Prison Gangs

In March, Vera met with the warden and select facility staff at Fluvanna Correctional facility to learn about their successes and challenges to date in implementing various reforms. The goal was to get a better sense of how our recommendations would be implemented in women's settings throughout the system. Later, Vera met with VADOC executive and administrative leadership to review and prioritize select recommendations. Also worked with group to develop appropriate work-plans for implementation and determine key next steps.

In March, Vera worked on the final report of findings and recommendations to the LADOC. Vera also organized and lead a trip on 3/12-3/14 for corrections agencies to participate in site visits to facilities in the Colorado Department of Corrections. The trip was intended to inform other systems working with the SAS Initiative about the reforms happening in Colorado and how their systems can learn alternatives to their use of segregation. Leaders from the LADOC attended the trip and were actively engaged throughout the two days.

In February, Vera began working/planning with UDC staff to facilitate the upcoming site visit to Colorado facilities. The goal of the trip is to have existing SAS sites visit CO facilities that had successfully implemented many of the reforms the Vera team had recommended.

In February, Vera held its regular scheduled conference call with MNDOC where we worked on data request questions for the research staff and debriefed about the recent site visit. Vera held another regular scheduled conference call with MNDOC where we continued to address concerns about the data request. Lastly, Vera emailed Commissioner Roy to provide an update on Vera's data request, and included the questions we provided to Shar Lopez to give to the research staff.

In February, Vera emailed NDOC to outline rolling out thr implementation processes and getting a regular scheduled meeting in place between NDOC and Vera. There were numerous rounds of follow up for these efforts that included emails and phone calls. Regularly scheduled meetings were set for early March.

In February, Vera finalized its preparation for the all-day, in-person presentation given to LADOC on 2/8/18. Vera connected with LADOC site lead Seth Smith before and while in Louisiana, sharing updated information on the presentation slides and soliciting his feedback to ensure the best level of effectiveness and involvement from DOC leadership. The presentation itself inspired productive small- and large-group conversations, allowing for further discussion of findings and brainstorming of recommendations.

In January, Vera emailed a summary update to Commissioner Roy in anticipation of the upcoming site visit. Later Vera met with Shar Lopez, MNDOC site lead, to discuss and outline details of upcoming site visit Vera held a conference call to conduct a final review of the disciplinary segregation system map and site visit agendas for each facility. Vera emailed a summary memo and system map to MNDOC Commissioner Roy outlining in greater detail, Vera's progress thus far, preliminary data findings, and next steps for findings and recommendations and the implementation process.

In January, Vera provided via email a written draft of Vera's findings and recommendations to NDOC; Vera provided via email a copy of the findings and recommendations powerpoint presentation in anticipation of the following day's meetng. Later Vera traveled to Nevada for a meeting with the NDOC Director and other key leaders to present the findings and recommendations, along with facilitating Q&A, discussion, and feedback. The team is now working on finalizing the findings and recommendations in the final report.

In January, Vera spoke via phone with VADOC's site lead (Tori Raiford) re. next steps as our work with VADOC transitions to the implementation phase of the project. Specifically, a proposed work plan for Vera's work with VADOC was discussed including work already underway to roll-out their Secure Diversionary Treatment Program (SDTP) and Restrictive Housing Pilot Program (RHPP).

In January, Vera spoke with the UDC site lead via conference call, providing him with an overview of key findings and recommendations related to Utah's: incarceration of special populations (e.g., people w/disabilities, STGs, young adults, etc.), training and staff wellness, and restrictive housing in the new facility. The remainder of the call was spent finalizing the agenda for the scheduled site visit on 1/25.