NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 VOL. 30 NO 6
TOP SECURITY TECHNOLOGIES SAFE & SECURE TRANSPORTATION
Funding for Inmate Firefighters CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED 69 Lyme Road, Hanover, NH 03755 Corrections Forum
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FORUM
Publisher & Executive Editor
Thomas S. Kapinos Assistant Publisher
Jennifer A. Kapinos
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021
Associate Publishers Peggy Virgadamo
Art Sylvie (480) 816-3448 asylvie@cox.net
4 12 19 36 46 50
(718) 456-7329 pegpaulv@aol.com
Northeast
West
ACA Conference To Be Held Live in Phoenix Safe Passage: From Secure Handcuffs To Personal Transport Vehicles ANNUAL FACILITY OPERATIONS DIRECTORY & BUYER’S GUIDE
Editor-in-Chief
Donna Rogers Contributing Editors Michael Grohs, M.J. Guercio, Bill Schiffner, G.F. Guercio Art Director
Jamie Stroud
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(ISSN10729275) is published bi-monthly by: Criminal Justice Media, Inc 18521 E. Queen Creek Rd. Suite 105-416 Queen Creek, AZ 85142 (310) 374-2700 Send address changes to:
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Top Security Technologies— Inmate and Staff Tracking, Key Security and More Former Inmate Firefighters Get Renewed Chance for Living Wage Career Ad Index
Subscription Department 69 Lyme Rd. Hanover, NH 03755 Fax: (603) 643-6551 Subscriptions: Annual subscriptions for non-qualified personnel, United States only, is $60.00. Single copy or back issues - $10.00 All Canada and Foreign subscriptions are $90.00 per year. Free digital “issues” are available for qualified Canadian and Foreign Subscribers — Go to www.correctionsforum.net Printed in the United States of America, Copyright © 2021 Criminal Justice Media, Inc.
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Main Offices 18521 E. Queen Creek Rd. Suite 105-416 Queen Creek, AZ 85142 (310) 374-2700
BY M.J. GUERCIO, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
ACA Winter Conference To Be Held In Person Virtually all workshops, meetings, events, and exhibits will be held at the Phoenix Convention Center in January.
he American Correctional Association Winter Conference 2022 will be held in Phoenix, Arizona, from January 6-9. With full staging at the Convention Center, this year’s plenary sessions feature two timely topics: Emerging Legal Trends in Corrections and Response to Disruptions through Behavioral Intervention. Further, more than 65 workshops will be available to inform and educate attendees. Topics include Alternatives to Restrictive Housing, Ethical Decision-making in Correctional Mental Health
T
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Care and Managing Trauma Exposure Among Correctional and Probation Officers. Here are some of the companies to keep an eye out for at the conference.
Black Creek Black Creek Integrated Systems provides touchscreen correctional facility security control systems and security management software. They install integrated security and records management solutions for jails, prisons, courthouses, and government facilities in the U.S and abroad. Black Creek also offers revenue-model visitations systems and RFID (Radio Frequency Identification)
inmate tracking. Last spring, Black Creek was awarded the contract to provide security control systems for the pedestrian tunnel linking the San Diego Central Courthouse and the County
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Central Jail. The security upgrade will allow the Sheriff’s deputies to escort prisoners efficiently by foot rather than by bus. An extension of Black Creek’s Super Display will serve as the control system for the tunnel. The company has been working with San Diego County since 2012. They have installed touchscreen systems in the central jail, the detention facility, the reentry facility, and several other facilities in the county. 205.949.9900, sales@blackcreekisc.com, blackcreekisc.com
worn as a glove; it also offers EBand and shield technologies. Compliant Technologies produces an assortment of nonlethal, non-injurious tools
Centurion
designed to rapidly and humanely de-escalate situations. The goal of its use is to reduce inmate and officer injuries, as well as lessen workers' compensation, liability, and litigation. The G.L.O.V.E has been used more than 1,000 times with greater than a 90% success rate, the firm states. Jeff Niklaus, founder of the firm, says that “recently an inmate charged a jury in Kentucky who was stopped immediately by our EBand Restrictor technology. There was also an inmate at a hospital in Georgia that tried to escape but didn’t get very far wearing our E-Band Restrictor.” 859.447.0576, info@comlianttechnologies.net, complianttechnologies.net
Centurion Health provides patient care in more than 300 facilities across 18 states. Their mission is to deliver high-quality care and enable ex-offenders to re-enter their communities. The firm works with state and local governments to provide healthcare services in correctional facilities, state hospitals, and other community settings. A few
months ago, Centurion was awarded the correctional health contract for the Idaho Department of Corrections and will provide physical health, mental health, and related support services for approximately 7,500 incarcerated people throughout the state. “Centurion is honored to be awarded the contract to provide care for the residents of the IDOC,” says CEO Steven H. Wheeler. 800.416.3649, bmay@centurionmanagedcare.com, centurionmanagedcare.com
Compliant Technologies The company’s flagship product is the G.L.O.V.E (Generated Low Output Voltage Emitter), a conducted electrical weapon 8 CORRECTIONS FORUM • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021
as outsourced solutions. Keefe’s Edge inmate self-service kiosk and their KeepTrak inmate banking software are designed to streamline a facility's day-to-day process as well as generate revenue. KCN serves over 650,000 inmates weekly and 14 out of 17 outsourced state departments of corrections. 800.325.8998, keefegroup.com
Key Systems Inc. (KSI)
Keefe Group The Keefe Commissary Network (KCN) provides automated commissary management
services and technologies to city, county, and state correctional facilities across the country. They work one-on-one with clients to design and implement customized commissary programs to ensure they run efficiently and safely. Keefe writes all of their own software and provides technical support 24/7. The company offers paperless solutions as well
The OC Spray Station is a canister dispensary cabinet that regulates the release of chemical spray canisters such as mace. Stations are network-ready and are remote access enabled; they provide realtime updates to Global Facilities Management System (GFMS) software so that a facility can keep
tabs on all canister activity. The GFMS software allows for the creation of quantity limits and time zones. It can also control the distribution, storage, and removal of canisters within a correctional facility. Barcodes keep track of individual canisters; each OC canister is weighed upon return and sent to the dispensary or disposed of based on how much spray remains in the can. The cabinets can hold 24, 48, and 80 canisters. 800.888.3553, websales@keystorage.com, www.keystorage.com
Laundry Loops Laundry Loops helps manage laundry for teams and groups, making it ideal for the corrections industry. It eliminates the need to
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sort loose garments and is more efficient than using mesh laundry bags. The loop consists of heavyweight polypropylene webbing, a strong material that resists shrinking in high heat. During use, the loop weaves through clothing openings, and socks are cinched to the loop using drawstrings. The
adds years to dryer life, and outlasts mesh bags. “It saved our facility significant cost and energy consumption for drying clothing,” notes the laundry supervisor of the Federal Bureau of Prisons. 888.246.5667, info@laundryloops.com, laundryloops.com
LexisNexis LexisNexis inmate law library is accessible via a secure online web application and is available for any device. The firm also offers a self-contained offline external hard drive solution for corrections facilities without
internet access. LexisNexis law library solutions are compatible with all major hardware solutions and provide a high level of security, the company says. Its security team engages in threat assessments 24/7 and shuts down any pages displaying suspicious activity. All content is delivered on dedicated DOC servers, and LexisNexis blocks any external linking, only allowing access to pre-screened IP addresses. Additionally, its solutions reside behind an F5 firewall that detects spoofing and malware. By impleContinues on page 49
original Laundry Loop holds eight garments, and the PLUS holds up to 12. The Sock Snares can securely hold multiple pairs of socks with varied thicknesses. Laundry Loops increase cleanliness and sanitation; it dries clothes in half the time, conserves energy, reduces costs, minimizes wrinkles,
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BY MICHAEL GROHS, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
SAFE PASSAGE
From secure handcuffs to prisoner transport vehicles, devices and fleet equipment that can help bring your officers safely home at the end of their shift.
