Corrections_Today_January_February_2021_Vol.83_No.1

Witness the Fitness Walking Club p. 28

Today Corrections January/February 2021

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American Correctional Association Corrections Today January/February 2021 Vol. 83, No. 1

Features

14

Developing an in-house training curriculum for civilian jailers By Robert A. Sturm III, Mark Kessler and Patricia Dahl, Ph.D.

20 Co-occurring disorders in the incarcerated population: Treatment needs

28

By Katy Fabian, MS, LMHC, Randy Shively, Ph.D. and Dean Aufderheide, Ph.D.

Witness the fitness walking club How the staff of a Mississippi

prison fights stress and stays fit in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic By Roscoe Barnes III, Ph.D.

34

A Room of Their Own Progressive prison programs for women By Alix McLearen, Kristie Breshears, Doug Mowell and Karl Leukefeld

Cover background photo: istock/hallojulie

2 — January/February 2021 Corrections Today

Chapters and affiliates

Alabama Council on Crime and Delinquency—Albany Criminal Justice Association—Alston Wilkes Society—American Catholic Correctional Ministries—American Correctional Health Services Association—American Institute of Architects—American Jail Association—American Probation and Parole Association—Appalachian State University Student Chapter— Arizona Probation, Parole and Corrections Association—Arizona State University ACA Student Chapter—Association for Correctional Research and Information Management—Association of Correctional Food Service Affiliates—Association of Paroling Authorities International—Association of State Correctional Administrators—Association of Programs for Female Offenders—Association of Women Executives in Corrections—Bellmont High School Student Chapter—Brown Mackie College ACA Student Chapter— California Probation, Parole and Correctional Association—Caribbean Correctional Association—Champlain Valley Educational Services— Clayton State University Justice Society—Colorado Criminal Justice Association—Columbia-Greene Community College—Criminal Justice Club Student Chapter—Concordia University Sociology of Law & Justice Club—Connecticut Criminal Justice Association—Correctional Accreditation Managers Association—Correctional Association of Massachusetts— Correctional Education Association—Correctional Healthcare Providers of the United States—Council of Juvenile Correctional Administrators—District of Columbia Criminal Justice Association—Eastern Kentucky University Corrections and Juvenile Justice Student Association—Family and Corrections Network—Florida Council on Crime and Delinquency—Harrison College Criminal Justice Association Student Chapter—Hawaii Criminal Justice Association—Historical Association for Corrections—Illinois Correctional Association—Indiana Criminal Justice Association—Integrated Correctional Association of the Philippines (ICAP) Inc.—International Association for Correctional and Forensic Psychology—International Association of Correctional Training Personnel—International Correctional Arts Network—International Corrections and Prisons Association— International Community Corrections Association—Iowa Corrections Association—Jamaica Federation of Corrections—ITT-Technical Institute ACA Student Chapter—Ivy Tech Community College Terre Haute Branch ACA Student Chapter—Juvenile Justice Trainers Association—Kansas Correctional Association—Kentucky Council on Crime and Delinquency

Inc.—Louisiana Correctional Association—Martin University Student Chapter—Maryland Criminal Justice Association—Michigan Corrections Association—Middle Atlantic States Correctional Association—Minnesota Corrections Association—Missouri Corrections Association—Missouri Western University Student Chapter—Moraine Park Technical College Corrections Club—National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice— National Association of Correctional Record Administrators and Supervisors—National Association of Juvenile Correctional Agencies— National Association of Probation Executives—National Association of Adult and Juvenile State Corrections Mental Health Directors—National Correctional Industries Association Inc.—National Council on Crime and Delinquency—National Council of Juvenile Correctional Administrators— National Juvenile Detention Association—National Major Gang Task Force— National Organization of Hispanics in Criminal Justice—National Partnership for Juvenile Services—Nebraska Correctional Association—Nevada Corrections Association—New Jersey Chapter Association—New Mexico Criminal Justice Association—New York Corrections and Youth Services Association—North American Association of Wardens and Superintendents— North Carolina Correctional Association—Northern Illinois University Academic Justice Association—Ohio Correctional and Court Services Association—Oklahoma Correctional Association—Oregon Criminal Justice Association—Parole and Probation Compact Administrators Association— Pennsylvania Association of Probation, Parole and Corrections—Pierce College Criminal Justice Club—Prison Fellowship—Puerto Rico Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Association—Richmond Community College Student Chapter—St.Augustine’s College ACA Student Chapter— Salvation Army—South Carolina Correctional Association—Southern States Correctional Association—State University of New York–Albany—Tennessee Corrections Association—Texas Corrections Association—University of Central Missouri Student Chapter—University of Illinois/Chicago Criminal Justice Society—Utah Correctional Association—Virginia Correctional Association—Volunteers of America Inc.—Washburn University ACA Student Chapter—Washington Correctional Association—Western Illinois University Corrections Club—Western Correctional Association—Westwood College Angels—Wisconsin Correctional Association—WITC New Richmond Criminal Justice Club—Wyoming Correctional Association

