Topic: Health & Wellness / Epileptic treatment guidelines

We’re looking for general treatment guidelines for epileptic/seizure disorder inmates. Are EMT or ER evaluations needed for inmates if jail medical staff is not on hand? Thanks for any input.

Sara Schuette
SaraSchuette@co.manitowoc.wi.us

Topic: The Club House / Any suggestions for my prison toilet?

I have seen some those stainless steel sink/commodes in some the city parks that I have been to.Maybe you could contact the person in charge of purchasing for the parks in your community.

Topic: A Broader View / Staff incentive ideas for quitting tobacco

NC DOC has a few facilites tobacco free. I had chewed for 20 years and decided to quit last Nov. Our insurance provides some patch discounts, but I did not use them. How’s this for an incintive; I averaged $12.00 a week on chewing tobacco. Since quitting I have paid myself over $430.00. I am sure for the cigarette smokers the cost per week is much higher, and thus the cost savings greater. Was it easy, heck no, but I’m so thankful I’ve made it this far. Besides, I was not going to let the State dictate to me when I should quit, I beat them to the punch, an that is a self satisfying incintive all by itself.

Topic: A Broader View / Assessments

We are embarking on opening a community reentry center. We are looking at using the Level of Service/Case Management Inventory assessment tool to help in our decision to move inmates to the reentry center. I have been informed that this tool is as long or longer to adminsiter than the LSI-R tool. Does anyone have any experience with the LS/CMI and if so how effective is it? Do you prefer it over the LSI-R or some other tool?

Topic: The Club House / Where in the world are you

Hello All,

I am new to this site. I work for the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office (located about 35 miles south of San Francisco) assigned to the main jail. We house over 1,000 inmates. I was assigned to the Maximum Security Unit for 4 1/2 years, have been on the Emergency Response Team and now assigned to the Classification Unit.

Topic: Security Central / Should OC use on juvenile offenders be restricted?

Ohio’s own Use of Force progression chart shows the use of OC before hands-on. Also, just the presence of OC on an officer is sometimes enough of a deterrant to prevent the inmate from taking action. Ohio has progressively become soft on offenders in the prison setting, as has most of the country. Yet, Police are getting new tools to use to subdue offenders on a regular basis. Now, I’m no rocket scientist or anything, but if Police get new tools to use on what is generally one-on-one situations, shouldn’t Corrections Officers who are placed in a setting with hundreds of potentially violent offenders be offered the same such tools? I’m not recommending guns in a housing unit or anything, but OC, PR-24’s and even Tasers would make offenders think twice about their behavior.

Topic: The Club House / New Career

You are referring to the other used car salesmen when you say “inmate types” right? They rob you and never have to face charges!

Topic: The Club House / If corrections had a slogan what would it be?

Seems someone has taken a liking to and is making some money off of some of our sayings.

http://www.correctionstees.com

Topic: The Club House / Where in the world are you

Ontario Correctional Services (Canada) here

Topic: The Club House / story of a stupid inmate

An inmate we had last month had stolen a car. Onstar shut off the engine and locked the doors. He was trying and failing to kick out a window when the police arrived to arrest him. It is no wonder we never get laid off.

Topic: The Club House / If corrections had a slogan what would it be?

We the unwilling led by the unknowing are doing the impossible for the ungrateful. We have done so much with so little for so long that we are now qualified to do anything with nothing.

Topic: Security Central / Should OC use on juvenile offenders be restricted?

I think the people placing restrictions on tools that save our lives in corrections need to go to work in a prison or jail that has a lot of action. You know the places where one week of work can give you what seems like 6 months of experence. I have worked with juveniles that would have been a lot easier to control if I carried OC….

Topic: A Broader View / Staff incentive ideas for quitting tobacco

All of Michigan DOC will be tobacco free starting February 2009. There will be no smoking, no chew, no tobacco products for prisoners and staff. Does anyone have any suggestion for staff rewards and incentives? It could be anything, any price. We prefer low or no cost options, but any idea is important and could be a springboard to another thought. It could be anything you’ve seen at your agency or your own concept. I appreciate any suggestions.

Thanks so much,

Joe Bouchard, Michigan DOC (906) 353-7070 ext 1321

Topic: The Club House / Where in the world are you

LOL. No Transporter. Over here what you would call a “Warden” we call a “Governor”. “Warden” is a good natured slang name we use for fellow Officers. Especially is you can’t remember/Don’t know their name. Like “Hey Warden can you…...”

