Arizona Department of
Corrections
Maximum Custody
Management
Charles L. Ryan, Director
ASCA Symposium for Correctional Administrators
September 26, 2015
Litigation History and Outcome
• In Parsons v. Ryan, ADC was challenged by external
sources on issues related to inmate health services,
including medical, mental health, and dental care, and
conditions of confinement.
• The two-year class action litigation process reached a
milestone in February 2015, when ADC entered into a
Stipulation Agreement with the ACLU and Prison Law
Office (PLO).
• The terms of the Stipulation Agreement will be monitored
for compliance over a four-year period through a
combination of site visits by the plaintiffs and ongoing ADC
monitoring of 121 measures.
2
Re-Examining Maximum Custody
• Housing 2,834 maximum custody inmates as of
September 17, 2015 - or 6.6% of the total inmate
population of 42,734
• Placed there for administrative/disciplinary segregation,
condemned row, security threat group, and new lifers
• Needed to ensure that we had the appropriate inmates in
maximum custody
• Determined a need to have different levels of restrictions
within maximum custody and a process to track their
progress
3
ASPC-Lewis Rast Unit
4
Max Custody Placement Types
• Most Restrictive –Inmates who pose the highest security
risk and require more control, such as enhanced
management, STG, condemned row, and intake
(restraints are always used)
• Intermediate Restriction –Inmates who have shown a
willingness to program and comply with rules, such as
Protective Custody, sex offenders, general population
(both male and female), SMIs, and Behavioral
Management Unit (restraints are used when necessary)
• Least Restrictive – Inmates who have consistently shown
pro-social behaviors, such as high functioning mental
health, general population, and close custody overrides
(no restraints are used)
5
The Placement Process
• Maximum Custody Placement Instrument - Web
Application that assists in placing inmates at the
appropriate unit according to internal risk
• Risk assessment is based on the following:
• Disciplinary Violence level – a basic risk level from their
classification review
• Escape Risk
• Release Group – 1-5 years, 5-10 years, 10 to life
• Violation Score – A score based on severity of disciplinary in the
last three years, with multiple disciplinary violations being rated
cumulatively
6
The Placement Process (cont.)
• Once the thorough review is complete, the committee
meets daily to review the collected information
• The committee consists of:
•
•
•
•
Administrator (DW or ADW)
Programming COIV
Correctional Officer
Mental Health Clinician
• A determination is made by the committee on where to
best place the inmate based on security risk and
programming needs
7
Max Custody Program Elements
• Team approach involving line staff, security management,
case management, and mental health clinicians
• Treatment team meetings weekly and discusses step
progression
• Cognitive-behavioral program materials are used for incell and out-of-cell programming
• Other available incentives – work based programming,
group meals, loaner TV and radios, increase in store
purchases, additional phone calls, increase in library
privileges, and group religious services
8
Out of Cell Time (Minimum)
per Parsons v. Ryan Stipulation Agreement
• Maximum Custody (per week)
• Step 1 – 7.5 hours
• Step 2 – 8.5 hours
• Step 3 – 9.5 hours
• SMI Population – 21 hours (per week), which includes:
• 10 hours of unstructured out of cell activities
• 2 hours of mental health groups
9
Step Program
Complex/Unit
Step 1
Sept. 2015
Step 2
Sept. 2015
Step 3
Sept. 2015
Eyman, Browning
431
39
319
Eyman, SMU I
341
141
348
Florence, Central Unit Max GP
85
74
108
Central Unit, Close GP
44
84
278
Central Unit, Close MH
13
26
63
Central Unit, SMI
24
8
23
Central Unit, RSHP
22
26
17
Lewis, Rast Unit
167
101
199
Perryville, Lumley Unit
49
27
28
Phoenix, Alhambra
12
11
7
1,188
537
1,390
Total
Total Inmates in the Step Program: 3,118 as of September 17, 2015
10
Max Custody Recreation
Step I – Central Unit
Step III – Central Unit
Step II – SMU-1
11
Work Incentive Pay Program
Complex/Unit
Number Inmates Assigned
Eyman, Browning
87
Eyman, SMU I
126
Florence, Central Unit Max GP
24
Central Unit, Close GP
247
Central Unit, Close MH
56
Central Unit, SMI
11
Central Unit, RSHP
N/A
Lewis, Rast Unit
60
Perryville, Lumley Unit
30
Phoenix, Alhambra
8
Total
649
As of September 17, 2015; includes: porters, painters, landscape workers, maintenance, teacher aides, kitchen workers
12
Max Custody Housing Unit Porters
SMU I Step I & II
Browning Step I & II
13
Max Custody Kitchen Workers
Step II & III ,Central Unit
Step II & III, SMU I
14
Out of Cell Programs – Steps II & III
Group - #
Assigned
Education # Assigned
Group – SMI
# Assigned
Eyman, Browning
293
6
49
Eyman, SMU I
325
7
72
Florence, Central Unit Max GP
175
1
N/A
Central Unit, Close GP
12
44
N/A
Central Unit, Close MH
12
10
82
Central Unit, MH / SMI
32
N/A
72
Central Unit, RSHP
N/A
N/A
N/A
Lewis, Rast Unit
300
1
76
Perryville, Lumley Unit
47
1
56
Phoenix, Alhambra
29
10
18
1,225
80
425
Complex/Unit
Total
Step I inmates start program participation in cell
Total: 1,730 inmates, as of September 17, 2015; inmates may participate in more than one out of cell program (example: group and education)
Out of Cell Groups include: Responsible Thinking, Social Values, Substance Abuse, Feelings, Core Skills, Self-Control, Socialization, and Re-Entry
15
Program Restraint Progression
Step II – Restraint Chairs
Step III – Open Tables
Step II – Restraint Tables
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Mental Health Programs
• May 2012, initiated a behavioral health (axis II) program in
cell block 1 and a mental health (axis I) program in
Kasson, Wing 1
• Inmates again screened from Browning, SMU 1, and
Central Unit based on select criteria
• Reviewed peer journal research regarding elements of
successful mental health programming and implemented it
• Staff selected to work in areas was based on their
interest, patience, experience, and communication skills 17
Max Custody Mental Health
Before – Mental Health Group Therapy
After – Step III Mental Health Class
18
Browning Unit – Max Custody
Mental Health Recreation Area
Step I
Step II
Step III
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Restrictive Status Housing Program
• Inmates are placed into the program if they commit one of
the Forbidden Three acts of violence:
• Assault on staff which results in injury
• Assault on another inmate with a weapon which results in injury
• Multiple inmates assaulting another inmate that results in injury
• Strict, rigid, regimented environment that emphasizes
safety and security and pro-social behavior
• Inmates participate in programming designed to restructure their
values and thinking process
• Groups include: Substance Abuse Treatment, Social Values, SelfControl, Foundations of Character, Thinking for a Change, and
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Personality Restructuring
Restrictive Status Housing Program
(cont’d)
• 120 day minimum three step program with incentives
• Step I – 30 days
Step II – 60 days
Step III – 30 days
• Began March 2014 with 30 inmates, all in Step I
• As of September 17, 2015, a total of 65 inmates assigned
• Step I – 20
Step II – 21
Step III – 24
• To date, 208 inmates have been assigned to RSHP
• 133 have graduated
• 6 have re-committed a violent act (one of which involved a weapon)
• 10 were removed for either refusal to participate or committee
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determined they did not meet criteria to be assigned