OFFICERS President Gary C. Mohr, Ohio Immediate Past President Lannette C. Linthicum, M.D., FACP, Texas Vice President Tony M. Wilkes, Tennessee President-Elect Tony C. Parker, Tennessee Treasurer Denise M. Robinson, Ohio Board of Governors Representatives

Elizabeth F. “Beth” Arthur Derrick D. Schofield, Ph.D. Secretary James A. Gondles Jr., CAE, Virginia

EDITORIAL STAFF EDITOR-IN-CHIEF James A. Gondles Jr., CAE Managing Editor Floyd Nelson

Associate Editor Alexander Carrigan GRAPHICS AND PRODUCTION STAFF Graphic Designer Carla DeCarlo ADVERTISING AND MARKETING STAFF Director, Conventions, Advertising and Corporate Relations Kelli McAfee Production Coordinator Mary Misisco ACA Executive Office and Directors Executive Director James A. Gondles Jr., CAE Deputy Executive Director Jeffrey Washington Executive Office Director Debbi Seeger senior executive Assistant India Vargas

Article and photo submissions: Managing Editor, 206 N. Washington St., Suite 200, Alexandria, VA 22314; email submissions@aca.org. Articles must be in Microsoft Word. Please include all contact information. Unless expressly requested in writing, all photos and artwork submitted become the property of ACA and may be used in future ACA publications. Articles and photos will not be returned unless expressly requested by author. Microfilm: Corrections Today is available for electronic reproduction through ProQuest Information and Learning Co., 300 N. Zeeb Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48106-1346; 313-761-4700.

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Advertising inquiries: Production coordinator, 800-222-5646 ext. 0019. Written inquiries should be mailed to 206 N. Washington St., Suite 200, Alexandria, VA 22314.

Statements contained in Corrections Today are the personal views of the authors and do not constitute ACA policy unless so indicated. ACA does not assume responsibility for the content of Corrections Today as submitted by contributors, reserves the right to edit all articles and, if necessary, condense them. The publication of any advertisement by ACA is neither an endorsement of the advertiser nor of the products or services advertised. ACA is not responsible for any claims made in advertisements. Mission statement: The American Correctional Association provides a professional organization for all individuals and groups, both public and private, that share a common goal of improving the justice system. Corrections Today (ISSN 0190-2563, USPS 019-640) is published six times a year in January/February, March/April, May/June, July/August, September/October, November/ December by the American Correctional Association, 206 N. Washington St., Suite 200, Alexandria, VA 22314; 703-224-0000. Periodicals postage paid at Alexandria, VA 22314 and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to Corrections Today, Attn: Membership Department, 206 N. Washington St., Suite 200, Alexandria, VA 22314. Subscriptions are included in annual membership dues. Nonmember subscription rates are $25 per year for Corrections Today ($36 value) or $6 per issue. Send change of address notice and a recent mailing label to Membership and Customer Service Department, ACA, 60 days before the actual change of address. ACA will not replace undelivered copies resulting from an address change. Printed in USA. Vol. 83, No. 1. Copyright 2021 by the American Correctional Association.

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Conventions, Advertising and Corporate Relations Director Kelli McAfee Financial Services and Human Resources Director Hok Gao, MBA, CPA, SHRM-SCP Membership and Customer Service Director Roberta Gibson International Initiatives Director Elizabeth Gondles, Ph.D. — Senior Director Office of Correctional Health Director Elizabeth Gondles, Ph.D. — Senior Director Mike Miskell, MPH, MCHES ® — Director Standards and Accreditation Director David Haasenritter Professional Development Director Elizabeth Gondles, Ph.D. — Senior Director Doreen Efeti, MPH, MBA, MCHES ® , DHSc — Director Acting Information Technology Director Hok Gao, MBA, CPA, SHRM-SCP

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Corrections Today January/February 2021 — 3

News&Views

6

From Jim’s Desk

6

Correctional Chaplain Perspectives

8

Juvenile Justice News

12

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41 ACA Featured Departments

Welcome New Members

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Certification List

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Bookshelf

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Membership

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Professional Development Update

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Index of Articles 2020

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Corrections Calendar

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Index to Advertisers/ Product Index

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The American Correctional Association is fully engaged in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. ACA has taken the lead to provide its members around the world with vital information geared to protecting the health and safety of correctional professionals everywhere. From webinars, produced by ACA’s Office of Correction- al Health, to the latest information that focuses on managing the stress of uncertainty by taking care of you, ACA’s response has been intelligent, knowledgeable and thorough. In an unprecedented display of servant-leadership, ACA has brought together its sponsors, supporters and other correctional organizations to give valuable and much needed resources to those who need it at no charge. To stay abreast of this “emerging, rapidly evolving situation,”we encourage you to visit the ACA website regularly. There you will find online COVID-19 resources, important infor- mation, messages from our leadership and ACA’s “Wall of Honor”which lists chronologically our correctional heroes who gave their last full measure in fighting this insidious virus.

