ASystemsApproachtoReducingtheUseofSegrega7on/Restric7veHousing

inConfinement:PromisingApproaches

Dr.AngelaBrowneOctober2016

TypicalCondi7onsofSegrega7on*

•  Isola7onfromtherestoftheprisonpopula7on•  Incell23of24hours/dayatleast5daysaweek(varies)

–  Oneortwoprisonerspercell–  Outofcellforshowerorexercise[indoorenclosedarea;outdoorcage](varies)–  IFnotlockeddownorotherlimitaHons.

•  Limitedhumancontactorinterac7ons,familyorothervisits,orcalls•  Limitedornoprogramming,mh/medtreatment–support•  2-on-1escorts;restrainsforallmovement•  Mealsdeliveredthruslotindoor;mh/medvisitsconductedthroughdoor

•  Over7meusedforrela7velyminor&non-violentoffenses

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PrisonExerciseArea

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ClarifyingTypesofSegrega7on/Restric7veHousing(RH)

•  DisciplinaryorPuni/vesegrega/on–usedtopunishindividualsforviolaHngruleswhileinconfinement.(Short-term,canlast…)

•  Administra/veSegrega/on–usedtoremoveprisonerswhoarethoughttoposearisktosafetyorsecurityfromgeneralprisonpopulaHon,evenifnoviolaHonisidenHfied.(Technicallynotasanc9on;open-ended;some9mesusedaspunishment)

•  Protec/veCustody–forprisonersbelievedtobeatriskinthegeneralprisonpopulaHon:oOenheldinAdministraHveSegregaHonfortheirprotecHon.(Voluntary&involuntary)

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ClarifyingTypesofSegrega7on/Restric7veHousing(RH)

•  TemporaryConfinement–e.g.,whileareportedincidentisbeinginvesHgated,pendingcompleHonofpaperworkorassessments,whennobedsareavailable.(Canlast…)

•  “Supermax”;“ClosedMaximumSecurity”prisons–mayholdbothdisciplinary&administraHveprisoners.OOenbuiltforhighlevelsofisolaHon,lowlevelsofcontactwithothers.*(Long-term)

[*Mears,DanielP.(2013).“SupermaxPrisons:ThePolicyandtheEvidence.”InCriminology&PublicPolicy,Vol.12(No.4),pp.681-718.]

AngelaBrowne_October2016

Two-PersonRestricHveHousingCell

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TrendsinUseofSegrega7onintheU.S.

Since1980s–whenfirstsupermaxprisonswerebuilt–trendtowardincreasingrelianceonisolaHonofprisonersasadiscipline&managementtool.E.g.,

§  NumberofpeopleinsegregaHonbedsnaHonwideincreasedfrom57,591in1995to81,622in2005{BJSCensusofState&FederalCorrec9onalFacili9es-2000;2005}

AtthesameHme,condiHonsofisolaHonbecameincreasinglysevere,notjustinsupermaxunits&faciliHes,butalsoinsegregaHonunitsacrossthecountry.

Developedtohandlethemostdangerousprisoners,over7meexpandedtoincludemoreminorviola7ons:talkingback,being‘outofplace’,failuretoreporttowork/school,refusingtochangecells.

AngelaBrowne_October2016

Popula7onsinSegrega7on

Administra7ve,Disciplinary,&Protec7veCustodysegrega7onunitshouseahighpropor7onofpeoplewithseverementalillness&developmental/intellectualdisabili7es,

asthesecondiHonsleadtotoviolaHons(DS)ortheyarehousedinsegregaHonfortheirownprotecHon.

Evenwithnoviola7ons–typicallyhousedwithsamesecurityprocedures,levelsofisola7on,restrictedhumancontact,&reducedaccesstoprograms&mentalhealthcare.This:

•  Restrictscongregate&therapeuHc/programmingopHons•  IsanineffecHveuseofresources&space•  MayaltercondiHonsofconfinementforotherprisoners•  ExposesmentallyillandothervulnerableprisonerstohighlevelsofisolaHon

&lowlevelsoftreatment&programming.

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RecentIncreaseinConcernreUseofRestric7veHousingintheU.S.

•  MANY YEARS (1890->)ofconcernexpressedperiodically

•  RECENTLY(2010-Present)Historic,rapid,widespreadriseinconcernacrosssocietalsectors&callsforreforminU.S.