On May 19, 1998 in Tampa, Florida, an ex-con named Hank Earl Carr shot his girlfriend’s fouryear-old son in the face with a rifle. Police responded and, once they discovered Carr and his girlfriend had lied about his identity in order to conceal his past, they took him into custody. As he was being driven back to headquarters, he used a key he kept in a necklace to unlock his handcuffs, managed to get hold of one of the 12 CORRECTIONS FORUM • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021
detective’s weapons, and killed them both; he then carjacked a pickup and fled. Later that afternoon, he ambushed and killed a state trooper and took a pregnant gas station attendant hostage before eventually shooting himself. The event sparked outrage as well as a national controversy on the proper way to handcuff a subject.
The ASP Rigid Ultra Cuff’s configuration removes both lateral and linear mobility. The design also reduces the possibility of injury from excessive lateral stress, lessening the chance of neuropathy injury.
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Michael Hess, vice president of Marketing at ASP-USA, the maker of the expandable baton, points out some of the advancements handcuffs have made in the last few years and what people in the correctional industry have been asking for, such as the ASP Transport System, a kit that allows the addition of options to build the level of security in stages.
Rigid Handcuffs The system, says Hess, is built around the ASP Rigid Handcuffs, which may be used to control even the most resistive subject. The cuff’s configuration removes both lateral and linear mobility. For this reason, Rigid Cuffs are ideal for courtroom or airline restraint. The design incorporates an alloy frame, dual keyway, high visibility double lock indicator, high contact conical bow, increased range of adjustment, smooth bow action and single direction unlock. The design reduces the possibility of injury from excessive lateral stress. Regular cuffs, says Hess, are plates and have sharp edges that can create neuropathy injuries that can lead to lawsuits. (The average neuropathy lawsuit settlement is about $35,000, he furthers. In 2003, a Los Angeles jury ordered the LAPD to pay a surgeon $14.2 million in damages after they found that officers handcuffed him so tightly that he suffered permanent nerve damage that affected his ability to operate.) Rigid Cuffs
Keyless Double Locking Handcuffs ASP Ultra Plus Cuffs offer a new and popular feature: keyless double locking. Double locking is accomplished simply by pressing the double-lock bar with a fingernail. The bar is color-coded so the user can easily see if the cuffs are locked or not. Once the cuffs are applied and set, if the user sees the indicator, he or she will press it. This makes the process faster, easier and less likely to be neglected, and since it is keyless, it’s safer for everyone involved. Avoiding the need for keys can help prevent contraband and repeating tragedies such as the incident in Tampa. It is also one less sharp instrument to have around. Handcuff keys, says Hess, are all the same. The security is in good custodial practices.
Transport Plus System The complete Transport Plus System includes Rigid Ultra Cuff wrist restraints, an extended handcuff key, a set of ankle Ultra Cuffs, an extra-long chain, two auto-engaging restraint system locks, four cylinder keys, and a custom-designed EVA-molded carrying case. Once applied, the cuffs stay in place and provide a foundation of secure and comfortable control. A second level of control can be had through the use of a restraint belt or stainless s t e e l restraint chain. Both c a n b e fitted
have rounded edges to prevent such injury. VISIT US AT WWW.CORRECTIONSFORUM.NET
around the waist of a subject to secure the Rigid Cuffs. They
are held in place by a circular lock with more than 2,000 possible combinations. The third level of restraint control are ankle cuffs that have forged aluminum frames, forged steel bows, spiral connecting pins, replaceable lock sets, double-sided keyways and stainless steel links with a center positional ring. A 10-foot long stainless steel security chain or belt is the fourth level. It joins rigid and ankle restraints. The length of the connection may be modified to regulate the level of control of a subject. The shorter the connection, the more control the officer has. The kit’s design allows the handcuffs to remain safely in place while the transport system is applied, adjusted, or removed to prepare a subject for transport, booking, or court. Each element is independent, says Hess. Once the subject is in the Rigid Cuffs, he or she is restrained. All belts and chains can be moved and the inmate remains so. The Transport Plus kit adds another level of security and control with the addition of leg shackles.
Decreasing Restraint Injuries Transporting inmates is a dangerous part of a dangerous job. Humane Restraint was founded way back in 1876 when a harness maker was approached by a mental health practitioner seeking a more humane method of restraint. First used primarily in state hospitals, the firm now offers products for various industries, including long-term care, corrections and court safety. Stacy Schultz, owner and operator, points out that inmates wearing the LAB-100 transport leg brace can walk with a normal stride and can sit by simply pushing a hinge. When they stand, it becomes stiff and makes it difficult to kick and run. The brace can be worn under clothing, which makes it ideal for jury trials and airline travel where discretion is necessary. Three nylon CORRECTIONS FORUM • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 13
Unique to Humane Restraint, the LAB-100 leg brace (left) impedes running and kicking. It can be worn under clothing making it ideal for jury trials and airline travel where a discrete restraint is needed.
straps close with hook and loop for fast application and removal. A fourth lockable strap made of heavy-duty leather provides extra security. The upright steel brace has a hinged knee with a springloaded pin that will hold the brace in position until it is released with a lever. The brace can be used on either leg or on both for maximum security. Inmates can also be slowed by the Humane Restraint leg weights. As Schultz points out, the wearer can walk normally with them on, but the weights throw off the Humane Restraint leg weights, available in 10- and 20-pound bags, allow normal walking but throw off a wearer’s balance and trip them if they try to run. They also impede kicking.
14 CORRECTIONS FORUM • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021
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From commercial vans to full size buses, The Bus Center offers customizedfrom-the-ground-up vehicles that will hold from 12 to 44 passengers from minimum to maximum security and everything in between.
wearer’s balance and trip them up when trying to run. They also impede kicking. The weights are available in 10 and 20 pounds and can be tucked under pant legs for discretion in court and during airline travel. Application is fast and easy and uses two
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hook-and-loop straps. A locking leather strap provides additional security. Tough vinyl covering makes them easy to clean. Humane Transport also offers numerous transport belts from leather to nylon, which may help prevent injuries caused by hand-
cuffing behind the back. The Transport Belt with D-Ring allows putting a belt on when the inmate is already cuffed. Belts are available in heavy-duty leather, compact nylon, or easy-care polyurethane. Products will fit juvenile to adult populations. Belts maintain wrists to torso for safer transport. The leather non-locking transport belt with roller buckle is 1½" wide and easy to apply. The nylon transport belt with side release buckle is made of lightweight material and easy to clean. It has an extra keeper for security and is available in multiple colors for coding risk level. As Schultz notes, there is also a psychological effect it can have: bright green doesn’t seem as imposing as a thick leather belt.
PTV Fleets Naturally restraint isn’t the only concern: the incarcerated individual still needs to be transported, and as Chris Clark, regional sales manager of The Bus
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The Bus Center can reconfigure a 44-seat bus to one with 22 secure cells.
