TOMPKINS COUNTY
JAIL ORIENTATION
SEMINAR
Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office
Sheriff Peter J. Meskill
Chief of Corrections Debra Niemi
WELCOME
The Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office,
Jail Division, is looking forward to working
with your organization to better serve the
inmate population of Tompkins County.
The administration and staff of the
Tompkins County Jail are dedicated
professionals who are here to assist
you in making your program a success.
OBJECTIVES
This orientation was designed to create a comprehensive
understanding as to the responsibility The Sheriff of
Tompkins County has to you, the professional visitor, while
inside the facility.
It is very important a foundation be established to better
facilitate the needs of your program that coincides with the
operating procedures of the facility, to assure a safe and
secure environment for everyone.
Your understanding of our procedures and willingness
to operate within them is greatly appreciated.
TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION
•
•
Chief of Corrections Approval
Professional Visitors Sign-in Logbook
Personal Property
•
Inmate Contact
•
Inmate Behavior
•
Contact with Inmates
•
Sexual Misconduct
Sexual Contact
Sexual Abuse
•
Staff Movement
CHIEF OF CORRECTIONS
APPROVAL
• All professional organizations running
programs inside the facility must submit a list of
participants to the Chief of Corrections for
approval. This must be done prior to any
scheduled program start date.
• This approval list is based on criteria
established by the facility to reasonably
guarantee that security in the jail will be
maintained.
• Only those persons approved by the Chief of
Corrections will be allowed access to the jail to
administer your program.
PROFESSIONAL VISITORS
LOGBOOK
•
Logbook is located in the main entrance to the jail
•
It is the responsibility of each visitor to LEGIBLY sign in
upon entering the jail and sign out upon departing the
jail.
• “PASS” Alarm - This is a devise used by the visitor to
alert jail staff of a potential and/or emergency situation
that has developed during your program. It will bring an
immediate response to your location, by jail staff, when
activated.
PERSONAL PROPERTY
•
Is any item that belongs to you, NOT
APPROVED TO BE BROUGHT INTO THE
JAIL. Usual items include coats, hats, purses,
electronic devices, pens, pencils, paper or any
type of weapon.
•
No personal letters, mail or notes can be brought into
the jail and given to the inmates unless approved by
the Chief of Corrections in advance of your scheduled
program date.
•
Organizations must submit a list of materials needed
for your program. This list must be approved in
advance of the scheduled start date for your program.
INMATE CONTACT
• One of the greatest threats to the
safety and security of any correctional facility is directly
attributed to the passing of unauthorized items (contraband)
by visitors during contact visits. THIS INCLUDES
PROFESSIONAL VISITORS WHILE RUNNING
PROGRAMS INSIDE THE FACILITY.
• YOU MUST FULLY UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS YOUR
RESPONSIBILITY TO MAINTAIN A PROFESSIONAL
ATTITUDE AT ALL TIMES WHILE IN THE FACILITY.
PROFESSIONAL DISTANCING IS IMPORTANT
INMATE BEHAVIOR
• It is the responsibility of the inmate to conduct
themselves in an appropriate manner at all times during programming.
• Anytime an inmate becomes disruptive, non-compliant, threatening,
or in anyway causes unrest during a program, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT
TO HAVE THE INMATE REMOVED FROM THE PROGRAM.
• If inmate conduct is witnessed by facility staff, that inmate may be removed
by the officer based on THE INMATE RULES AND REGULATIONS.
• If an inmate has been removed, it will be the decision of the Chief of
Corrections as to whether or not the inmate will be removed for a specific
period of time or permanently removed from the program.
• Unless otherwise specified with the Chief of Corrections, no inmate will
be allowed to attend certain programs if they are on any disciplinary
sanctions for violations of Inmate Rules and Regulations.
CONDUCT WITH INMATES
• Anyone entering the facility is considered staff.
You are there to perform a specific professional service for the inmate.
• Staff is expected to have a high level of moral, ethical
and professional standards.
• Engaging in any form of over familiar activity with
an inmate is deemed to be unprofessional behavior,
which is a violation of departmental policy.
• As staff, your designated assignments place you
in a position of authority over the inmates with
whom you interact with.
ANY ABUSE OF THIS AUTHORITY WILL CAUSE
FOR YOUR IMMEDIATE SUSPENSION.
You will not be allowed to enter the facility until such
time the Chief of Corrections reinstates you to the
participant list.
SEXUAL MISCONDUCT
• Is defined as a person who is in a position of trust and
authority, who engages in behavior of a sexual nature.
• Sexual Misconduct includes acts or attempts to commit acts of
sexual contact, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment.
• Sexual Misconduct includes conversations or correspondence
which demonstrates or suggests a romantic or intimate
relationship between an inmate and any contractual employee,
volunteer or individual in a position of authority over an inmate.
• All sexual contact between inmates and staff is sexual
misconduct, REGARDLESS OF CONSENT!!
SEXUAL CONTACT
Shall include, but not be limited to, all forms of sexual contact
as well as the intentional touching, either directly or through
clothing, the
• GENITALIA
• BUTTOCK
• GROIN
• BREASTS
• INNER THIGHS
• LIPS
of any person with the intent to abuse, humiliate, harass,
degrade or gratify the sexual desire of any person.
SEXUAL ABUSE
Shall include but not be limited to, subjecting another person
to sexual contact by persuasion, inducement, enticement or
forcible compulsion;
• Subjecting to sexual contact another person who is incapable
of giving consent by reason of their custodial status;
• Subjecting another person to sexual contact who is incapable
of consenting by reason being physically helpless or restrained or
mentally incapacitated and:
• Raping, molesting, prostituting or otherwise sexually
exploiting another person.
STAFF MOVEMENT
All movement within the facility, as it
applies to you, is the responsibility of
the jail administration and staff.
This includes any possible restrictions,
delays and/or cancellations of
programming as deemed necessary to
maintain safety and security concerns
within the facility.
THANK YOU
FOR PARTICIPATING
ENJOY
THE
TOUR