Corrections Connection
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Corrections Connection Volume 30, Issue 3 March 2018 Corrections Connection March 2018 2 In this issue: An Alternative Path 3 Field Days Podcast 5 Hiring efforts 6 West Shoreline update 7 Women in corrections 7 Parole supervisor makes history 8 New wardens 8 Recognized Recruit 9 Department leaders retire 10 Remembering Agent Taylor 10 Fire Truck Pull 10 Legislative update 11 Battle of the Badges 11 The Voice 11 The Extra Mile 12 Corrections Quiz 16 Employee Recreation Day 16 Snapshots 17 Corrections in the News 17 Seen on Social Media 17 New hires 18 Retirements 19 Corrections Connection is a publication of the The image on the cover was taken at Dow Gardens in Office of Public Information and Communications. Midland by Kerri Huizar, Bay County Circuit Court Probation Story ideas, feedback and comments can Supervisor. For the chance to have your photo featured on the cover of be submitted to Holly Kramer at KramerH@ the newsletter, email a high-resolution version of the image michigan.gov. and a description of where it was taken to Holly Kramer at Like MDOC on Facebook or follow us on Twitter. [email protected]. Committed to Protect, Dedicated to Success Corrections Connection March 2018 3 An Alternative Path drill and ceremony field, who responded with an Special Alternative enthusiastic “Oorah!” For 30 years, the program has offered intensive Incarceration military-style discipline, programming and service work designed to help offenders set their lives in a program closes in on positive direction. It aims to instill positive values and a sense of respect for oneself and others. Trainees are held to high 30 years of operation standards and have strictly regimented days that include work assignments, physical training and time in the classroom. he sun was just beginning to rise over the trees “It has increased the amount of discipline I have in my in rural southeast Michigan as a group of young life, showed me the inner strength I have and taught men stood at attention facing a small crowd of me the value of integrity,” said Jacob Steele, who was Tfriends and family. among the nine graduates. “I believe it has changed me The stillness of the morning would be punctuated by in a really positive manner.” celebration as nine of them completed the first phase of the Michigan Department of Corrections’ Special Setting Out Alternative Incarceration program. The program is meant to be intense. “Today we have nine grads going home to their New trainees are greeted at the facility with the shouts families,” Corporal David Bell told the soon-to- of staff who closely direct their every move from the be graduates and other trainees assembled on the moment they arrive and demand that they respond Committed to Protect, Dedicated to Success Corrections Connection March 2018 4 Pictured: An SAI trainee meets with Dudley Campfield, a substance abuse counselor at the facility. with “sir” or “ma’am.” and following directions. In the program. Stripping away tough, antisocial Bravo Company, trainees have the The first site was Camp Sauble in attitudes and conveying the need opportunity to participate in work northwestern Michigan, which had for immediate compliance is a assignments that can help give them a capacity to house 120 offenders. major component of the program, a sense of purpose and build soft Sentencing judges were supportive and especially, the intake process. skills. of the program and as many At the facility in Chelsea, incoming “The trainees can see their goals saw it as a viable alternative to offenders are directed to sit in a happening,” Walling said. “They see prison, legislation was introduced chair that faces a mirror. As another progress and they see themselves to expand eligibility to include trainee shaves their head, facility doing things they never thought prisoners, female offenders and staff ask them about their crime, they could.” offenders older than 25. its victims and the people in their Early Days In 1991, the Cassidy Lake Technical own life who care about them. The program began in 1988 School, a minimum-security It is intended to make offenders when legislation to start a Special facility for men, was converted to confront their actions, realize that Alternative Incarceration (SAI) the newest and only site for the their past behavior is unacceptable program in Michigan was enacted program. At one time, both male and understand who they are and existing laws were amended and female offenders were housed hurting, said Capt. Dann Walling. to allow judges to sentence at the facility – though in separate New trainees later meet with a probationers 17 to 24 years old to units. corrections program coordinator The SAI program for female who will go over educational and cognitive-behavioral programming they will need during their 90-day stay at the facility that