds of thousands of illegal phone
calls are being made from our prisons. Anecdotal
evidence is all you need to see that cell phones
constitute a significant threat to security within our collective
correctional systems and to our overall public safety.
We are all doing what we can to meet the new
security challenges cell phones present in our prisons. Maryland has
invested in technologies such as body orifice security scanners for our
institutions. This year we will go from four of these to 28. And the
cell phone sniffing dog is an innovative approach to fighting this
recent problem. But we must do more to keep pace with ever evolving
technology that is progressively more difficult to detect and locate
behind prison walls.
Using jamming technology would provide us with the
tools necessary to significantly reduce the cell phone threat. While
Maryland is committed to seizing the opportunity that the Safe Prisons
Act of 2009 has created to move law enforcement and public safety into
the 21st century, and we continue to pursue the possibility of filing a
petition with the FCC for the authority to jam cell phone signals, there
could well be other options.
Beyond jamming, corrections professionals know
there are many other technologies available that can disrupt, block and
detect cell phone signals. We recognize these various technologies may
be viable alternatives to jamming cellular signals. As such, Maryland is
obligated to investigate which ones may best enhance our ability to keep
the public safe.
We would like to extend an invitation to all Association of State
Correctional Administrators and American Correctional Association
leaders to participate in further conversation on this topic. I believe
that if we work together to educate ourselves about the best and most
appropriate possible interventions, the entire corrections community
will be better equipped to communicate a feasible solution to Congress.
It is my hope that many of our fellow state partners will feel the same
and agree to join Maryland in our efforts.
Driving Our
Business
Justin Jones
Director
Oklahoma Department of Corrections
June 2009,
Corrections Today
This issue of Corrections Today focuses on
outstanding employees. Because our employees provide a spectrum of
services that benefit everyone, recognizing their efforts should be a
constant in the corrections world. Employees should often say thank you
to their fellow employees for no other reason than this business takes a
strong team to provide services, safety and other components expected by
stakeholders. There are no winners or losers when recognizing the best
in our business, only recognition of a job well done, especially as jobs
are becoming more difficult with the declining economy.
Recession and the subsequent revenue declines are
having significant effects on corrections. Across the U.S., correctional
departments are closing facilities, placing beds in nontraditional
space, reducing and/or eliminating programs, cutting operating costs,
exploring early offender release options, enacting reduction-in-force
policies, and offering employee buyouts. What's ironic about a recession
is that in corrections the good news is that you can hire employees and
the bad news is you can hire employees. There are exceptions, but in
most correctional agencies, entry-level positions are difficult to hire
at a rate that outpaces turnover. So it is somewhat ironic that during
recessions budgets are cut, certain crimes increase and correctional
agencies have increased employment applications.
Therefore during these times of reduction
management, it is imperative to stay focused on the number one asset '
our employees. Many times the public take a simplistic view of the
corrections profession, when in fact no profession is more complex.
Anytime your profession is focused on human beings, the outcomes,
processes and best practices become a multifaceted network. The key
ingredient in working with human beings is other human beings. That is
why it is so critical during recessionary times that we don't lose sight
of the value of experienced, well-trained, professional employees.
Martin Luther King Jr. said, 'Everyone can be great because everyone can
serve.' We should not have to be reminded that our employees serve by
providing public safety, whether it be through security, programs,
reentry or a host of other processes. Anytime your employees are working
with the disenfranchised, they are serving all of society.
Transparency, communication, trust and truth are
key elements for leaders to focus on when directing employees through
difficult times. Transparency allows not only employees an opportunity
to see how and why critical cost-saving measures are being made, but
more important it allows them knowledge that they can share with
stakeholders. A crucial aspect of communication is listening. It is
often said that everybody needs a good listening to. This is always
important but is heightened during these difficult times. Inviting
active participation and listening to employees not only alleviates
anxiety and frustrations but can generate creativity and present
options. Trusting employees is as important as them trusting that their
leaders will navigate and negotiate with their safety and best interest
in mind. There can be no trust without truth; as the old African proverb
states, "If one wishes to travel fast, go alone, but if one wishes to
travel far, go with many."
Most correctional agencies' budgets are at least 51
percent payroll, which is all inclusive of benefits and salaries;
therefore with major budget reductions looming, it is inevitable that
payroll will require reductions. It is inevitable, that is, unless a
true action-oriented understanding of where data-driven, outcome-based
savings can occur. External correctional savings will have a superior
benefit over reductions internally. Sentencing reform, prevention
efforts and investments in evidence-based treatments and programs will
result in greater savings and dividends than internal cost-cutting
measures that will likely be reclaimed when the economy improves.
Enacting external changes that can save costs without comprising public
safety is difficult at best. This is not because such changes are
lacking in research-driven outcomes, but because they require
collaboration, cooperation and partnerships that transcend the usual
criminal justice stakeholders. Politicians will be the key, but it will
require being smart on crime as opposed to just wishing to appear tough
on crime. Employees, the constituents of their local politicians, will
be a key element if our profession is to have a measurable impact on
legislative decisions that could leave the next generation a more
effective and efficient correctional system.
Benjamin Franklin said, "Drive thy business or it
will drive thee." I applaud those best in the business who are driving
our business.
Professional
Development: Taking Responsibility for Your Own Career
Kathy Black-Dennis
Director
Professional Development Department
American Correctional Association
April 2009,
Corrections Today
In the August 2006 Corrections Today Professional
Development Update column I asked the question, 'What would happen if
you lost 25 percent of your agency's leaders'' At that time, we were
watching our baby boomer staff march out the front door for retirement,
to relaunch themselves in a new
career or to find their passion. The focus was on preparing
up-and-coming leaders to take their place. Two and a half years later,
we face a much different scenario. We're not just losing our leaders; we
are losing staff at all levels as we face turbulent times. It's a little
scary right now. But we have been given an opportunity to shape our new
reality, and we must understand, accept and exploit it.