4 — January/February 2021 Corrections Today

The Wall of Honor

A dedication to the corrections professionals who gave their last full measure.

When the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic struck, lives were upended every- where. Some lives were lost and, unfortunately, the loss of life continues to rise daily. Most of us know that it is the “first responders” to whom we owe an unpayable debt. And among those brave individuals, standing front and center, are the proud men and women of corrections. It is with heavy hearts that we join grief-stricken families and loved ones to express our heartfelt sympathies for those who have died be- cause of this insidious virus. Visit www.aca,org to view the most current list of names of the corrections professionals who gave their last full measure.

Visit www.aca.org and click on the “Wall of Honor” spotlight link.

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From Jim’s Desk nEWS&vIEWS

Our “new normal”

N o doubt, 2020 has changed terminology of our language as much as have computer and electronic advancements. A “mouse” used to be a pest we didn’t want to put up with, but today a

“mouse” is vital to many of us. A “cloud” was a sight to see above us, and today “the cloud” is an invisible storage system for many of us. And so, it is with our “new normal,” whatever that is. “Normal”

used to be everyday, ho-hum hap- pening, but today it is new, and no one quite knows what it means. Whatever it is, someone in a higher pay grade than I will tell us what the “new normal” is, which leads me to

the point of this writ- ing: virtual and hybrid. As of this writ- ing, ACA is planning a Winter Conference in 2021 that is both virtual and hybrid. Hybrid used to mean a combination, and guess what? It still does! Our hybrid conference (if it happens) will be a combination of face- to-face meetings and electronic meetings over the iPhone, iPad, computer, or other screen of some type. Virtual, on the other hand, is not really “vir- tual.” Virtual is defined as “almost or nearly as described, but not com- pletely or according to

istock/Weedezign

6 — January/February 2021 Corrections Today

From Jim’s Desk

strict definition.” To see someone on a screen a few hundred or even thou- sands of miles away is not nearly as described. Seeing the president of the United States on television is not like seeing the president in person. But who’s to argue these terminologies? Not me, that’s for sure. Whether I’m hybrid or whether I’m virtual, I’ll be at the ACA 2021 Winter Conference, maybe even in Orlando. I hope each of you attend in any virtual way possible. Virtually hybrid, or virtually virtual, I’ll see you there. There is good news on the ho - rizon as some frontline health care workers have received the first dose of the coronavirus vaccine. Experts tell us that the general public may

have vaccine availability by late March or early April. While the dates are not good for our Winter Confer- ence, it looks better for a “normal” Congress of Correction in Nashville, Tennessee, in August. In a past column, I urged ACA members to vote in both the ACA elections and in the national elec- tions. I’m happy to say both of those elections are behind us and we have a new ACA President-Elect, Denise Robinson, who we congratulate. We also thank Doug Dretke for running a spirited campaign too. We’d also like to congratulate our re-elected Vice President-elect Tony Wilkes, our new treasurer-elect, Dr. Harbans Deol, and our Board of Governors, Delegate Assembly

and Commission on Accreditation members who were elected. We also welcome Tony Parker as our incom - ing president, who will be starting his term this year. In my next column, I want to write about our outgoing ACA President, Gary Mohr. Suffice it to say, he has been a rock to me and to our association. I’ll have more to say about that later. Stay safe, stay strong and Happy Holidays, including goodbye 2020, and Hip Hip Hooray for 2021!!

James A. Gondles Jr., CAE ACA Executive Director

Performance-Based Expected Practices for Adult Correctional Institutions, Fifth Edition Updated in March 2020 and now available in your choice of print or digital format!

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Order online today at www.aca.org, under the Marketplace tab

Corrections Today January/February 2021 — 7

nEWS&vIEWS

Correctional Chaplain Perspectives

COVID-19 era corrections: What to know and how to respond By Vance L. Drum, D.Min.

T he COVID-19 pandemic upended the world in 2020 and will likely continue at some pace into 2021. It is a virus which should be taken seriously in our correctional institutions. Although corrections personnel do their best work from a place of courage and not of fear, at the same time, we should pay attention to mitigating the effects of the virus in our workplaces and relationships. According to the Centers for Dis- ease Control and Prevention in their daily tracking, the COVID-19 situa- tion in U.S. correctional facilities as of November 24, 2020 is as follows: 1 –– Affected Facilities: 1,427 –– Total Confirmed Cases: 245,833 –– Total Resident Cases: 202,497 –– Total Staff Cases: 43,336 –– Total Deaths: 1,431 –– Total Resident Deaths: 1,345 –– Total Staff Deaths: 86 Similar daily tracking may be found at The COVID Prison Project. 2 This article will highlight four as - pects of what we need to know about COVID-19 in corrections, followed by five appropriate responses.