Center, points out about movement in the system as a whole: “We’re resuming.” That is, people are returning to court after the shutdown caused by Covid. The Bus Center provides buses to numerous industries including prisoner transport vehicles (PTVs) to correctional facilities. From commercial vans to full
18 CORRECTIONS FORUM • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021
size buses, The Bus Center offers customized-from-the-ground-up vehicles that will hold from 12 to 44 passengers from minimum to maximum security and everything in between. The experienced prison transport team can fulfill a facility’s needs to ensure the safety of passengers, drivers and security personnel. Customized aftermarket
features include Freedman prisoner bench seats, restroom installation, officer seats, cages, backup cameras, surveillance monitoring, luggage space, gun racks and gun safes, and air conditioning. Naturally when it comes to prison PTVs, safety is the primary concern, and buses can have variations when it comes to levels of security from minimum security seats to cells. Air conditioning systems, rear heaters, and things like interior lighting are all taken into consideration and adjusted to security criteria including for Covid. For maximum security needs, dual seats can be turned into individual cells, so a bus with 44 seats could be turned into a bus with 22 cells. Customers simply work with a rep and go over the options, determine what level of security is needed, how and if genders will be separated and seated, etc. A floorplan can be designed in less than a week, and delivery can be had in 120 to 150 days. %
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DIRECTORY DIRECTORY
Armament Systems and Procedures (ASP)
Baxter Manufacturing 19220 SR 162 East Orting, WA 98360 tel: 253‐380‐2269 contact: Ming Tan email: ming.tan@baxtermfg.com website: www.baxtermfg.com
2511 East Capitol Drive Appleton, WI 54911 tel: 800‐236‐6243 contact: Daryell Harmon, VP of Sales email: daryell.harmon@asp‐usa.com website: www.asp‐usa.com ...ASP supplies best‐in class equipment and training— focusing on expandable b a t o n s , restraint systems and tactical flashlights—to law enforcement and corrections agencies in over 100 countries. Its award‐winning, modular Transport System is a faster, more versatile and safer solution that has revolutionized the way prisoner transport is conducted.
Baxter Rotating Rack Oven
Protect Your Facility X-Ray Scanners Metal Detectors Explosive Detectors Narcotics Detectors We have what you need to secure your facility.
Tel. 1 973.276.6000 info@autoclear.com Autoclear.com
Black Creek Integrated Systems
AquaRecycle® CAGE System is VSHFLƓFDOO\ GHVLJQHG IRU FRUUHFWLRQDO ODXQGULHV GHVLJQHG WR PD[LPL]H ZDWHU DQG HQHUJ\ VDYLQJV ZKLOH SURYLGLQJ WKH KLJKHVW OHYHO RI FRQWDPLQDQW UHPRYDO DQG GLVLQIHFWLRQ
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Easy to operate. Simple to maintain. Optimal Results.
PO Box 101747 Irondale, AL 35210 tel: 205‐949‐9900 email: sales@blackcreekisc.com website: www.blackcreekisc.com From our enter‐ prise‐class Jail Management Sys‐ tem and new Public Safety Suite to our Real‐Time Inmate Tracking Solution, Black Creek is your premier source for modern integrated Touch‐ screen facility controls and security management software solutions. Black Creek focuses solely on Corrections and Public Safety to make jail and inmate management easy.
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...Baxter rotating rack ovens are available with correctional security package. Our ovens are engineered for security, durability, and high‐volume production: a single versatile platform for baking and cooking in the most demanding correctional facilities’ kitchens.
SAFE. RELIABLE. SECURE. THE TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS YOU NEED BACKED BY A TEAM OF PROFESSIONALS YOU CAN COUNT ON. • Work with our Prison Transport
Design Specialists to create your custom floor plan • Custom units built to transport 4–42 prisoners • Minimum to maximum security options available
CALL CHRIS CLARK TODAY FOR YOUR FREE CONSULTATION AND FLOOR PLAN.
205.663.2287 thebuscenter.com
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DIRECTORY DIRECTORY
To all Prison Administrators: 1593 Spring Hill Road, Suite 600 Vienna, VA 22182 contact: Robert (Bob) May, Sr. VP, Marketing & Development email: bmay@teamcenturion.com website: www.CenturionMcare.com ...At Centurion, we believe that cor‐ rectional healthcare is an essential part of public healthcare and that the care we provide to inmates is an essential part of rehabilitation and the health of the community at large.
443 Warehouse Drive Latrobe, PA 15650 tel: 800‐234‐2734, 724‐537‐9000 contact: Justin Head email: jhead@crfoam.com website: www.crfoam.com ...Durable SAFGUARD® fire‐resistant mattresses and pillows. Mattress longevity pro‐ vides lowest cost per inmate. Built‐in pillow mattresses also available. Optional ClearView® covering mate‐ rials for locating and identifying contraband. SAFGUARD® avoids fire hazards associated with polyester fiber mattress alternatives. Excellent results for stringent mattress fire tests within ASTM F‐1870 and F‐ 1085 Annex A.
delivers free gift packages & Bibles for your inmates all throughout the year! In 2021 we delivered gift packages to prisons in Indiana, Alabama, Arkansas, Ohio, Illinois and Texas, as well as to one of the worst prisons in Tennessee, with plans to take gift packages to prisons in North and South Dakota and Minnesota by year’s end.
Please call us for details today! Visit us at: www.christmasbehindbars.org :H DUH D QRQ SURÀW PLQLVWU\ WKDW KDV EHHQ VHUYLQJ JLIW SDFNDJHV WR LQPDWHV IRU RYHU \HDUV
Christmas Behind Bars Lemuel Vega
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uci d o r t n I
The G.L.O.V.E.
311 NNW Loop 323 Tyler, TX 75702 tel: 800‐477‐5219 contact: Dianne Huffstickler, General Manager
GENERATED LOW OUTPUT VOLTAGE EMITTER
email:
Dianne.Huffstickler@alticeusa.com website:
www.correctionalcabletv.com ...CCT is the largest satellite provider in the correction industry serving over 140 sites across 21 states. You select the programming and leave the rest to us. No up‐front cost for equip‐ ment and installation‐‐just one low monthly rate for programming and service.
22 CORRECTIONS FORUM • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021
• Quickly transforms into a highly effective CEW in one second • Humane – a fraction of the current of other mainline CEW’s • Affordable with no additional operating costs • At the User’s disposal throughout the Force Continuum • Great for weapons retention and seamless for weapons transition • Non-lethal de-escalation tool with very low optics 859.447.0576 100 % Veteran Owned www.complianttechnologies.net
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DIRECTORY DIRECTORY
Correctional Peace Officers Foundation 1346 N. Market Blvd. Sacramento, CA 95834 tel: 916‐928‐0061 800‐800‐CPOF contact: Charleene Corby, CAO email: mail@cpof.org website: www.cpof.org ...The Correctional Peace Officers (CPO) Foundation is a national, non‐ profit charity for surviving families of Corrections per‐ sonnel killed in the line of duty. The CPO Foundation also operates an extensive Catastrophic Assistance Program for Corrections personnel in times of emergency, crisis or other great need. Announcing the CPO Foundation’s 33rd Annual National Memorial Ceremony Friday, June 17, 2022 in Reno, Nevada
190 Veterans Drive Northvale, NJ 07647 tel: 800‐221‐3212 contact: Dan Donohue email: info@craftmasterhardware.com website:www.craftmasterhardware.com ...As a proud Southern Folger distribu‐ tor, our detention lock offerings include deadlocks, deadlatch, and electro‐mechanical locks, gate locks, food pass locks and retrofit locks.