is broken into segments spent with Alpha Company and Bravo Company. In Alpha Company, trainees learn the rules and practices of life at SAI. Every action, including making their bunk, organizing their footlocker and getting dressed is tightly controlled, highly disciplined, and meant to reinforce listening Pictured: SAI Capt. Dann Walling congratulates a trainee graduating from the program. Committed to Protect, Dedicated to Success Corrections Connection March 2018 5 offenders is now housed at Women’s education, skills, and discipline they the program, said the structure it Huron Valley Correctional Facility. need to achieve a successful and brought to his life would be helpful To participate, offenders must meet stable life. when he went home, as would the eligibility requirements which In 2017, 90 percent of participating advice of corporals. include having no previous prison offenders successfully completed “One of the corporals told me sentences. the program. throughout your entire life you have Walling, who has worked at SAI “They realize they don’t have to to take baby steps,” Grosvenor said. for 26 years, said the program be what they have always been,” “I always wanted to take giant leaps once had a larger focus on physical Walling said. “It’s hard. They learn and get somewhere fast, but now I training and discipline. That focus they can overcome an obstacle and know it takes time and effort to get shifted over the years to place have success.” to where you need to be.” more emphasis on programs that Sgt. Tyrone Sims often sees Click the image below to listen can help offenders succeed in the trainees on their first day of the to an episode of the Field Days community. program and on their last and podcast about Special Alternative “In the early days it was extremely said the change they experience Incarceration program. physically intense,” Walling said. is noticeable, including in their “We increased evidence-based handshake. programs and we had to look at “They’ll shake your hand and look the end result: Do we want guys to you in the eye,” Sims said. “If you be able to run five miles, or do we respect yourself, you’ll respect want them to be able to make good everyone else.” decisions?” After completing the first phase of the program at the facility, offenders Going Home move on to a period of intensive What is most important is that supervision in the community. offenders leave the facility with the Jacob Grosvenor, a graduate of CheckHAVE out these episodesYOU of theHEARD? Field Days podcast • MDOC Health Care Administrator Lia Gulick and Douglas Skrzyniarz, Associate Vice President of Government Health Affairs for Wayne State University, discuss the department’s new partnership with Wayne State. • The week of March 11 was Sunshine Week, which draws awareness to access to public records and information. Hear FOIA Manager Andy Phelps talk about the MDOC’s transparency and efforts to fill Freedom of Information Act Requests. • Corrections Officer Jernerro Horton has a passion for being a positive role model. Hear about how he exercises that passion as a Thinking for a Change Facilitator. Committed to Protect, Dedicated to Success Corrections Connection March 2018 6 Department ramping up hiring and efforts to fill vacancies statewide ichigan Department of Corrections ensured the closure process went as smoothly as Memployees work hard every day to keep our possible. communities safe and change the lives of offenders Now that this process is complete, we can ramp up under our supervision for the better. efforts to fill remaining positions and relieve the Our work to burden of added work on other staff. protect the Current funding will allow the department to public does bring on about 550 new corrections officers this not stop on fiscal year. Gov. Rick Snyder’s executive budget weekends, recommendation for the next fiscal year includes a holidays or funding request that would allow the department after the sun to hire and train a total of 759 new officers. goes down. Three training academies have started or are The need scheduled and are expected to include nearly 200 is constant, new corrections officer recruits. A training class Pictured: New corrections officer graduates and our that included 23 new recruits for Women’s Huron in the 2017 Bruce Curtis Academy work is critical Valley Correctional Facility began March 12, a to the law training class in Lansing that will include 106 new enforcement and criminal justice community. recruits will begin March 26 and a training class in Today, many of you are working harder than ever. the Upper Peninsula that is expected to include 43 There are hundreds of vacancies department-wide, recruits will begin April 9. and many of these positions were held open to These classes are expected to bring 18 new prepare for staff movements related to the closure officers to Michigan Reformatory, 12 to G.