Produce Grown at Prison Facilities are Donated to Food Banks

Pine Lodge Corrections Center for Women's garden

Offenders and staff at Pine Lodge Corrections Center for Women (PLCCW) and the Washington Corrections Center (WCC) are sharing the surplus of the facility’s gardens with several local community food banks.

PLCCW’s summer-long harvest produced a total of 20,506.5 pounds and WCC produced a total of 10,125 pounds.

“PLCCW staff accepted as much produce as the kitchen could use, everything else was donated to community food banks,” said Food Manager Jose Gudina.

PLCCW donated a total of 3,652 pounds of fresh produce to the Medical Lake Food Bank and WCC donated all of their 10,125 pounds of fresh produce to food banks in Mason County, which include: St. Pantry, Hood Canal Food Bank, Matlock Food Bank, Shelton Senior Center and Gateway Churches.

“These offenders work long days and take pride on what they are doing in giving back to the community and at the same time they are learning a work ethic that will help in their re-entry process,” said Grounds and Nursery Services Specialist at WCC Scott Knapps.

As a result of PLCCW’s garden, their facility has the lowest raw food cost per offender of any DOC institution in the state for the last three consecutive quarters during the 2006-2007 fiscal year, averaging just $1 per offender meal. Since July, food costs have dropped to just 98 cents per offender meal.

All DOC facilities are encouraged to practice sustainability. By composting items such as coffee grounds and vegetable scraps from the kitchen, the year to date compost totals for PLCCW in 2007 have reached 5,025 pounds.

Offenders Receive Certificates That Assist in Landing Jobs After Release

Correctional Industries (CI) is offering hard-working and dedicated offenders Certificates of Proficiency to help document their work skills and experience as they take steps to re-enter the workforce.

The new Certificates of Proficiency will be awarded to offenders who demonstrate a high level of competence in their work. It signifies a great accomplishment, said CI’s assistant director, Michael Colwell.

“Offenders who earn these certificates work in real jobs, are out there getting real-life experience, in a real-world setting,” Colwell said. “This certificate documents their experience and that they showed up for work every day--it is similar to a letter of recommendation.”

The Certificate of Proficiency documents that an offender has met the strict criteria developed by CI. Each certificate lists the appropriate occupational codes, which describes the job duties, skills, experience, qualifications, etc. WorkSource, other employment specialists, and offenders can refer to these codes for a better understanding of skills and knowledge acquired on the job. This information also assists offenders when creating resumes.

“Correctional Industries’ long-term goal is to partner with vocational education and others to eventually offer third party certificates to offenders,” said Colwell. “Offenders who receive this internal Certificate of Proficiency will have an easier time qualifying for third party certificates.”

In order to receive a Certificate of Proficiency, offenders must accomplish the following criteria: have a minimum of 1,500 hours or one year in the same classification, demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge of the job, and receive a high score on their most recent Offender Performance Evaluation. They must also understand the safety requirements of the job and incorporate safety procedures, consistently meet or exceed production standards, understand and achieve quality standards, and consistently demonstrate a good attitude and work habits.

Angella Coker Receives the Law Enforcement Professionalism Award

Angella Coker, Community Corrections Specialist, received the Outstanding Law Enforcement Professionalism Award from the Domestic Violence Unit of the King County Prosecutor’s Office.

Coker was selected by the King County Prosecutor’s Office Advocacy Unit and the Deputy Prosecuting Attorneys for her important work as a community victim liaison. She has been instrumental in creating coordinated responses between law enforcement and the Prosecutor’s Office on several cases involving domestic violence.

“Angella brings victim services to the forefront of the Department of Corrections,” said Felony Domestic Violence Victim Advocate Emily Elting, who nominated Coker to receive this award. “She has built strong relationships within the King County Prosecutor’s Office that allows us all to work together for a coordinated response.”

Coker began working for the Department in 2005 and is one of six Community Victim Liaisons within DOC’s Victim Service Program. Coker coordinates safety planning for victims of high-risk offenders who are under the jurisdiction of DOC. As part of her work, she establishes collaborative partnerships between DOC, criminal justice agencies, and community based programs in order to enhance the Department’s response to victims of crime.

“I have been working with domestic violence survivors since 2001 and feel as though the most important aspect of my work is to help survivors access the criminal justice system,” Coker said. “The greatest reward is when a survivor of domestic violence is empowered by the opportunity to participate in the legal system.”