194 Seward Rd. Rutland, VT 05701 tel: 800‐451‐4167 contact: Customer Service email:
customerservice@damascusgear.com website: www.damascusgear.com ...Damascus® has been making pre‐ mium quality hand gear for the men and women of the US Armed Services and other facets of law enforcement worldwide, since 1955. Damascus® pro‐ vides the highest level of personal protection including full body riot control gear, gloves, protective knee and elbow pads and more. Attention to design, func‐ tion and the smallest of details, along with the use of only the finest quality leathers and materials have delivered consistent and trusted protection to our customers. Our line continues to swiftly evolve as new technologies become available and are subsequently incorporated into our prod‐ ucts.
11 Talbot Avenue Rankin, PA 15104 tel: 877‐696‐3742, 412‐351‐3913 contact: Richard Fuller, Marketing Manager email: info@epicmetals.com website: www.epicmetals.com ...EPIC Metals’ Security Ceilings EPIC Security Ceiling Systems provide a combination of structural floor/ceiling or roof/ceiling, providing designers and architects reduced noise levels and security in one system. These panels can accom‐ modate a variety of utility systems, such as sprinklers, electricity, or mon‐ itoring devices. Contact EPIC to discover all the advantages of a security ceiling.
DoorKing, Inc. 120 S. Glasgow Avenue Inglewood, CA 90301 tel: 800‐826‐7493, 310‐645‐0023 contact: Allen Wright email: awright@doorking.com website: www.doorking.com Maximum Security Vehicular Gate Operators
Mogul, Maxi‐Mogul cylinders, para‐ centric prison keys blanks and cut keys in a variety of keyways. We also carry a wide range of parts, door accessories, detention acces‐ sories, hinges and kits. Contact us at 800-221-3212 for your Southern Folger expert! info@craftmasterhardware.com
...DoorKing’s maximum security vehicular slide gate operators feature anti‐tailgating, adjustable mid‐stop, adjustable speed control and emergency close on certain models. These operators are for vehicular gates up to 100 feet in length and weighing up to 10,000 lbs.
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DIRECTORY DIRECTORY Cloud-Based Image & Video Capture
SPARTAN 3 THE OFFICIAL DEVICE OF WARRIORS
GuardianRFID.com 855.777.7343 youtube.com/guardianrfid
Institutional Eye Care, LLC 27499 Riverview Center Blvd, Ste 429 Bonita Springs, FL, 34136 tel: 866‐604‐2931 contact: Jeffrey R. Lose, OD email: info@institutionaleyecare.com
Global Offices tel: 309‐369‐2747 contact: Gerry Guerrero, AIA, NCARB, DBIA, Global Director of Justice email: gerry.guerrero@hdrinc.com website: www.hdrinc.com/markets/justice
...As leaders in justice design, our forward‐ thinking work can influence and will continue to improve treatment‐focused corrections and detention design concepts. We lead the conversation in restorative, outcomes‐focused justice design by apply‐ ing critical concepts such as normative environments with abundant natural light; biophilic design principles; program spaces to promote rehabilitative program opportunities that reduce recidivism; wel‐ coming family visitation areas designed to help lessen stress; and staff amenities to enhance employee wellness. These design interventions can positively transform the lives of those within the facility, their fami‐ lies and communities, as well as staff.
AGENCY PRICING AVAILABLE on PepperBall, CTS, and more!
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www.institutionaleyecare.com On-Site Optometry – Fully Equipped On-Site Glaucoma Management/ Telemedicine – Eliminate Off Site Trips for medical management of rou‐ tine glaucoma. $14.95 Rx Eyeglasses Largest on‐site correctional vision ser‐ vice provider in the country, over 1,000 facilities in 44 states; Federal in all 50 states & US Territories and international since 2000. Corrections Experience Since 1983.
10880 Lin Page Place St Louis, MO 63132 tel: 800‐325‐8998 contact: Missy Walker, Dir of Mktg email: customerfirst@keefegroup.com website: www.keefegroup.com ...Keefe Group, through its affiliates, Keefe Supply Company, Keefe Com‐ missary Network, Access Securepak, Access Corrections, ICSolutions and Advanced Technologies Group, is the nation’s leading supplier of food prod‐ ucts, personal care products, electronics, clothing, technology, telecommunications and software solutions to the correctional market.
24 CORRECTIONS FORUM • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021
www.kiesler.com
service@kiesler.com | 812-288-5740 LESS-LETHAL MUNITIONS ARMOR | FIREARMS | AMMO
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DIRECTORY DIRECTORY
Inmate Law Library Solutions
JonesZylon is introducing a new meal delivery system. The meal tray is a 5‐ compartment self‐stacking tray that seals off each compartment and has underside compartment height to keep food from getting on bottom. The trays are paired with small, medium or large heavy duty corrections grade carts that fit a surprisingly large number of trays. Long lasting casters. Can add a heat box right away or add one later to con‐ vert to a heated cart if you have temperature issues.
MEET YO UR STATE REQUIREMENTS W I T H YOU R C H O I C E O F F O R M AT:
Online Custom Interface Offline External Hard Drive
Contact us for a no-obligation library analysis and cost comparison:
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lexisnexis.com/corrections 800.628.3612 LexisNexis and the Knowledge Burst logo are registered trademarks of RELX Inc. © 2021 LexisNexis. OFF04821-0 0321
WHO HAS YOUR KEYS? Protect your staff. Automate your audit trail. Control your keys.
Medi-Dose, Inc./EPS, Inc. 70 Industrial Dr. The Milton Building Ivyland, PA 18974 tel: 800‐523‐8966 contact: Robert Braverman email: info@medi‐dose.com website: www.medi‐dose.com
PO Box 5167 Bozeman, MT 59717 tel: 888.246.5667 contact: Peggy Durney, Owner email: info@laundryloops.com website: www.laundryloops.com ...Laundry Loop with Sock Snare® “Clothes stay sorted while they wash & dry!”
Call or visit us today to learn how. 866.547.7550 keytrak.com/corrections
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Compared to mesh bags, Laundry Loops® improve sanitation and dry clothes in ½ the time. New! Contact us about Laundry Loops PLUS®, for EXTREME laundry demands. Five‐inches longer than the original Loop, with TWO Sock Snares.
...Medi‐Dose is a tamper‐evident, solid oral unit dose packaging system that is ideal for correctional health facilities. Medi‐Dose features 13 types of blisters, including new Mini Medi‐Cup Blisters for small medications and Deep & Jumbo blisters for larg‐ er or multiple meds. Medi‐Dose features 1‐ year beyond use dating and tamper‐evidence protection. Our MILT software complements the Medi‐Dose system and provides a variety of innovative features for all med‐ ication labeling needs…solids, liquids, IV’s, syringes, ampules, even equipment.
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DIRECTORY DIRECTORY
200 East Oakton Street Des Plaines, Illinois 60018 tel: 866 MCI COACH, 720‐219‐4012 contact: Lee Kemp email: Lee.Kemp@mcicoach.com website:www.mcicoach.com
...The MCI Inmate Security Transport Vehicles (ISTV) are custom‐fitted according to agency specifications, with features that include seating for up to 69 inmates, containment barriers and cells, window bars, ½” shatter‐resistant windows, a rear officer position, on board surveillance system, and bullet resistant materials. The ISTV model has a proven long‐life and low operating‐ cost track record, adding significant operational savings over the life of the vehicle. Learn more at mcicoach.com
Microtronic US offers a secure system for Visitor Vending (offenders and staff can use as well where possible) that removes cash from Vending machines and uses only our RFID payment card and can accommodate Credit and Debit card readers where required. We have been told that most DOC facilities allow visitors to bring $30+ in change to the visitation area.