What to know 1. New protocols

–– Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), including masks –– Limiting transmission from visitors –– Verbal screening and tempera- ture checks for all who enter the institution –– Clinical care for infected inmates –– Consideration for individuals at increased risk of severe illness

ACA has published a “Resources and Information” tab on its website listing protocols for minimizing exposure to, and treatment for, COVID-19. 3 They include: –– Enhanced cleaning and disinfecting –– Social distancing strategies

istock/RuslanDashinsky

8 — January/February 2021 Corrections Today

Correctional Chaplain Perspectives

2. Staff needs Correctional staff are extra stressed in the COVID era. Besides the normal stress of working in an often- adversarial environment, there is the additional anxiety of working in close spaces with the potential of contract- ing the virus from inmates or others. PPE is mandated in most places, but that creates its own challenges to ef- fective functioning in the institution, such as having to wear a mask all day. Staff with minor children at home due to closed schools also experience the financial and psychological stress of locating and paying for quality childcare. If caregivers are expected to conduct school at home, correc- tional workers may be overwhelmed with feelings of inadequacy as well as conflicts of loyalty. 3. Inmate needs Incarcerated inmates are sepa- rated from their families and society by due process of the legal system. However, during the COVID-19 pan- demic there is much extra isolation and absence of the socially engaging rehabilitative, reentry and spiritual programming of normal times. In addition, in-person visits from fam- ily or friends have been curtailed. Outside of prison, if one is confined to one’s house for some time, one may experience “cabin fever.” In the prison, however, inmates who are confined to their cell for long periods with no outlet for exercise, work, dining, or educational or spiritual programs may experience as much or more psychological or physical distress. Withdrawal into one’s own world of distrust and decreased mo- tivation may contribute to feelings of depression or suicidal ideation.

Many inmates experience positive feelings and healthy social contact in the chapel program with chaplaincy staff, volunteers and other rehabili- tating inmates. During the pandemic this outlet for personal and spiritual development is curtailed, perhaps for a long time. Creative means of meeting these spiritual and emotional needs will be helpful in maintaining peace in the facility. Visibility in the facility will provide access and an outlet for staff and inmates to express their concerns to someone. 4. Volunteers restricted For at least the past two decades, state and local governments have experienced budget shortfalls with resulting staff layoffs in their correc- tional institutions. Wise correctional leaders have recognized the need for community volunteers to come into their facilities to provide much needed help with life management, life skills, reentry and spiritual pro- gramming. Recruitment and training of quality volunteers has been a pri- ority since the early 1990s in many states. These volunteers have done much work, beneficial to society, for no pay. During the COVID-19 era, however, these thousands of helpful

volunteers have been largely re- stricted from entering the facilities. While such restriction was neces- sary for the health and well-being of inmates and staff, at the same time it has seriously limited the measure of educational, substance use disorder treatment and spiritual programming available at the facility. How to respond Challenges must not become insurmountable. Creative solutions to obstacles are required. Proactive and wise administrators must provide guidelines and permission for staff and inmate needs to be taken care of as much as possible. Here are five suggestions for appropriate respond- ing during COVID-19, especially for chaplaincy staff: 1. Visibility and availability Chaplains must be visible and available. Acknowledging that administrative paperwork must continue, still there is less than usual program and volunteer entry paper- work required during the pandemic. Visibility in the facility will provide access and an outlet for staff and inmates to express their concerns to someone. Chaplains, by their ministry of presence and emotional support, provide a sense that people are not so isolated in their work or incarceration. In a long lockdown, people can- not walk to the chapel as easily as they normally would. Chaplains will do well and their facility will be blessed if they spend a significant part of each day outside of their of- fices, walking all areas of the facility, verbally greeting staff and inmates, and stopping to listen when someone

Corrections Today January/February 2021 — 9

nEWS&vIEWS

wants to talk. Their manner should be approachable and caring. Chap- lains care because they represent God, and God cares. A chaplain who does not have a caring, relational manner needs additional training or a different vocation. 2. The virtual world We’ve nearly all become used to the world of virtual programming during the COVID-19 era. In con- versations by the author with state directors of chaplains in the U.S. in October 2020, indications are that many institutions are finding creative ways of providing programs and services for locked down inmates. Program teaching and worship service DVDs for many religious faiths are being accepted from reputable faith-based organizations for showing in inmate common areas, or in small chapel groups. In many places educational, rehabilita- tive and spiritual courses are being mailed to inmates for response by correspondence. Whatever can keep an inmate’s mind activated in some sort of prosocial program- ming is helpful to that inmate, and

