Core Jail Standards

1. Core Jail Standards American Correctional Association

2. Certification: Excellence in Detention • “The entire process has further enhanced our overall operations and is an endeavor I would highly recommend to any local detention center”-Scott Hassell, PhD, Chief of Corrections, Etowah County, Alabama • “These standards are very important to set the path for jails across the nation. They certainly helped us find our way to a safer, more efficient and professional jail.”-Scott Strait, Mackinac County, MI Sheriff

3. Objectives • Explain core jail standards • The purpose of core standards • Certifying your agency • Answer your questions

4. Tell Me What You Know • Does your state have jail standards? • If so, are those standards mandatory or voluntary? • Have you heard of core standards? • What would you like to learn today?

5. Why Core Jail Certification? • Core jail certification is • a commitment to meeting minimum national standards • a first step towards full accreditation • a benchmark to measure performance against • an external system to evaluate agency • used against lawsuits and in courts

6. Why Core Jail Certification? • Core jail standards provides • a road map • obtainable goals • a guide in developing policy & procedures • a tool/checklist to evaluate facility and operations strengths and weaknesses • a system to measure performance and track trends • an agency with credibility among its peers, law makers, the courts and the public • higher level of staff professionalism and morale

7. Why do we need “core” standards? • Provide a national set of minimum jail standards for use by: • Jails that have no state standards • Jails whose state standards are not sufficient to address all issues • Standards-writers who want to have a reliable description of basic minimum requirements • Identify practices and conditions that are necessary to operate a constitutional jail

8. Put another way… • Core jail standards describe conditions and practices that must be achieved. • ALDF standards include all core standards and go further to described conditions and practices that should be achieved. • Core standards ≠ ALDF

9. The Facts • 32 states have some form of jail standards • The majority of these 32 states only have voluntary standards, some not even having a form of audit or inspection • As a result, many jails in the U.S. have insufficient standards

10. To Be Clear • Your agency can earn certification without earning ALDF accreditation • Core standards have been developed so all jails have an equal chance to be certified under minimum jail standards • Core certification is a great first step toward accreditation because ALDF standards include all core standards

11. Core Jail Standards • Core standards have been brought about to improve your agency

12. Core Jail Standards • The standards offer all jails a new tool to evaluate facilities and operations • Core standards describe everything a jail of any size should do to operate as a constitutional jail

13. Standards are a Foundation… • Policies and procedures • Training • Staffing practices • Post orders • Inmate handbooks • Monitoring compliance

14. TheBenefits • A source of pride for staff, agencies, and their host communities • Improved professionalism and morale • Reduced litigation • Become a standard above the rest

15. Benefits of Standards Avoidance of revenue interruption/extra expense. “There is a plan that guides the facility response to emergencies.” Does the public know the good things your jail is doing?

16. Developing Core Standards • Drafters had access to a library containing over 7,000 jail and prison court decisions • The point at which a minimum standard ended and a higher standard began was found • A case law reference report identified federal court decisions supporting the 136 core jail standards

17. The History • The team who developed the 4th edition ALDF standards made the first attempt to identify core standards in 2001 • A working group comprised of jail administrators and sheriffs worked on the standards in 2008 • In 2009, core jail standards were developed and adopted, applying to jails of all sizes

18. Getting to the “Core” • Not complying with this minimum set of standards could be found unconstitutional under federal law • Core standards are basic standards in which all jails should comply

19. Finding the “core” 4-ALDF-2A-01 (Ref. 3-ALDF-2G-01 and 3A-02) Space is provided for a 24-hour secure control center for monitoring and coordinating the facility’s security, life safety, and communications systems.Staff assigned to a control center has access to a toilet and washbasin. There are multiple communication systems between the control center and inmate occupied areas. The facility’s security, life safety, and communications systems are monitored continuously from a secure location.

20. Finding the “core” 4-ALDF-1C-07 (Ref. 3-ALDF-2A-02) (MANDATORY) The facility conforms to applicable federal state, and/or local fire safety codes. The authority having jurisdiction documents compliance. A fire alarm and automatic detection system are required, as approved by the authority having jurisdiction, or there is a plan for addressing these or other deficiencies within a reasonable time period. The authority approves any variances, exceptions, or equivalencies and these must not constitute a serious life-safety threat to the occupants of the facility. The facility conforms to applicable federal, state, and/or local fire safety codes.