The staff are often responsible to count each visitors money and the change machine is forced to hold an incredible amount of change. Especially since coins are in short supply nationwide, our system helps to eliminate those hassles. Our cards are also being used as ID Badges in many locations. Integration with Trust Accounting systems is available as well, and we are currently integrated with A‐T‐G. This is a link to a short video presentation about our system via YouTube https://youtu.be/5zBkel8Fw1A Please contact us at 1-800-879-3586 or info@MicrotronicUS.com
PO Box 400 Kenner, LA 70063 tel: 504‐467‐9591 contact: Marketing Department email: milnorinfo@milnor.com website: www.milnor.com
...For over 70 years, Pellerin Milnor has been the leader in industrial laundry equipment quality and innovation. Our washer‐extractors range in size from 25 ‐ 700 lb and dryers from 30 ‐ 750 lb. Correctional facility models are avail‐ able with tamper‐resistant fasteners and Lexan(r) covers for enhanced secu‐ rity and safety. Controls range from very simple to quite sophisticated, depending upon your needs. Contact us today for a complimentary laundry planning file. 28 CORRECTIONS FORUM • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021
Coming in January/February State-of-the-Art Inmate Communication Systems Cost, Care and Control: Balancing Pharmaceuticals Maintaining Key Control Systems Video Applications
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DIRECTORY DIRECTORY
181 Doty Circle West Springfield, MA 01089 tel: 800‐732‐3705 contact: Peter Gill email: info@peerless.net website: www.peerless.net
...Setting the standard since 1914. Offering a full line of restraining devices including: handcuffs, leg irons, security chains, high security restraints, color coated restraint and keys. All Peerless products come with a lifetime warranty
225 Park Ave. S. New York, NY 10003 tel: 212‐777‐4400 contact: Frank Greene, FAIA OAA website: www.stvinc.com ...STV provides broad‐based services to improve the justice system, lever‐ aging all aspects of architectural design, including master planning, programming, and interior design to increase its fairness and effectiveness. With more than 100 years of history, the firm provides architectural, engi‐ neering, planning, and design services nation‐wide and overseas.
501 Holiday Drive, Suite 300 Pittsburgh, PA 15220 tel: 888‐MED‐MGMT 888‐633‐6468, Opt 1 contact: Wendelyn R. Pekich, MBA, CCHP, VP of Marketing & Communications email: info@wexfordhealth.com website: www.wexfordhealth.com ...Wexford Health has been imple‐ menting, staffing, and managing successful correctional health care programs for three decades. Clients trust us to maintain quality of care, generate positive patient outcomes, avoid lawsuits and negative publicity, and stay within budget. After all, isn’t that the point of contracting out your offender health care?
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DIRECTORY COMPANIES BY CATEGORY Apparel Damascus Protective Gear Keefe Group Laundry Loops
Food Service/ Kitchen Equipment Baxter Manufacturing Insinger Machine Company Jones Zylon
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BY DONNA ROGERS, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Top Corrections Security Technologies From real-time location of people and assets to intelligent analytics of video, these are some of the newer technologies coming on the corrections market.
A tragic 2010 homicide of a staff member at the Napa State Hospital in California—where the staff member was in an open portion of the health care campus outside the traditional location of alarm coverage—was at the root of a public-private collaboration to find a solution to keep staff safer. The solution that was developed required hardware, software and installation partners such as Cisco, AT&T and AiRISTA Flow. AiRISTA makes Real Time Location Systems, or RTLS, that provide location insights of people and assets. RTLS is not a specific type of technology but can incorporate various types of technology such as Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID), Bluetooth beacons, WiFi, GPS and infrared. Typically, RTLS works by attaching some kind of location tag to an item, as in RFID devices. As these tagged items move around, the tag sends signals to receivers that are fixed in the surrounding environment. The AiRISTA system combines a security tag and a software platform to provide an end-to-end solution that provides visibility for the location and condition of staff and assets across the entire campus of the work environment. In this case, a staff member wears a security tag on a lanyard. When they pull on it, it signals an alarm that allows two-way communications. 36 CORRECTIONS FORUM • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021
The AiRISTA system manages both the visibility of staff and assets through a hardware tag and a software system that maps staff in duress or a missing item.
Then the Unified Vision Solution (UVS) software platform determines the location and immediately issues a distress message to others wearing the tag in the area of the alert, with audible alerts, vibration, and flashing LEDs. The tag’s display includes the location of the event and the ID of the individual in distress. Software programmable buttons help coordinate the response with workflows such as “I am responding,” or “Escalation required.”
The system integrates with third-party software applications, as well as building systems such as cameras, lights and door locks. The entire duress event is recorded as paths on maps for compliance and continuous process improvement. Important to prison staff is a feature that allows fast response to staff duress events indoors—as well as outdoors—areas such as a rec yard or anywhere that has Wi-Fi coverage. The company notes that the visible tag worn by COs acts as a deterrent to discourage assaults. Yet, if an attack or a man-down situation does occur, staff may have a higher confidence level knowing that responders are notified within seconds. The system is deployed at the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health, the largest county mental health department in the U.S., which serves more than 250,000 people annually. The tragedy mentioned at the Napa Hospital was the impetus to acquire it. “AiRISTA provides a simple, affordable approach to staff
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duress events and their response, leveraging your existing wireless infrastructure. We have been keeping prison personnel safe for over 10 years in some of the most challenging environments,” says Sy Sajjad, founder & CEO. Recently the company added the ability to locate and monitor assets. For example, if a guard walks away from a tagged asset such as keys, they immediately receive an alert to their tag reminding them. Finally, he says, it can be set up quickly: the firm’s technical staff can customize and deploy a solution for an agency in a matter of weeks.
Inmate Tracking and Well-being Checks Guard1 inmate tracking devices, which have been in use for two decades in more than 1,300 correctional facilities in the United States and Canada, use RFID technology to track inmate locations and provide notification of staff duress. Using Guard1 SuperMAX mobile devices, officers read inmate RFID wristbands or ID cards and can document almost anything within a facility— inmate activities, recreation, meals, GED and commissary as well as well-being checks and suicide watches. The company offers three types of tracing devices. First, Guard1 Wristband Beacon Tags. Worn by inmates, these transmit a signal once per second. The receiver infrastructure within the facility receives these signals, and Guard1 software determines the location of the inmate. Staff and administration thus know the zone location of every inmate. Second, Guard1 Duress Devices provide emergency signaling for officers and staff. If an event occurs, control room personnel receive an immediate alert, with zone location of the device to dispatch assistance to the officer immediately. Third, the PIPE is a widely used option that is used 38 CORRECTIONS FORUM • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021
Guard1 RFID inmate tracking devices are in use more than 1,300 correctional facilities
for well-being and cell checks. “With multiple technology solutions—all integrated with one software product, Guard1 Real Time, administrators have multiple ways to protect officers and inmates, and to protect their facilities with incontestable documentation,” says Stephanie Barsella, Guard1 national sales manager. In addition, GUARD1 integrates with a corrections agency’s JMS/OMS. It uses each department’s own classification information—health conditions, dietary needs, security information, keepseparates—to ensure that individuals receive the meals and attention they require, and to detect and warn of security exceptions. “Knowing the location of every offender means facilities can quickly find inmates, complete headcounts, and document inmate movement,” she adds. “Additional features—such as out-of-bounds and keep-separate alerts—provide protection and safety for officers and staff.” The importance of documentation—accurate and complete—is often overlooked, says Barsella. “But in the event of an inspection, or an incident, it is a huge benefit to administrators to be able to show that officers acted properly, that rounds were performed, that procedures were followed.”