However, during the pandemic, they are especially needed for maintaining emotional and spiritual support among the inmate population by walking the unit, listening and talking, providing an outlet for inmates to talk to someone willing to listen. Their ministry can be invaluable to maintaining the peace and emotional stability of the facility. 5. Think: Slowdown is okay Sometimes staff, volunteers and inmates feel frustrated that all is not going “up to speed” with program- matic and other regular activity. It’s reassuring to realize that we’re all in a situation none of us asked for, that it will be over at some point, and that in the meantime, we can creatively make the best of it. To cool off and slow down is okay during the pan- demic. Make every effort to maintain a productive work life and a healthy social life, even if it is “distanced.” We’ll all get through this together. Endnotes 1 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC COVID Data Tracker: Correctional Facilities, “Confirmed COVID-19 Cases and Deaths in US Correctional and Detention Facilities by State.” November 24, 2020 retrieved from https://covid. cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#correctional-facilities 3 Coronavirus COVID-19 Resources and Information. Retrieved from http://www. aca.org/ACA_Prod_IMIS/ACA_Member/ Healthcare_Professional_Interest_Section/Copy_ of_Coronavirus_COVID.aspx 4 See details of the Prison Seminary Model at www.prisonseminaries.org. Vance L. Drum, D.Min. is a chaplaincy consultant with Prison Seminaries Foundation, and the former director of Chaplaincy Operations in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. 2 The COVID Prison Project, at https://covidprisonproject.com

a good management tool for facility administrators. 3. Volunteer ministry to staff Outside volunteers may not be permitted at this time to enter the facility. However, there are ways of giving much needed encouragement to staff outside the walls. Some volunteer groups have en- gaged their faith-based organizations to provide a simple offer of food to staff as they enter for their shift, or as they leave after their shift. The gesture may be as uncomplicated as a sausage in a piece of bread, with a soft drink and a friendly greeting. Others have offered a brief scripture text study or prayer, perhaps in a staff clubhouse outside the facility. Such expressions go a long way in lifting the spirits of all the staff. 4. Peer ministry inside Inmate peer ministers who are graduates of a four-year accredited seminary program, are doing some of their work during the pandemic. 4 These graduates are normally authorized to do many aspects of ministry to their fellow prisoners.

istock/kieferpix

10 — January/February 2021 Corrections Today

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nEWS&vIEWS

Juvenile Justice News

Youth held in adult jails: Why this doesn’t make sense By Michael Dempsey

T hroughout the nation, juris - dictions continue to struggle with the challenges and the ethical dilemma of housing juve - niles in adult jails and correctional facilities. Indiana is among many states that still hold juveniles in

adult jails while pending adult criminal court proceedings in specif- ic circumstances. In Indiana, these circumstances include pre-adjudi - cated youth considered “direct file cases” and those youth who have had a waiver hearing (“non-direct

file cases”). However, post-trial youth committed to the Depart- ment of Corrections are placed at a juvenile correctional facility until the age of majority (currently 18 in Indiana), at which time youth may be transferred to an adult cor- rectional facility. Through a “dual jurisdiction” statute, Indiana allows criminal courts to review such cases and to extend the juvenile system jurisdiction beyond the age of 18 when it’s determined to be in the best interest of the youth. The question justice leaders must ask ourselves is this: “Is housing minors in an adult setting the safest and most appropriate placement for youth with adult criminal charges?” The Council of Juvenile Justice Administrators (CJJA) believes the answer is “no.” The CJJA supports the position that the juvenile justice system is the most appropriate place- ment for youth who are “direct-filed” and/or those awaiting sentencing in the pre- or post-waiver process. Current practices employed by many adult jails are contraindicated to a youth’s health and well-being. More specifically:

istock/Vudhikul Ocharoen

12 — January/February 2021 Corrections Today

Juvenile Justice News

–– Youth detained in adult jails are exposed to harsh conditions, such as isolation. –– Youth detained in adult jails do not have access to education and other age appropriate thera- peutic programming services (i.e. mental health, structured treatment groups, etc.). –– Youth housed in adult jails are often kept in confinement for long periods of time to prevent contact with adult offenders. Research has repeatedly shown the traumatic and detrimental effects of isolation, particularly on youth. –– Adult jail staff lack the re - sources, knowledge, training, and skills to appropriate and effectively address the needs of juveniles and adolescent behaviors. Adult jail staff are trained to provide supervision and physical intervention strate- gies for adult offenders and are not trained in juvenile specific strategies (i.e. verbal de-esca- lation, trauma informed care, adolescent brain develop, safely restraining youth, etc.). Conse- quently, this lack of specialized training results in an increased safety and health risk to youth and staff. –– There is some data that suggests that youth housed in adult jails often increases suicidal ideation and behaviors and may increase the likelihood for future crimi- nal involvement. –– Not all cases result in a youth’s conviction or commitment to an adult correctional facility. Cas- es are routinely dismissed and courts often utilize additional