How do we take advantage of these new realities'
One thing we cannot do is decrease our commitment to professional
development. In fact, it's critical that we invest wisely and
innovatively in professional development. As correctional professionals,
we must also take responsibility for our own individual development. We
can no longer expect our agencies to take care of all our professional
development needs for us. They may no longer be able to offer tuition
reimbursement at the same level as last year. They may have to cut
nonessential training classes temporarily. We must invest in ourselves.
It harkens back to the L'Oreal hair color commercial of a few years ago
with the tagline 'because I'm worth it.' It's a chance to enhance our
knowledge or to reinvent ourselves.
People change; we become different people with different needs,
interests and perspectives. This is especially true today as we stay in
the work force longer.
We must know ourselves and have a vision for where
we want to go, and what knowledge will help us get there. This requires
reflection, and for many of us who rush between work and home with a
myriad of responsibilities, reflection time just isn't at the top of our
'to do' list. But every
person I know who has a professional development plan, crafted it over
time, by getting to know themselves and what they want out of their
profession. They took the time to nurture their passion.
When faced with shrinking budgets, agencies will
typically look to reduce professional development for their employees.
It's unfortunate and shortsighted, but a reality. This is precisely the
time to make professional development a core competency. This is the
time for agency leaders to sit down with their key internal stakeholders
and map out a strategy for their agency's and employees' professional
development needs.
Professional development opportunities can be free
of charge or cost thousands of dollars. There are free and low-cost webinars and workshops;
e-learning opportunities; volunteer opportunities; Web sites; conference
programs at the local, state and national levels; professional
certifications; and college courses. Take a walk through your favorite
bookstore or library; you'll be inundated with books and journals
dedicated to professional development. Lastly, there are professional
associations. I still attribute much of who I am today as a corrections
professional to my ACA membership. I have been involved with ACA since
1975, and it has been that relationship that has added value and helped
nurture my career throughout the years.
As you peruse this issue of Corrections Today, you will find stimulating
articles, written by our peers, on professional development that we can
all relate to. This is one issue I am betting you will read and refer
back to time and time again. Invest in your future and share it with
others.
Corrections
Must Lead the Fight Against Youth Gangs
Brian Parry
Gang Consultant
National Gang Intelligence Center
February 2009,
Corrections Today
Gangs, and particularly youth gangs, have become a
national epidemic. Our youths have gone from swiping hubcaps and fist
fighting to selling drugs and drive-by shootings. Law enforcement and
corrections officials need to understand the crises, and especially the
influence of prison gangs over youth gangs, in order to strategically
direct resources to reduce the influence of gangs.
The proliferation of gang violence in our
communities, in many cases, can be traced to the most secure housing
units in our correctional facilities. These units house the most
dangerous and influential inmates and, therefore, become gang
headquarters. Through an elaborate communication system, gang leaders
manage to direct violence throughout our prisons and into our
communities. Street gang members - many of them youths - kill, rob,
steal, extort and sell drugs at the direction of and for the benefit of
the prison gang leaders.
The juvenile justice system is continually prompted
to 'fix' the problem of youth gangs and violence. However, it is the fix
that ignites the age-old debate of rehabilitation vs. punishment. On the
one hand we want to help at-risk kids, and on the other we are fed up
with the violence and want to try teens as adults and incarcerate them
for longer periods of time. The problem is complex and it raises many
questions. Do we fear our own children' How are at-risk children treated
in this country' What about the disintegration of the family unit' How
effective is the foster care delivery system' Do we treat juvenile
offenders as adults' Do we have clear-cut policies or are we at the whim
of the knee-jerk reactions of our elected officials'
The call for more juvenile prisons, to make
juvenile criminal records public and to punish juveniles as adults is
alive and well today. The other side of the debate believes
incarcerating juveniles will not solve the problem. It calls for more
intervention and prevention programs to keep high-risk youths in school,
out of trouble and out of the system.
The one thing we do know from our experience is the
more young people we can successfully divert from the system the better.
Once juveniles enter, it is very difficult for them to successfully get
out and beat the system's stigma. Juvenile practitioners know these
young gang members were not born this way. Deep down they are just
children who want the same things we all wanted: love, attention,
acceptance, security and a sense of belonging. But, in too many cases,
what we have in front of us are violent, angry, abused, impulsive,
explosive people full of self-hatred. And, unfortunately, they take that
hatred out on themselves and the public.
Talking with gang members of all ages it becomes
clear the reasons they joined gangs were personal. They joined for a
sense of belonging, a sense of being a part of something. The lure of
money, drugs, security and excitement can all be powerful contributing
factors. And all too often these young gang members aspire to belong to
a prison gang, and they are more than willing to commit acts of violence
to be recognized and accepted.
The root causes of youth crime are complex.
Stopping the violence will not be easy, and there are no simple
solutions. We must implement programs that stress personal
responsibility and accountability. We must hold offenders accountable,
punish with a purpose, provide rehabilitation for those who want it,
increase support for victims and public safety, and treat the entire
family not just the offender.
The goal of the juvenile justice system should be
to turn youthful offenders into responsible, law-abiding, productive
citizens and to diminish the influence of gangs. To accomplish this we
need a multidisciplinary approach to the youth gang problem that
includes intervention, prevention and suppression. The former U.S.
Attorney General Alberto Gonzales reportedly said 'To have enduring
success against gangs we must address the personal, family and community
factors that cause young people to choose gangs. The more success we
have in this area the fewer people will have to be prosecuted for
violent activity.'
Gangs have a chokehold on our youth. This is not
just a police problem or a corrections problem. This is a societal
problem. We as corrections professionals must lead the way.