And of course, well-being checks and suicide watches are at the core of protecting inmates and observing the mandate of care that applies to all correctional facilities. Barsella concludes: “By enforcing well-being checks and suicide watches, Guard1 has prevented countless suicides and incidents of self-harm.”
Video Analytics For over 40 years, Senstar has successfully deployed new technologies in this often challenging and dangerous environment. From perimeter intrusion detection to video management to personal duress systems, Senstar technologies keep staff, inmates, and the general public safe around the world, the company states. Starting at the perimeter, intrusion detection technologies that can quickly and reliably detect perimeter incidents are critical to maintaining public safety. Location data from perimeter sensors and video analytics can be used to sound alarms, call up specific cameras and PTZ (pan, tilt, zoom) locations, and then track subsequent movements. Perimeter sensors and video analytics can be used in a variety of applications, notes Todd Brisebois, Senstar product manager
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The Sensor fusion engine intelligently analyzes localized fence data (strength, location, and historical values) alongside geo-spatially aware video analytics to generate a score-based result that improves the probability of detection while avoiding nuisance alarms.
for Corrections. This includes along fences, rooftops and sally ports, while also taking into account various physical and operational requirements of low, medium and high-security facilities. Another critical technology for staff and inmate safety are portal and fixed personal duress notification systems. “For correctional facilities, ultra-reliability is a must,” emphasizes Brisebois. “There is no room for error when human lives are at risk. The devices must be rugged, require only the most minimal level of training, and be simple to test and maintain.” Finally, to maximize the benefits of both perimeter sensors and personal duress systems, correctional officers need video surveillance systems that enable them to quickly assess the situation when an alarm is generated. Says Brisebois: “Key to quick assessment is a common operating platform that seamlessly integrates physical security events with live and historic video under a unified interface. A common operating platform improves reaction time, reduces 40 CORRECTIONS FORUM • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021
training requirements, and simplifies integration requirements.” Cable-based perimeter systems have a long track record at correctional institutions, points out Brisebois. “They are easy to install, work with existing fences, and are highly cost-effective. They keep people safe by providing correctional officers with information on intrusions and escape attempts.” Modern systems like Senstar’s FlexZone (loose-tube coaxial cable) and FiberPatrol (fiber optic cable) sensors, process their sensor signals with a variety of digital signal processing techniques for detection, he says. These advances allow for features such as environmental compensation, precision ranging, cut immunity, and low-voltage power over loose-tube sensor cables. Coaxialbased sensors are generally highly economical and easy to deploy, he notes, while fiber optic sensors require zero electronics on the perimeter and may be more costeffective for larger facilities. Newer individual sensor technologies continue to improve, but the rate of improvement is
slowing due to inherent limitations in the technology itself, cautions Brisebois. Fence sensors, for example, still depend on the physical response of the fence fabric, while video analytics depend on quality, unobstructed, line-of-sight video streams. He says Senstar's new Sensor Fusion Engine, is “a game-changer” for the corrections industry. The issue of nuisance alarms, typically generated by severe weather or aging perimeter infrastructure, he says, continue to be an issue in control rooms. Those in corrections know that a high nuisance alarm rate can lead to operator overload and operational complacency. But, he asks, what if there was a way to defeat nuisance alarms while maintaining the highest level of detection? That's where true sensor fusion comes in: by synthesizing data such as lowlevel fence response and video analytic data, sensor fusion achieves higher levels of performance, far exceeding those of the individual sensors. For security applications, this has direct, practical benefits, namely, the ability to maximize the strengths of indi-
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vidual sensor technologies while avoiding their shortcomings. Sensor fusion, he adds, intelligently analyzes localized fence data (strength, location, and historical values) alongside geo-spatially aware video analytics to generate a score-based result that improves the probability of detection while avoiding nuisance alarms that other systems simply cannot avoid. In the end, true sensor fusion is “a leap forward, providing clear, measurable benefits to perimeter security—freeing up officer resources and alerting the staff to only legitimate security events,” Brisebois concludes. New technology is slowly emerging on the corrections market but it requires research and funding. Unfortunately sometimes only tragic events trigger the need to deploy heightened security measures. Hopefully managers will take a long look at what’s available and take a proactive approach to how they can increase coverage— before disaster strikes. For further information: AiRISTA FLOW Bob Kennedy, SVP Sales 844.816.7127 salesinfo@airista.com www.facebook.com/airistaflow https://twitter.com/airista_flow www.linkedin.com/company/airistaflow/ www.airista.com
More Top Security Technologies Key Control is Key Control is everything inside a correctional facility. The KeyTrak Guardian helps you take charge of your keys and assets. The Guardian’s customizable, modu-
lar design allows you to secure and track access to large Folger Adam cell keys, smaller fleet vehicle keys, assets like radios and weapons, and more. The software automatically logs when authorized users check out and return a key or asset, providing commanders with a verifiable audit trail of activity. With the Guardian,
ensure keys are secure when they’re in the system and accounted for when they’re not. KeyTrak 866.838.0178 info@keytrak.com keytrak.com/correctionsforum https://www.linkedin.com/company/keytrak/
Intelligent Perimeter Observation Without Limits or OWL’s GroundAware® Digital Radar Systems provide longrange, intelligent surveillance of perimeters and low-altitude airspace around corrections facilities—without the need for continuous human monitoring. Using all-new 2D and 3D technology, these systems detect, track, and classify targets in all weather and lighting, then automate alarms, notifications, and responsive and deterrent actions such as directing cameras for visual tracking, sounding alarms, turning on lights, etc. Because GroundAware systems cover hundreds of acres at multiple-mile ranges, they provide the situational awareness and lead times needed for corrections commanders to address
Guard1 Stephanie Barsella, national sales manager 216.595.0890 sbarsella@guard1.com www.guard1.com Senstar Kevin Brooks, director of business development 1.800.390.5796 x2507 kevin.brooks@senstar.com www.linkedin.com/company/ 705286 https://twitter.com/SenstarCorp www.facebook.com/Senstar/ www.senstar.com 42 CORRECTIONS FORUM • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021
OWL GroundAware Digital Radars mount on poles, towers, rooftops, or other existing infrastructure to provide long-range coverage of perimeters and lowaltitude airspace around corrections facilities. They automate detection of humans and vehicles, as well as drones. VISIT US AT WWW.CORRECTIONSFORUM.NET
human, vehicle, and drone threats in a timely manner. Observation Without Limits Tom Gates 256.651.3441 tom.gates@owlknows.com www.owlknows.com
year, resulting in savings in time and money for a facility. 561.244.8337 info@ElmridgeProtection.com www.ElmridgeProtection.com
Electronic Key Control
Certified Smoke Hood The iEvac® Smoke/Fire Hood from Elmridge Protection is the only hood certified to the American National Standard ASTM-E2952. The iEvac provides a high level of protection against carbon monoxide, CS/CN, other fire related & industrial gases. Currently most correction facilities are still using a self-contained breathing apparatus or SCBA for escape purposes, but an SCBA was designed and meant to fight a fire. If you are not fighting the fire, you now have an American Certified alternative that more closely meets the needs of a correction facility. At present, there are correction facilities in all 50 states that have switched to the iEvac.