seem to be recognizing these issues more and more over recent years by establishing multi-agency agree- ments between adult and juvenile systems which allow for youth to be held in secure juvenile facilities, both pre-trial and post-convictions. Many states have extended the age of juve - nile jurisdiction up to age 25. While these measures are important steps in the right direction, much more needs to be done in order to ensure we are providing effective and age appropri- ate care and treatment to all adult criminal court involved youth. This includes developing operational poli- cies, procedures and programs that identify best-practices for providing care to adult offenders housed within the juvenile justice systems and facilities. CJJA opposes all policies that result in the automatic transfer of young people to the adult system without judicial review, as well as policies that grant the prosecutor full discretion. CJJA believes that the gravity of an offense is not deter- minate of a youth’s capability for rehabilitation. The most efficient and effective way to rehabilitate youth is within the juvenile justice system, re - gardless of the nature of the offense. To view our full position state - ment on Waivers and Transfer, please visit our website: http://cjca. net/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/ waiver-and-transer-paper-March- 2017-final.pdf

sentencing options. As such, youth are unnecessarily exposed to harsh and traumatic condi- tions when housed in adult jails. Similarly, CJJA also opposes automatic transfers of youth into the adult system based solely on the type of offense. This practice has resulted in the placement of thousands of youths into adult jails and prisons without adequate therapeutic treat- ment and educational services. It has also exacerbated Racial and Ethnic Disparities (RED) within secure adult confinement (i.e. increased disproportionate number of people of color being held in adult confine - ment). When a waiver to the adult criminal justice system does occur, it is critical that a fair decision- making process exists that involves determining the appropriateness of transferring young offenders into the adult system. CJJA strongly supports providing judges the ability to keep youth in the juvenile justice system until they reach the age of majority and, in many cases, extending that jurisdiction as appropriate. CJJA continues to believe that the most appropriate placement for youth, even those with serious adult criminal charges and/or convictions is the juvenile justice system. Adult systems are not properly equipped, trained or skilled to provide youth with age appropriate education, treatment and behavioral health services and programs. Furthermore, adult systems expose youth to ad- ditional developmental harms which greatly reduce any opportunity for rehabilitation. On a positive note, juvenile jus - tice and adult criminal court systems

Michael Dempsey is the executive director of the Council of Juvenile Justice Administrators.

Corrections Today January/February 2021 — 13

n Training

Developing an in-house training curriculum for civilian jailers

By Robert A. Sturm III, Mark Kessler and Patricia Dahl, Ph.D.

14 — January/February 2021 Corrections Today

T raining is a critical component of any American jail. Agencies generally expand the instruction through field and in-house training programs to meet specific needs of the agency. Personnel who make up the jail staff are often individuals with little or no experience in corrections. Many times, they can be fresh out of high school with little job experience. They deal with inmates in a concentrated setting who present a wide array of personal issues and are often in emotional crisis because of their present situation. Thus, it is imperative that an adequate indoctrination program be established to prepare jail staff for the many issues facing them in the management of inmates. In the United States, there are generally two dif- ferent ways a county jail is run. The first is to employ sworn, certified law enforcement officers as the jailers who supervise the inmates on a day to day basis. When an agency uses this method, they often rotate deputies between the detention division and other various divisions such as patrol, civil or communications. In this model, the

preferred method of supervision is direct. Direct supervi- sion involves the supervising officer inside of the module walking around and interacting with the inmates’ face to face while they are out of their cell. The second method is to employ and train civilian staff as jailers. This option is preferred for smaller agencies with a lower inmate population. In this model, the jailers typi - cally practice an indirect supervisory approach. This entails video surveillance of the housing locations, monitoring the inmates through the protection of a control tower with glass windows, or a combination of both. Most jailer-to-inmate contact in this approach is limited to transports, meal ser- vice, medication rounds, or emergency situations. Because there is a high turnover in jail staff, any train - ing program should have the flexibility to be used on an individual basis as new employees are hired, without hav- ing a lot of down time waiting for a local academy class. Through his graduate research at Washburn University, Robert Sturm developed a standard one-week training program that would provide consistency and good content

Photo courtesy Bryce M. Thomas via Patricia Dahl

The Miami County Sheriff’s Office in Miami County, Kansas, where a case study on jail training was conducted.