•  GENERALIZING FROMLiHgaHon/Family/Advocacyto INCLUDEcorrecHonsadministrators,legislators&generalpublic

•  STATE LEVEL REFORMS & CHANGES inincreasingnumberofDOCs

•  CONGRESSIONAL SENATESubcommigeeHearings2012,2014;SUPREME COURT denouncementsof“solitary”

AngelaBrowne_October2016

MainAreasofCurrentFocus

AdministraHveSegregaHonMentally/severelymentallyillinsegregaHonCondiHonsofconfinementSupermaxPrisons

Increasinginterestin•  Elimina7ngsegrega7onasanautoma7cchoice•  U7lizingalterna7vestotheuseofsegrega7on•  Bestandpromisingprac7ces

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Effec7veChangeRequires

1. A COORDINATED,SYSTEM-WIDEapproachtobuildingpopulaHon-&problem-specificalternaHvestoRestricHveHousingacrossasystem

SegregaHon/restricHvehousingusedasa–  TRANSITIONAL,NEEDS-BASED IntervenHon–  Withtargetedprogramming&incenHvizedtransiHonsbackto

generalpopulaHon/specifichousingalternaHves

2.  Addi7onalpopula7onsincludedinsegrega7onreforms>E.g.,protecHvecustodyprisoners,personswithdevelopmental/intellectualdisabiliHes

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System-WideStrategies

•  Managebehaviorthroughprogramming&incenHvesforposiHvebehavior,ratherthanrelyingprimarilyonsancHons

•  Useon-unitsancHonsormovestootherorspecialprogramunitsforproblembehavior–insteadofsegregaHon–inresponsetorulebreaking,disrupHon&vulnerability

•  Increaseface-to-faceoutofcellcontactformentalhealthvisits&educaHonalacHviHes

•  FocusonviolenceprevenHoningeneralpopulaHon,stafftrainingonrespondingtospecialpopulaHons&programming

•  EnhancecongregateopportuniHesinalltypesofhousing,includingtransiHonalRH,forgroupprogramming,educaHon,&acHviHes

AngelaBrowne_October2016

‘Unpacking’Segrega7on

1. DEVELOPtargetedalternaHvestomeetpredominantneedsofthesystem’spopulaHon

2. USEthesealternaHvesforspecificbehaviors&needsfirst,insteadofsegregaHon/restricHvehousing

3. ENHANCEassessment,hand-off&transfermechanismse.g.,forflexibility&Hmeliness

4. TRANSITIONvulnerable,chronicallydisrupHve,mentallyill&protecHvecustodyprisonerscurrentlyinRHintoalternaHvehousing/programmingviaprepatoryprogramming&step-downalternaHves

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Educa7onArea_Before

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Educa7onArea_Aber

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PromisingAlterna7ves

•  Mission-specificHousingforVulnerablePopulaHons–e.g.,thosewithIntellectualDisabiliHes,DevelopmentalDisabiliHes,SevereMentalIllness(e.g.,SkillBuildingUnits)

•  SafeHarborsforProtecHveCustodyprisonersthatfuncHonlikegeneralpopulaHon:congregateacHviHes,dayroom,programming

•  Problem-specificprogrammingforChronicViolators(e.g.,IntensiveTransiHonPrograms)

•  DisaffiliaHon/LifestylereorientaHonforGang-involvedPrisoners(e.g.,MoHvaHngOffenderChange;RestoraHontoPopulaHonProgram)

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EarlyOutcomes

Recentinnova7ons

•  DemonstratethatsystemscanachievebegeroutcomesbysignificantlyreducingthenumbersofprisonersheldinsegregaHonwithoutjeopardizinginsHtuHonalsafety,and

•  CreatemodelsthatcanbeadaptedforuseinotherjurisdicHons

Newly-testedstrategiesforUNPACKING SEGREGATIONoverallandSYSTEM-WIDE ALTERNATIVES todothis

•  Arebeingdeveloped&successfullyimplementedinjurisdicHons

•  IncludinginjurisdicHonswithbudgetchallenges,staffshortages,overcrowding&anHquatedarchitecture.

AngelaBrowne_October2016

EarlyOutcomes

Agencieswithearlyimplementa7onreport

•  ReducHonsinviolenceinfaciliHes/units•  SharpreducHonsinnumbersinsegregaHon/restricHve

housing•  SharpreducHonofmentallyillinsegregaHon/restricHve

housing•  PosiHvegrowth&changeamongthoseinvolvedinprograms•  Increasedstaffandprisonersafetyinopenhousing,mission-

specifichousing,&ganghousingunits•  Increasesinstaff&prisonersaHsfacHon&morale

AngelaBrowne_October2016

EarlyOutcomes

•  Decreaseingrievances&useofforce•  BenefitsforstaffretenHon•  Declininginterestamonggangmembersinbeinginvolvedwith

gangviolence•  SharpreducHonsinthenumberofprisonersreleaseddirectly

fromsegregaHontothecommunity.

Poten7alcostreduc7onsforjurisdic7ons/states

•  Fewerincidents&injuries,fewerhigh-costsegregaHonunits/beds,lessstaffturnover,lessliHgaHon.

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