Facilities (General Capacity/Security)

Steering committee members participated in a call to discuss Urban's reinvestment brief, the state Phase I monthly report tracker, a letter of interest from Rhode Island, and state updates.

The Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth and Families requested assistance with their Victim/Aggressor Assessment tool, particularly as it relates to LGBQI residents in their two facilities- Ocean Tides School and Rhode Island Training School. The PRC assigned consultant, Bernadette Brown to assist with the completion of this request for assistance.

The PRC has been ask to provide a workshop that focuses on PREA and the Standards as well as participating on a Round Table event during the conference. The specific topic of the workshop has yet to be determined.

This was the final Field Training Program training audit that occurred during the 2018 winter and spring.

This will be the second of five Field Training Program training audits occurring after Spring 2018.

A two-day event for the National PREA Resource Center (PRC) Field Training Auditors to receive an orientation (or refresher, for some of our previous FTAs) on the most effective training methods for the Field Training Program.

Just Detention International (JDI) will work with the Delaware Department of Correction (DE DOC) and the Delaware Department of Services for Children, Youth and their Families, Division of Youth Rehabilitative Services (DYRS) to implement an advanced culture change initiative aimed at deepening each department's efforts to prevent sexual abuse. In particular, the partners will focus on building a reporting culture through improved communication in adult and youth facilities, and increasing staff ability and willingness to be proactive in preventing and responding to sexual abuse.

In June, Vera returned to the Angola facility for a training on compassion given by a local teacher for the Department and external stakeholders. This training allowed for greater understanding, empathy, and collaboration between incarcerated people, prison officials, and external individuals who care about continuing the reforms already begun in the LADOC system regarding conditions of confinement. Vera also continued working on the memo for the Department on the transition program and will send shortly.

In May, Vera made its second implementation trip to Louisiana to focus on the upcoming disciplinary matrix pilot as well as to collect data on the transition dorm program at Elayne Hunt Correctional Center (Hunt). Vera met with the warden of Hunt, department management, and staff to learn about the disciplinary matrix recently created by the Department and to be piloted at Hunt by 6/1/18. Before the month ended, Vera sent the Department a memo with feedback and recommendations on how the Department can most effectively implement the matrix system-wide.

In June, Vera held hone calls with CO Duran to prepare for a conference call the following week and also to provide strategic support for reform efforts. There was a conference call with NDOC Deputy Director Harold Wickham and DD Kim Thomas regarding the current updates on implementation of reforms, and strategizing for next steps. Vera learned about plans for convening wardens and leadership together to work on reforms to the Behavior Modification Units at various facilities.