Graphic opposite page: istock/Dirtydog_Creative

Background art: istock/Boonyachoat

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for any agency charged with management of a jail. This article discusses the training program through a case study at the Miami County Sheriff’s Office Detention Center in Miami County, Kansas. What the literature tells us One of the main issues facing a sheriff’s office when it comes to training new jailers is the question of who is going to be training them. Ideally, they would like to send new employees to a state-run jailer academy hosted by the state’s sheriff’s association. The issue the Miami County Sheriff’s Office jail facility was having involved statewide training that was only held twice a year and frequently cancelled due to lack of enrollment. When this occurs, the sheriff’s office resorts to training new jail - ers in-house, with an unstructured curriculum that often leaves jailers with incomplete and insufficient training be - fore they go to the jail floor. To compound this issue, the sheriff’s office acknowledged they have a high turnover rate in the civilian jailer position, which results in a con - tinuous need to train new employees without a template for how to do so consistently and effectively. One of the best ways to reduce turnover is to have an effective training program for your newly hired jailers. An effective training program identifies which topics to train on and how long to train on each. Miller (2016) has identified three major topics that are imperative for train - ing new corrections professionals: offender management, interpersonal communication skills, and environment and culture. Not only did Miller identify these three main topics, but also researched and determined how much time should be spent on specific topics within these main categories to create the most optimized training curricu- lum for new corrections professionals. Research suggests two main focuses of training, that above all else, will keep the deputy jailers safe from both physical harm and legal liability when they do encounter emergency or volatile situations. The first is the effective use of interpersonal communication (IPC) skills. Trump (2017) notes there has long been an emphasis on verbal judo and verbal de-escalation of conflict in corrections. However, it was not until recently that interpersonal communication training for those with mental illness has been at the forefront. This training is frequently known as Crisis Intervention Training (CIT).

The second necessary aspect of training is what hap - pens when verbal de-escalation, IPC skills, and other non-confrontational methods are not effective. In a cor- rectional setting, not all conflicts have the capacity to end peacefully. This is where extensive defensive tactics training is an absolute must before jailers step foot on the jail floor with inmates who have either been accused or convicted of any number of violent crimes. The goal of defensive tactics for a correctional setting is considerably different from that of a patrol officer. In a correctional facility, it is often presumed the assailant does not have a weapon. Therefore, the goal of defensive tactics in a cor - rectional facility is “to subdue or immobilize an assailant, not to kill or permanently disable the person” (Key Con- cepts in Correctional Facilities, 2019). This should lead to more specialized and detailed training for topics such as restraint devices (as they are used frequently for inter- facility movement), cell extractions and inmate transports. One of the most effective ways of training defensive tac- tics is to put the techniques into scenario-based training that is as close to reality as possible. Once the techniques are taught, drilled and understood, they must be tested out in scenario-based training. While there is a plethora of corrections training articles, there seems to be an absence of articles that dis- cuss the differences between civilian and sworn officers working as county jail staff. As the pay scales, training, responsibilities and liabilities are vastly different, this is an area that needs further exploration so county sheriffs can make the most informed decision possible when de- termining the method they want to employ to effectively supervise their inmate population. A case study in a midwestern state The Miami County Sheriff’s Office in Miami County, Kansas already had some type of training model in place; the fear was just that the training lacked consistency as well as quality. Through formatted sit-down interviews with per - sonnel, this research effort was able to identify what lapses in training occur the most frequently. The research was also able to discern why these lapses happen and which are the most important to emphasize based on previous research. Lastly, this qualitative analysis of the responses given by the front-line jailers became the main tool used in formulat - ing a training protocol that best fits their exact needs for

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their duties in that particular facility. Accompanied with other common practices for jailer training across the state and the country, understanding the nuances of the facility, as well as using general training guidelines provided the necessary information for a custom-tailored training cur- riculum for these Midwestern deputy jailers. The research involving the Miami County Sheriff’s

The results of the interviews The first interview questions pertained to employment factors. When asked how long the interviewees had been employed as deputy jailers, the average answer was 13 months, although this result was skewed by one individual who has been in their current role for almost 14 years. This

overall average indicated an obvious lack of longevity at the deputy jailer position. This may be explained in part by the fact that eight of the 10 interviewees had aspirations of promoting within the department. Out of these eight, seven hope to be a certified road patrol deputy in the future. The most logical reason for wanting to promote is the substan- tial pay increase in starting salary, depending on experience. Only 30% of the jailers inter - viewed heard about the job opening online. Of those three, only two interviewees found out about the opening via the county’s website. On the contrary, half of the deputy jailers were referred by someone who was employed by the sheriff’s office. Word of mouth and employ - ee referrals appear to be the most effective hiring strategy compared to online job postings. Fortunately, the average hiring process for each

Office had two main objectives upon its inception. The first of which was to create a structured, initial training program for oncoming jailers in an effort to have a consistent baseline as they enter into the jailer training officer phase of their deputy jailer training. The second main purpose was to identify opportunities for improvement in the current curricu- lum as well as bolster the areas of the existing training that are already somewhat effective by making them as current and up to date as possible. The ability to interview jailers in a one-on-one private setting with the guarantee of anonymity allowed for honest, valuable and action- able answers that have provided a basis for the development of content for the new initial jailer training curriculum. One factor that was taken into consideration during the interviews was the length of time each inter- viewee had been employed by the sheriff’s office in their current role. Logically, jailers who had been with the Miami County Sheriff’s Office longer than five years likely went through a completely different