The Hood is maintenance free, no fit and medical test required, universal in size, can be donned in less than 30 seconds and costs less than $40 a 44 CORRECTIONS FORUM • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021
drones. Drones can easily bypass the most sophisticated security installations by simply flying over the top and into a facility. This solution enables corrections facilities to identify drone risks to their airspace, launch targeted searches for drone pilots and contraband drops, capture and record forensic evidence and integrate airspace security response into security standard operating procedures. After deploying the Dedrone solution, the opportunity for contraband delivery and drone-based threats is greatly reduced. Dedrone Abigail Surdoval 724.487.1253 Abigail.surdoval@dedrone.com www.linkedin.com/company/dedrone/
Real-time RFID Monitoring System Morse Watchmans, Inc., a security products manufacturing company since 1882, invented digital electronic key control systems 30 years ago. The signature KeyWatcher Touch system secures all keys and assets such as weapons, knives, evidence, and cell phones to optimize security and safety in corrections facilities. The system’s KeyFind feature shows where all keys located on site and the KeyAnywhere feature allows key returns to any cabinet on site. Audit reports show all key transactions for security administrators instantly. Morse Watchmans, the original developer and global leader of electronic key control, manufactures all products in the USA. Morse Watchmans 1.800.423.8256 www.morsewatchmans.com/contact
Drone Mitigation Dedrone detects, identifies, locates and mitigates drone threats. Correctional facilities face a persistent, escalating threat: contraband delivery by
The TSI PRISM monitoring system from Black Creek protects both staff and detainees. Officers and staff wear belt-mounted Personal Safety Device transmitting units that send a unique radio signal every two seconds. An alarm will be triggered in a man-down situation or other emergency. During an alarm event, the system tracks the officer’s location at two-second intervals to ensure that help arrives as quickly as possible. In the case of detainees, the individual wears a wrist-mounted, tamper-resistant transmitting unit that sends a unique radio signal on a user-configurable interval. Signals are transmitted to receivers which are forwarded over a dedicated Ethernet network to client workstations or Black Creek Touchscreen Control Stations. New features on the detainee system are heart rate monitoring, as well as proximity alerts based on user specifications, i.e., Covid postive/non-vaccinated detainees. 205.949.9923 sales@blackcreekisc.com www.blackcreekisc.com
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BY DONNA ROGERS, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
California’s Inmate Firefighters Recent developments provide returning citizens a chance to attain a career that offers a living wage.
Inmate firefighters often work alongside CAL FIRE and the Los Angeles County Fire Department in 43 conservation camps in 27 counties throughout the state. In 2019 there were around 3,100 inmates working at the conservation camps, with about 2,150 who are fire line-qualified.
GOOD-PAYING REENTRY JOBS for formerly incarcerated individuals are hard to come by. So when one job, albeit risky, was offered to them that could help translate into a solid career after release, it seemed like a godsend. But several overwhelming obstacles in actually getting hired had some wondering how much their experience would actually help. In California, incarcerated individuals can work alongside CAL FIRE (the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection) and the Los Angeles County Fire Department in 43 conservation camps in 27 coun46 CORRECTIONS FORUM • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021
ties throughout the state. The crews can respond to incidents like wildfires, floods and search and rescue. Inmate firefighters in California have been fighting wildfires since World War II. They supplement paid professionals and fill a gap where shortages in manpower exist. In 2019 there were around 3,100 inmates working at the conservation camps, with about 2,150 who are fire line-qualified, according to ABC10 News. Camp inmates also work as support and maintenance staff at the camps, serving as cooks, laundry workers, landscapers, and water treatment plant operators.
During an average year, the CDCR claims the program provides about 3 million hours of response to fires and other emergencies, and 7 million hours in community service projects, according to ABC10. And their services save California taxpayers about $100 million, according to the corrections department. The responsibilities of those in the camps can range from clearing firebreaks, restoring historical structures, maintaining parks, sand bagging and flood protection, reforestation and clearing fallen trees and debris. Inmates must qualify to work
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in the program. "Some convictions automatically make an inmate ineligible for conservation camp assignment, even if they have minimum-custody status," California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) spokesperson Alexandra Powell told ABC10. "Disqualifying offenses include sexual offenses, arson and a history of escape." Inmates who volunteer must also have five years or less remaining on their sentence to be considered. Detainees considered for fire crew positions are evaluated for physical fitness by CDCR and trained in firefighting techniques by Cal Fire. The training includes a week of classroom instruction and a second week of field exercises. Once in the field they have a minimum of four hours per week of advanced training. Unlike most labor done by inmates that pay a few cents per hour, inmate firefighters can earn between $2.90 and $5.12 per day, depending on skill level. According to ABC10, “that cost is paid by CDCR. However, while fighting fires, inmates earn an additional $1 or $2 per hour from Cal Fire, regardless of skill level.” (This compares with $66,336 for an entry-level salary from Cal Fire and the starting salary of $28,078 for federal U.S. Forest Service firefighters in California.) The money can be saved toward their time on parole, giving them a leg up once they are released. In fact, release may come quicker, as they can reduce their sentences by working in the prison camp. Each single day
served can get them two days off their prison sentence. Three years ago, one revolutionary program aided former California inmates with employment post release. CDCR, Cal Fire and the California Conservation Corps worked together to start a Firefighter Training and Certification Program in Ventura County that also included overall services. The Ventura Training Center (VTC) program provides advanced firefighter training to former offenders on parole who were inmate firefighters and had minimum security status while incarcerated. They receive 18 months of training, which includes not only forestry and firefighting training but reentry planning, life skills training, job skills readiness, and any required treatment and educational programs. The first cohort came about in 2018, followed by two others in early 2019. The training has already seen three participants land new jobs.
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Unfair Exception? But this was an exception to the rule, writes Jaime Lowe in the July 27, 2021 issue of The Atlantic. Despite putting their lives on the line to assist a state dealing with a climate crisis and extreme drought, for those inmate firefighters prior to this unique Ventura program there had been no clear pathway to a full-time job when their sentences were complete and they were released on parole. That’s because outside of the VTC program, “Cal Fire and municipal fire crews in the state do not hire people with criminal records. Regardless of their experience working on the front lines, sometimes for several seasons, formerly incarcerated people could not qualify for EMT or EMR licenses, which are required in order to be hired on a professional crew,” she said. But the devastating 2020 fire season put a chink in the armor that was impeding inmate fire-
CORRECTIONS FORUM • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 47
fighters’ job opportunities. Things were about to change.
