2019 ACA Boston Program Book_149th Congress of Correction

Ralph Fretz, Ph.D., GEO Care, Boca Raton, Florida; Craig Spatara, Director of Post Release Services, GEO Care, Boca Raton, Florida

Customer Training Consulting Manager at Johnson Controls, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

A-2I The Path to Eliminating Restrictive Housing in Delaware: Successes and Challenges Room 209 The Delaware Department of Correction (DDOC) has made major strides to eliminate restrictive housing. DDOC was a defendant in a lawsuit brought by the American

A-2H Reducing Recidivism and Transforming Infrastructure: How the Louisiana Department

of Corrections Made It Possible Room 206

Workshops

Saturday, Aug. 3 t 10:30 a.m.–12 p.m.

In this workshop, participants will learn how the Louisiana Department of Corrections is partnering with Johnson Controls to implement a unique vocational training program that prepares offenders for successful technical careers in commercial HVAC and building automation systems after release, thereby reducing recidivism for the state’s correctional system. Johnson Controls’ vocational training program has helped other departments of correction achieve some of the lowest recidivism rates in the country, including the Virginia Department of Corrections (VADOC), where less than 5% of program graduates have returned to VADOC since the program started up in 2012. Objectives: Innovative funding makes improvements possible across seven locations — leveraging an Energy Savings Performance Contract guaranteed $35.5 million in savings over 15 years for the Louisiana Department of Corrections. Nationally, offenders who participate in vocational training are 40% less likely to return to correctional facilities. Participants will learn how the Louisiana Department of Corrections is taking a unique approach to preparing offenders for technical careers upon release and how other Departments of Correction can get started. Moderator: Jason Fritsche, PE, Business Development, State Government, Performance Infrastructure at Johnson Controls, Milwaukee, Wisconsin Speakers: John E. Easley, Program Consultant, Louisiana State Penitentiary, Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Jason Fritsche, PE, Business Development, State Government, Performance Infrastructure at Johnson Controls, Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Jerry Hirsch,

Civil Liberties Union Delaware (ACLU) and Community Legal Aid Society, Inc. (CLASI) in September 2015 alleging the use of cruel and unusual punishment by the DDOC when placing mentally ill inmates in restrictive housing by failing to adequately address the mental health needs of such inmates while in restrictive housing. On Sept. 1, 2016, a settlement agreement was reached. The workshop will focus on policy changes implemented by the Bureau of Prisons, the challenges faced when implementing the settlement order and the data available to monitor compliance and impact of the policy changes. Objectives: Gain an understanding of the prison policy that was implemented to increase recreational time and therapeutic services for eligible inmates in restrictive housing; gain an understanding of the practical and logistical hurdles that correctional facilities face in attempting to adhere to progressive restrictive housing policies; and gain an understanding of the data tracking process used to determine whether restrictive housing policy changes are being implemented and enforced consistently. Moderator: Joanna Champney, M.A., Chief of Planning, Research, & Reentry, Delaware Department of Correction, Dover, Delaware Speakers: Joanna Champney, M.A., Chief of Planning, Research, & Reentry, Delaware Department of Correction, Dover, Delaware; Shane Troxler, B.S., Acting Chief, Delaware Department of Correction, Dover, Delaware

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