Ideas to improve the DOC

[88]

TAKEN FROM ANOTHER FORUM:

If I were the Commissioner of INDOC the first thing I would do is gather all my Superintendents, their assistants, and tell them:

1.Protect your C/Os and help them become the best they can be. If you are going to call them “Para-Military” then by golly give them the respect they deserve, training that means something, don’t change policy to punish staff and for goodness sakes quit treating staff as if they were your personal whipping posts! No one learns through fear or intimidation as the WWII Japs and Nazi learned, and most recently the failed leaders of the old USSR.

2. Superintendents that continue to use reprimands as a “controlling tool” will find themselves out of a job.

3. Superintendents that continue to encourage the use of negative fact-files as a “controlling tool” will find themselves out of a job. Fact-files should be used only for real facts and not contrived ones because supervisors have been known to use them to punish C/Os they do not like or C/Os that stand up for themselves.

4. I would bring back the “Job-Bid” for all staff, all the way up to the Superintendents. The “Job-Bid” would be for six months. C/Os, Sgts, Lts, Cap would have a year. Then C/Os would have to re-bid for another post to avoid compliancy. Sergeants will have to evaluate C/Os every 30 working days. If a C/O does not follow the policy and procedures of a post they will be subject to re-assignment or discipline.

5. C/Os would be put on notice to get into shape for their age group. Sloppy uniforms would not be tolerated. Surprise testing about your post will be the norm. Flash cards pertaining to the post will be made available and turned into control at the end of the shift.

6. A non-state psychiatrist will be hired to serve the facility staff only. They will report to the Superintendent any findings of individuals that might be a danger to the facility and recommend a treatment program that will aid the individual. If the individual does not respond to treatment or fails to seek outside help they will be out of a job.

7. Any staff found mistreating offenders will be out of a job.

8. Any staff trying to intimidate other staff will be out of a job.

9. Any staff caught trafficking will suffer all the consequences

10. Superintendents, Assistant Superintendents, and other Admin types will spend one full working day in a house, pod, yard, back gate, OSB, and the chow hall, every month. No exceptions, no excuses, and no “I did that job years ago!” will work either. What better way to build trusting work place relationships.

Just a few things I would do. What would you do?

[if I were the commish]

If I were the commish ....
1) Bring back testing as a hiring tool
2) Test for promotions (Aptitude and skills testing)
3) Random drug testing
4) Advanced in service classes would have advanced subjects of study.
5) Longer training periods
6) On the job policy review and testing
7) Roll call, to inspect uniform, and to avoid putting the department in a vicarious liability situation
8) Longevity pay ( $100 for every year of service)
9) No more star awards
10)Job bids with the exceptions of Supervisors
11)I would change considerably chow procedures
12)Eliminate the need for (4) Asst. Superintendants
13)Set up commitees at each facility comprised of veteran staff to evaluate the facilitie's progress and problems
14)Compare progress and problems of each facility statewide and make adjustments accordingly
15)See to it that policies are followed to the letter, so that one could go from one facility to another with little to no transitional phrase
16)Lobby to stiffen penalties for trafficking, sexual relations,etc.
17)Reinstate the ADP as we knew it, but revamp the DHB procedures
18)Revamp the merit raise system so that raises are given to those that exhibit true initiative and job knowledge
19)Initiate programs for offenders that could generate revenue for the state
20)Set up a website that would take the constructive critisizm and suggestions of both employees and public to make our department run both more effectively and efficiently
This is just where I would start and I allready know that the commish has allready thought of some of these things and has acted on them.LOL LOL LOL!!!!!!!

[SATT]

Eliminate the chit board and institute a system of time accounting that relies on at least two people working independantly of each other to cross-reference time. This allows for anyone working above and beyond their shifts to be compensated for overtime as they earn it instead of being told they must flex. Time and a half for time served above the base.

Also, one of the auditing sources (could be a program setup in Control or in Dispatch) accounts for people as they clock in and out so as to avoid certain Captains who think it is fun to call at 2 AM to inform you that your chit wasn't properly dealt with.

Staff discipline (pre-deps) should be handled by a trained board from outside the facility that travels from camp to camp to deal with this issue. This eliminates personal bias against individuals from people within the facilities.

If you want more offenders out of prison and recidivism to decrease, teach them a trade. Don't let them sit in a cell or just mop a floor. Offer more trades that can be taken to the streets. Set up an electronics repair shop in each facility to learn how to repair TV's and radios. Get the Auto Shops running. Set up screen printing shops that can pring the DOC wear that we sell now. These are but a few.

Have a reverse recall meeting where the supervisors are required to listen to the views and opinions of the staff that work for them.

[true]

....that's wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy 2 easy........and common sense 2......

[Staff]

The ADP needs revamped with teeth in it desperately. Inmates are laughing at staff when they receive disciplinary action because they know unless it's an extremely serious violation, it means nothing.
A Class "C" conduct report for fighting is absolutely ridiculous. This in itself sends the wrong message to inmates. The lack of teeth in the disciplinary process across the board places staff, inmates and the public in danger...period and there is absolutely no excuse for it.
"No disciplinary transfers to higher security levels because Central Office doesn't want inmates transferred...lack of bed space...money."
No teeth in the disciplinary process......no facility handbooks......
Classification changed...putting inmates at facilities in which they have no business being.......I could go on and on.......The former commissioner created a monster that will take 20 years to stop.....and it sadly continues. State legislators say they have never seen the DOC in such sad shape......I couldn't agree more....