21. Field Test Sites • Core standards underwent rigorous field tests after being developed • Mackinac County Jail, Michigan (2009) • Army Disciplinary Barracks, Fort Knox, Kentucky (2008)

22. Mackinac County Jail • In full compliance with state jail standards, jail officials thought their jail was in good shape • Michigan’s state jail standards addressed less than 25 percent of core standards • After reviewing these findings, officials became concerned about liability

23. MackinacCounty Jail • With a short time frame, jail officials agreed to become a field test site • After signing a contract with ACA, the jail began the certification process • NIC gave the jail assistance to prep for the fast approaching audit in late July

24. Mackinac County Jail • After a rigorous audit, Mackinac County Jail became ACA certified • In early August, Mackinac County received full accreditation from ACA • The success story of Mackinac County proves any jail can comply with the new core standards

25. Mackinac Observations • Staff and not technology is the key • Process was challenging, most practices were in place but protocols were missing or needed modification • Auditor found well-operated facility • Public noticed the difference

26. Bergen County Observations • Initially planned on ALDF, but used Core Jail standards as a stepping stone • “Be prepared” • “Audit was smooth, thanks to the auditors who were there to HELP with getting certified” • Bergen County bought into certification process • Bergen County is a model core jail • Bergen County is willing to help others

27. Performance Based Standards • As data is collected, these standards provide more information about actual and ongoing operations • Performance based standards are comprised of several elements • An important new management tool is provided with these standards

28. Core Standards as a Tool • Staffing • Thorough search of newly admitted prisoners • Inspections • Clean and up to date facility • Training Employees attend an orientation before assuming a new position

29. PerformanceBased Standards • Goal Statement • Overall statement of what is sought • Standard • What is to occur – the condition to be achieved • Outcome Measures • Was the condition achieved? • Were the practices effective?

30. Performance Based Standards • Expected Practice • How to achieve the condition. Activities which, if properly implemented according to protocols, contribute to achievement • Protocols • Written instructions that guide expected practices • Process Indicators • Evidence that practices were implemented properly

31. Example

32. The Certification Process • Who’s eligible? • Any interested agency operating a jail is invited to participate in the certification process • Certification activities are initiated voluntarily by correctional administrators • ACA will provide the agency with the appropriate information and application materials

33. Pre-Certification Assessment • Prior to signing a contract with ACA • Requires a visit by an ACA auditor • The confidential report provided will assist with making a contract commitment to ACA

34. Applicant Status • Agency enters the certification process and requests an information packet from ACA • Agency submits an organizational summary and appropriate fees are determined • Begins when contract is signed and returned to ACA with an organizational summary

35. Applicant Status • ACA will notify the agency of acceptance into the process • ACA will assign a Standards Specialist to the agency • The agency should then assign an ACA manager

36. Correspondent Status • After being accepted, the agency enters correspondent status • The agency then conducts a self-assessment, completes a self-evaluation report, and submits the report to ACA • Self-evaluation reports will specify the agencies level of standards compliance

37. Correspondent Status • Self-evaluation reports are optional for agencies signing a re-certification contract • An on-site certification orientation can be scheduled if desired • The object of on-site visit or orientation is to prepare staff to complete certification requirements

38. Applicable Standards • These standards address the following areas: • Administrative, staff, and fiscal controls, staff training, and development, physical plant, safety and emergency procedures, sanitation, food service, rules and discipline, and a variety of other areas which compromise good correctional practice

39. Standards Compliance Checklist • The agency completes the compliance checklist and checks either compliance, noncompliance or not applicable • Compliance: Indicates complete compliance with the standard at all times and written documentation provides evidence to support the compliance measure

40. Standards Compliance Checklist • Noncompliant: Indicates that all or part of the standard requirements have not been met • Not applicable: Indicates the standard is not relevant to the facility. The agency must provide a written statement explaining why the standard is not applicable

41. StandardsComplianceChecklist • The agency may request a waiver for one or more of the standards at this time • Waivers are not accepted for mandatory standards • ACA staff can make a preliminary judgment, but the final decision can only be made at the panel hearing by the Board of Commissioners

42. Standards Compliance Checklist • Most waivers are granted for Physical Plant standards • To request an actual audit, the agency must comply with 100 percent of the mandatory standards and 90 percent of the non-mandatory standards

43. Candidate Status • The agency enters candidate status when ACA accepts the self-evaluation report • Candidate status continues until the agency meets the required level of compliance, has been audited, and has been awarded or denied accreditation

44. The Audit • The agency requests an audit 6 to 8 weeks before the desired date • The purpose of the audit is to measure the agency’s operations against the standards • The audit team chair person prepares a written report on the audit results and submits to ACA staff

45. The Certification Hearing • The commission on Accreditation for Corrections is responsible for certification decisions • Panels are comprised of 3 to 5 commissioners • The agency is invited to have representatives present at the hearing

46. The Certification Hearing • After completing the panel review, the commissioners vote to award, deny, place on probation or continue an agency in Candidate or Correspondent status

47. CertifiedStatus • During the 3 year certification, agencies submit annual statements confirming standards/expected practices compliance at levels necessary for certification

48. First Certified Jail in the CountryEtowah County, Alabama

49. Helpful Hints • Review standards and assess current status • Sell benefits to staff/ staff involvement • Ask for help • Start collecting documentation of practices • Do NOT exceed the standard unless you intend to abide by it • Do not write a policy you do not intend to follow 2011 CAMA Conference Core Jail Standards Workshop

50. Helpful Hints • Procedures should be specific, but not overly so • Don’t lock yourself in unnecessarily • Don’t give too many options • Be flexible where you can be • Everything does not have to be done the same way, but each way has to follow the standard • Procedures should be doable, realistic and documentable • Realize you may not be able to meet every standard 2011 CAMA Conference Core Jail Standards Workshop