Photo courtesy Patricia Dahl

Robert Sturm, a graduate student at Washburn University, presents his proposed program that would provide consistency and good content for any agency charged with management of a jail.

jailer was only 2.6 months. This relatively quick hiring process should likely keep the sheriff’s office from losing potential quali - fied applicants to other competing agencies. Lastly, 60% of the jailers interviewed stated that the nature of the job was much dif - ferent than they had anticipated for various reasons. The first area of training interest that the interviews addressed was the current structure of the initial jailer training program. The research shows that all 10 jailers interviewed were trained exclusively in-house. Unfortu- nately, that is mostly where the consistencies end. Nearly every jailer listed a proportionately different amount of

initial training phase and many of them indicated that as a caveat to their responses. Fortunately, there were interviewee(s) that were either still in the jail train - ing officer phase of their training or had very recently completed their jailer training entirely and the data they provided during the interviews was able to be viewed at with great relevancy based on the fact they had gone through the initial training phase so recently.

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time in the classroom as well as in the jail training officer program. Also, there was a large variance in the number of jail training officers that each individual was assigned, ranging anywhere from one to six trainers. These differ - ences in training duration likely resulted in a discrepancy in the amount of learning experiences each trainee encountered. This means each jailer begins working in a solo capacity on a different level of preparedness, mean- while they all have the same expectations of performance. The second aspect of the curriculum being evaluated is the actual content of the training each deputy jailer was ex - posed to. The results in this area were the most concerning of the entire study: 70% viewed their training as grossly inadequate and 60% cited that their defensive tactics train - ing specifically was lacking in either quality, quantity, or both. One of the most alarming revelations was that one jailer did not receive any defensive tactics training until almost six months after being hired, while another jailer did not receive defensive tactics training for the entire first year. There is another instance where an individual was unable to carry a Taser for six months due to a lack of Taser training, as well an interviewee who felt there is a need for more training on interpersonal communication skills in the initial onboarding phase. Lastly, one interviewee stated they did not receive CPR nor First-Aid training until a few months of being on the job. Not only was there an obvious lack of consistency in training content from jailer to jailer, there seemed to be a unanimous perceived lack of training quality, particularly in defense tactics. In addition to the lack of defensive tactics training, the jailers’ responses regarding delayed training on CPR and First-Aid should not be ignored. According to Noonan (2016), the Bureau of Justice Statistics has found that in 2014 heart disease was the second leading cause of death in local jails from 2000-2014. In 2014 alone, there were 41 re - spiratory related deaths, 239 deaths caused by heart disease, and 372 suicides (Noonan, 2016). Proper CPR and First Aid training can mitigate the chances of death if a jailer encoun - ters an inmate that fits any of these three categories. The most prevalent shortcoming of the current training model was that even though all the deputy jailers were trained at the sheriff’s office, there was inconsistency in both training format and duration. It was also evident that there was a lack of emphasis on training the deputy jailers on the necessary topics to keep them and the inmates as safe as possible, before working on the jail floor.

Conclusion Training is a critical component of any American jail. Further research should be done regarding the rate of inmate attacks on jailers that is exclusively focused on indirect supervision style facilities. There should also be more investigation about how many possible medical emergencies have been either mitigated or avoided com- pletely due to proper CPR and First Aid training of jail staff. The overall direction of a sheriff’s office deputy jailer training should focus on creating a larger applicant pool through more effective and persistent job adver - tisements. Using that larger applicant pool, they should make a genuine effort to select and hire deputy jailers that intend to remain in the role for an extended period of time. This may include creating a lead jailer position that acts as a second-level supervisor on shift and also oversees various projects and special tasks throughout the jail. Further, this may incentivize deputy jailers to remain in the position for a longer period of time. A commitment should also be made to not putting new deputy jailers onto the jail floor until they have success - fully completed their week-long jailer academy, with no exceptions. This will inevitably keep this Midwestern sheriff’s office free from a litigation, but more impor - tantly keep the deputy jailers and inmates as physically safe as possible. References Key Concepts in Correctional Facilities (2019). Retrieved from https://www.correctionalofficer.org/key-concepts Miller, K. B. (2016). A study of modernized personnel training in corrections: An assessment of the correctional officer pre-service training in Texas. Master of Public Administration, Texas State University , San Marcos, TX. Noonan, M. E. (2016) Mortality in local jails, 2000-2014-statistical tables. Bureau of Justice Statistics . (December 2016). Pp. 1-29, Retrieved from https://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/mlj0014st.pdf Trump, A. (2017). Arming deputies with different kinds of weapons: Communication, patience, and knowledge. American Jails , 31(1), 26. Robert A. Sturm III is a civilian specialist for the Johnson County, KS Sheriff’s Office. Mark Kessler is a deputy sheriff in charge of the Professional Standards Unit for the Miami County, KS Sheriff’s Office. Patricia Dahl, Ph.D. is an associate professor at Washburn University in Topeka, KS.

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