Facilities (General Capacity/Security)

The entire Vera/Louisiana team had their second site visit with LADOC. We had a facility meeting and tour at David Wade Correctional Center (DWCC) one day and returned another day to conduct focus groups. Then we held focus groups in the other two facilities (Elayne Hunt Correctional Center and Louisiana State Penitentiary). All focus groups were with incarcerated people, mental health staff, line staff, and unit managers. The information gleaned from this trip will be included in the first interim report and will inform the team's final recommendations to LADOC.

The entire Vera/Louisiana team had their second site visit with LADOC. We had a facility meeting and tour at David Wade Correctional Center (DWCC) one day and returned another day to conduct focus groups. Then we held focus groups in the other two facilities (Elayne Hunt Correctional Center and Louisiana State Penitentiary). All focus groups were with incarcerated people, mental health staff, line staff, and unit managers. The information gleaned from this trip will be included in the first interim report and will inform the team's final recommendations to LADOC.

Vera went on the first site visit to meet with Minnesota DOC (MDOC) leadership and tour two facilities (Oak Park Heights and Stillwater). The purpose of the site visit was to learn about the use of segregation in MDOC facilities, current reform efforts in MN, challenges and opportunities to reforming segregation, and meet the members of the Restrictive Housing Reduction and Reform Committee.

In May, Vera conducted the first implementation site visit with North Carolina DPS. Vera had meetings with DPS leadership at headquarters in Raleigh, visited Central Prison (in particular to see and speak with staff about the Therapeutic Diversion Unit there), visited Marion Correctional Institution (in particular to see and speak with staff about the Rehabilitative Diversion Unit program there), and visited Foothills Correctional Institution (in particular to see and speak with staff about the Youthful Offender Program).

Vera provided TTA to the Louisiana DOC (LADOC) in the following ways:

Vera provided TTA to the Minnesota DOC (MDOC) in the following ways:

Vera provided implementation TTA to the North Carolina DOC (NCDPS) in the following ways:

Vera provided TTA to the Nevada DOC (NDOC) in the following ways:

Vera provided implementation TTA to the Virginia DOC (VADOC) in the following ways:

January -
Vera exchanged emails with VADOC which lead to finalizing the contacting agreement between VADOC and Vera. Vera worked with the DOC site lead to post the site description on Vera's online SAS Initiative resource website

During the first quarter of the year, most of the TTA provided to the Minnesota DOC was over the phone. Vera conducted monthly calls discussing current DOC committees, types of restricted housing, schedule of penalties, preparing for the upcoming site visit, etc. Vera also provided TTA via email regarding language around the segregation reduction committee to the DOC.