Arizona Department ofCorrections
Maximum Custody Management
Charles L. Ryan, Director
ASCA Symposium for Correctional Administrators September 26, 2015
• 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.
Litigation History and Outcome
2
• 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
Re-Examining Maximum Custody
3
4
ASPC-Lewis Rast Unit
• 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)
Max Custody Placement Types
5
• 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
The Placement Process
6
• 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
The Placement Process (cont.)
7
• 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 in-cell 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
Max Custody Program Elements
8
Out of Cell Time (Minimum) per Parsons v. Ryan Stipulation Agreement
9
• 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
Step ProgramComplex/Unit Step 1
Sept. 2015Step 2
Sept. 2015Step 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
Total 1,188 537 1,390 10
Total Inmates in the Step Program: 3,118 as of September 17, 2015
Max Custody Recreation
11
Step I – Central Unit
Step III – Central Unit
Step II – SMU-1
Work Incentive Pay ProgramComplex/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 64912
As of September 17, 2015; includes: porters, painters, landscape workers, maintenance, teacher aides, kitchen workers
Max Custody Housing Unit Porters
13
SMU I Step I & II
Browning Step I & II
Max Custody Kitchen Workers
14
Step II & III ,Central Unit
Step II & III, SMU I
Out of Cell Programs – Steps II & IIIComplex/Unit Group - #
AssignedEducation - # 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
Total 1,225 80 42515
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
16Step III – Open Tables
Step II – Restraint Chairs Step II – Restraint Tables
Program Restraint Progression
• 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
Mental Health Programs
17
18
Max Custody Mental Health
After – Step III Mental Health Class
Before – Mental Health Group Therapy
19
Browning Unit – Max CustodyMental Health Recreation Area
Step I Step II
Step III
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, Self-Control, Foundations of Character, Thinking for a Change, and Personality Restructuring 20
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
determined they did not meet criteria to be assigned 21