Sparking a Serendipitous Chain of Events On Sept. 11, 2020, California Governor Gavin Newsom held a press conference amid brown smoke, charred ground and blackened gnarled trees that was the result of North Complex Fire—a series of fires that had burned for four weeks straight and had alone killed nine people. He spoke about the 2020 fire season—the 3.5 million acres that had burned and the 7,700 fires that had coursed through the state. With the moonlike setting surrounding him, Gavin signed A.B. 2147, a bill that had been introduced six months earlier by Assembly member Eloise Reyes to provide a potential pathway to employment for incarcerated firefighters. The governor thanked “those prisoners who are out there on the front lines, who
48 CORRECTIONS FORUM • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021
actively participated in heroic ways.” He added: “This bill … will give those prisoners hope of actually getting a job in the profession [in which] they’ve been trained.” The bill Newsom signed seeks to remedy that by allowing incarcerated firefighters the chance to petition for expedited expungement relief immediately upon release, according to The Atlantic article. “If their request is granted, they won’t have to wait until they’re off parole to apply for state jobs—not just firefighting jobs, but jobs in roughly 200 different fields that require a state license.” CDCR says that many former incarcerated firefighters from fire camps go on to gain employment with Cal Fire, the United States Forest Service and interagency hotshot crews, which do not require EMT certifications. They emphasize that Cal Fire does not require EMT certification to become employed as a firefighter with their department, nor do federal firefighting crews or pri-
vate municipal fire departments. In addition, CDCR reports, “Under AB 2147, a person that served as an incarcerated firefighting crew member is eligible to apply for an expungement upon release from custody, and if the expungement is approved, they then would be able to seek various career pathways including those that require a state license. Successful participation in an incarcerated hand crew would be determined by CDCR for those who were incarcerated in state prison. For those in county jails, the local county authority would make the determination. Meanwhile earlier this year, other California lawmakers were seeking ways to address shortages of wildland firefighters that were so desperately needed. In an August 2021 article in the Los Angeles Times, Sen. Dianne Feinstein noted: “The starting salary for many federal U.S. Forest Service firefighters in California is $28,078, barely 40% of the $66,336 entry-level salary Cal Fire pays. It’s clear why federal agencies have trouble attracting and retaining skilled firefighters.” She also pointed out that “President Biden recently took the first step to address what he called ‘ridiculously low’ salaries by raising the minimum firefighter wage to $15 per hour and providing recruitment and retention bonuses to most of the workforce. “However, even that move left salaries woefully out of sync with the job market and the cost of living,” she furthers. “Moreover, low federal firefighter salaries fail to account for the critical importance and dangerous nature of the work.” “The only way to permanently fix this problem and close the pay gap,” Feinstein added, “is by creating a new federal job classification and higher pay series, specifically for federal wildland firefighters.” Earlier this year Feinstein partnered with Montana Sen. Steve Daines on a bill to begin this job
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PHOTO COURTESY CDCR
Success story: VTC graduate and CAL FIRE firefighter Michael Gebre was a pioneer who was hired for a job after release.
reclassification process. “Once that’s accomplished—and I believe it will be,” she says, “the federal government should seek to hire more wildland firefighters as soon as possible. The Forest Service’s current goal of hiring approximately 5,000 firefighters in the Pacific Southwest region may be far fewer then needed— but at least filling existing vacancies would be a good start.”
$14 Billion Awarded in Wildfire Risk Mitigation But the most welcome piece of news is that the recently passed $1 trillion infrastructure bill contains nearly $14 billion for wildfire risk mitigation. The funding includes $600 million to help address the pay gap for federal firefighters. It would increase those salaries by 50%, up to a maximum increase of $20,000 per individual. An entry-level firefighter’s $28,078 salary would increase to $42,117, narrowing but not eliminating the pay gap. In the end, Feinstein reiterated it is vital for Congress and the Biden administration to invest more resources in dealing with the magnitude of these increasingly deadly and devastating wildfires, and that needs to start with fair salaries for the firefighters who protect us. And that includes those formerly incarcerated citizens who put their lives on the line every day to keep us and our property safe. %
Continued from page 10 menting LexisNexis inmate law library solutions, a facility attains access to the same content as practicing attorneys, including continuously updated and annotated statutes, extensive case law collections, and authoritative secondary sources. Inmates also can browse by legal topic and Shepardize cases to make sure they are still good law. “We recognize that inmates generally do not have legal training; that’s why our service goes beyond providing a sophisticated research solution. Our team members also train inmates and staff on-site so that they can conduct effective electronic legal research,” states Anders Ganten, senior director, Corrections. 800.628.3612, lexisnexis.com/corrections
They can also use Paypal, Venmo, or request over-the-counter withdrawals from most major banks without a fee. “We switched to Numi Financial for both release and work-release cards and are very happy with that decision. The Numi work-release solution is flexible and user-friendly. The reporting tools allow us to track worker spending and manage cash access. Additionally, we can remotely load the cards, which is a great time saver for our operation. Numi’s customer service is second to none; we can resolve issues quickly thanks to their responsiveness,” says the work-release director from a county facility in Massachusetts. corrections@numifinancial.com, numifinancial.com
Numi Financial
Trinity Services Group
The Prestige Mastercard allows ex-offenders to access their funds instantly. The card helps individuals by replacing the need to manage checks and benefits agencies by eliminating the hassle of accounting for uncashed and lost checks. Released offend-
Trinity Services Group’s sole focus is the corrections industry; the company has more than 30 years’ experience—experience that translates into innovative solutions, operating efficiencies, and technology-forward services for large and small facilities, the firm
ers can use it to make purchases, get cash back or transfer their money to a personal bank account. The Prestige Mastercard from Numi is integrated with most leading corrections technology and commissary providers. Ex-offenders can retrieve cash without incurring fees by using the card for point of sales, PIN, and signature transactions or transferring their balance to their bank account. Furthermore, Prestige cardholders can upgrade their card to receive direct deposits and pay bills online.
states. The food service vendor understands the importance of meals in a facility and the effect it can have on overall stability and security. Trinity ensures that food is properly prepared and presented, and is committed to providing these services three times a day, seven days a week. Its food service program is designed to maximize a facility's budget and create nutritious menus that meet dietary requirements and satisfy inmates. The warden of a New Jersey county correctional facility says: “Unlike other food vendors, their protocol is excellent. I know of some vendors who cut food portions until people start to scream, but not Trinity. We receive few inmate complaints.” 877.277.5452, trinityservicesgroup.com
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CORRECTIONS FORUM • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 49
AD INDEX Page No.
Silicone Games
Lightweight, flexible pieces make game time quieter and safer. Available in Dominoes, Checkers, Chess and a Multi-Game Pack.
1-800-334-9880 www.bobbarker.com
COMPLETE EYEGLASSES
$14.95
RX Eyeglasses On-Site Optometry On-Site Ophthalmology Testing
1000 Facilities Nationwide 44 States - Federal in all 50 States Correctional Vision Care Since 1983
FLEXIBLE SPOON Flexible material offers safety with enough rigidity for maximum function with heavier foods. Can be stepped on, twisted or crushed an maintains original shape.
1-800-334-9880 www.bobbarker.com
Institutional Eye Care LLC website: institutionaleyecare.com email: info@ institutionaleyecare.com
50 CORRECTIONS FORUM • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021
Black Creek Integrated Systems Corp. ...........43 Bob Barker....................51 Centurion .......................2 Chestnut Ridge Foam, Inc...................48 Correctional Cable TV....................11 Damascus Protective Gear......................33,50 Elmridge Protection .....47 Guardian RFID ..............45 Hazelden Publishing ....26 HDR ..............................34 Institutional Eye Care ...50 Keefe Group .................52 Keytrak, Inc...................41 Laundry Loops..............10 Medi-Dose Company.........14,18,35 Morse Watchman, Inc. .39 Northpointe .................20 O.W.L Observation Without Limits ..........16 Sentry Security Fasteners, Inc. ...........37 ShawnTech ...................17 StunCuff Enterprises, Inc. ........14 STV Architects, Inc .......18 Swisslog Healthcare .......5 The Bus Center .............10 TrinityServices Group, Inc. ................29 Vistar Corporate .............6 Western Union ...............9 Wexford Health Sources ......................15 This advertisers index is provided as a service to our readers only. The publisher does not assume liability for errors or omissions. VISIT US AT WWW.CORRECTIONSFORUM.NET