Topic: The Club House / New Career

Daniel, I work in a county jail housing about 350 (up to 400 if needed). I have only been at this about 4 years, but I worked the floors for the first 2 1/2. I believe what has been said covers 99% of what you need to get started. However you will learn far more than these things as you progress in your new career if you stay with it. When I started I was coming off 10 years as a used car salesman. (OK OK quit laughing! It gave me good practice in dealing with “inmate types” lol!)

My first day of orientation we were given a packet that included a story written by an inmate who was and is very familiar with the system. It was called “DOWNING THE DUCK”. The story was true and was about the way inmates pick out a new guard to “befriend” and the step by step process they use to get the guard to do little things for them. These little things subtly become bigger and bigger until they have the guard where they want them. Then the guard cannot refuse to help them without getting into trouble. When I first read it I was skeptical of how it could be like that. Then I saw it up close happen to guards around me who started the same day I did. I say all that to say this: DON’T DO THE SMALL FAVORS FOR THE INMATES. YOU CAN AND WILL BE PULLED IN.

Where unit are you in the TDCJ/DOC?)

Topic: Security Central / Transport security

I handle federal inmate transport as a main position. However, on occasion I and my partner are asked to help out with transporting to and from the hospital and/or ER. When we transport the inmate is placed in “full restraint” (handcuffs, leg irons, belly chain.) On routine trips to the hospital (xrays, lab work, etc.) I tell the inmate he is going ONLY as he is being placed in the restraints. That way he has no way of getting word to outside help. The phones to his cell and those around it are turned off until we return. (Bummer for his cellies and neighbors! lol) My partner and I are both carrying Glocks. I tell the inmate just before getting in the transport van that “I have Tourette’s Syndrome and have not had my meds in a week.” (90% of the time this is a true statement! The other 10% I have only missed the meds a couple of days. lol) Seriously, we have never had a problem. Overnight hospital stays are a whole other Jerry Springer as far as security. Anytime an officer has to stay with an inmate overnight they are armed. Family and friends are not permitted to visit or make calls in to the inmates room. The inmate is not allowed to call out. Hospital staff members are instructed not to give out room information in person or on the phone.

If the inmate is considered an escape risk, every effort is made to have a doctor come to our facility. If the medical problem is not life threatening they don’t go. They see a doc when one CAN come to us.

A couple of times inmates have asked me, “Would you really shoot me?” My standard answer is to state the actual fact: “The gun isn’t for you. I can catch you with all that ‘jewelry’ on. The gun is for any of your friends and family that may have a problem with you staying in my care. But the answer to your question would be yes, if it came down to it.”

Topic: Security Central / Transport security

So do we Twelve. Usually the third officer is supervisor of some sort. We have varying degrees of transportation restraints as well. Our most secure prisoners wear the black box, a device designed by an ex prisoner that prevents anyone from picking the handcuffs. Pretty neat to see and relatively easy to apply.

Topic: A Broader View / Checks & Balances?

ACA is a joke. Honestly does anyone fail these inspections? They tell you a month or so ahead of time when they are coming, and then management has everyone running around like chickens with their heads cut off trying to get everything ship shape for their visit.

Topic: Letter of The Law / Can we deny inmates access to newspapers, magazines as an incentive for better behavior?

Wow in seg too? and I thought Ohio was too liberal

Topic: Security Central / Transport security

At our prison we send two armed officers on any outside medical trip, 3 armed officers if the offender is considered an escape risk.

Topic: The Club House / Do you belong to a Union?

MichiganRUO, it sounds like you have that great, “no strike clause” like we do here in Ohio, it allows the State to pretty much force a contract on us, giving us nothing, because they know we have no leverage in the bargaining department.

Topic: The Club House / A Select Few.

The AB is actually one of the most serious gangs when it comes to getting business done, although they have quite a few wannabe’s in the bunch like every other gang, but for the most part they tend to shy away from the threats and such unless they are serious. They wouldn’t normally warn the person ahead of time though, so it would seem that this may be from one of the afformentioned wannabes. If they have the home address, hopefully law enforcement officials have taken care of the problem.

Topic: The Club House / Any suggestions for my prison toilet?

craigslist.com

Topic: The Club House / Where in the world are you

Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction here

Topic: The Club House / Any suggestions for my prison toilet?

EBAY!!! lol