Dan Satterberg, Acting King County Prosecutor, the Advocates and Deputy Prosecuting Attorneys presented Coker with her award at the Eleventh Annual Domestic Violence Awards Ceremony Oct. 1 in Seattle.

From Isolation to Communities, with Help in Between

Steve Blakeman, a Correctional Unit Supervisor at Clallam Bay Corrections Center, shows where Phase 1 of the Step Down program takes place

Being released to society after years in prison can be a hard adjustment for anyone. Being released to society after spending years almost completely cut off from human contact can be – and often is – too much to handle.

One offender who was recently released from Clallam Bay Corrections Center essentially locked himself in a hotel in Oregon, afraid to leave. After spending nearly a decade in the Intensive Management Unit, in which offenders can remain in their cells for 23 hours a day, he couldn’t deal with his sudden freedom.

“It’s just so much, so fast,” said Steve Blakeman, a Correctional Unit Supervisor at Clallam Bay. “They’re used to this really controlled, structured environment, then suddenly they have no structure at all.”

To reduce the number of offenders released directly from IMUs, staff members and administrators here at Clallam Bay have been using the Step Down program since September 2006. The five-phase program gradually integrates dangerous offenders back into the general prison population.

The Step Down program is part of DOC’s broader Re-Entry Initiative, which will prepare offenders for successful re-entry into communities to reduce recidivism and make the public safer.

“If an offender can’t effectively interact with people in prison, how can they possibly interact with people outside prison?” Superintendent Karen Brunson said.

Studies show that offenders released directly from IMUs have higher recidivism rates. According to a 2003 study by University of Washington professor David Lowell, 47 percent of offenders who were released directly from IMUs re-offended, compared to 38 percent who were released from other units. A majority – 54 percent – of violent offenders released directly from IMU re-offended.

“And they don’t just re-offend more often – they re-offend sooner,” said Dr. Iris Rucker, a psychologist at Clallam Bay. “We’ve seen them released from IMUs and get arrested four days later.”

Step Down is a voluntary program, and at first most of the 124 offenders in IMU were reluctant to participate. But after a handful of offenders successfully completed a few phases, more offenders showed interest. Thirty-one offenders so far have participated in Step Down.

Other DOC prisons with IMUs have programs similar to Step Down, and staff members at Clallam Bay hope to share their findings and learn from others.

“We’ve received a lot of support from headquarters on this,” Blakeman said. “I think it’s obvious they realize that we need to improve the transition from IMU to communities, and that’s what we’re doing here.”

Several Offenders at PLCCW Receive Diplomas at Graduation Ceremony

Offenders, peers, and DOC staff gathered at PLCCW's graduation ceremony

Thirteen offenders from Pine Lodge Corrections Center for Women (PLCCW) received graduation diplomas that will assist in a successful re-entry into the community once released.

Eleven offenders received a General Education Diploma (GED) and the other two received Information Technology “B” Certificates (ITC) on Sept. 27. The ITC graduates completed 10 application courses such as Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, and three vocational support classes (math, human relations, writing).

Guest Speaker, Correctional Unit Supervisor John Biddulph, spoke about the importance of having a positive attitude—especially when approaching each day’s challenges. The graduates’ positive attitudes and utilizing the programs while incarcerated has helped them attain diplomas, which can be used for future employment once released.

“Life has many difficulties and it’s up to us how we handle them,” said Biddulph.

PLCCW’s dedicated education staff made it possible for these female offenders to reach their graduation goal and achieve this positive milestone. The graduates said the instructors made learning interesting, fun and they are the reason they felt as though they can succeed.

The graduates received their diplomas from Community Colleges of Spokane staff with their peers and DOC staff present.

“Pine Lodge Corrections Center for Women always has a ‘celebrate our achievements’ attitude, with well attended, energetic, enthusiastic graduations,” said the Master of Ceremonies and administrative assistant at Airway Heights Correctional Center, Jennifer Deymonaz.

State, Local and Elected Officials Talk About Re-entry

B. Diane Williams, President of the Chicago-based Safer Foundation at the Re-entry Symposium

The message at the Department of Corrections’ statewide symposium on offender re-entry last month was that it takes partnerships to make re-entry successful.

Re-entry is not just a corrections issue. Successful re-entry requires effective partnerships between government and non-government agencies, communities and families, employers, and faith based programs. All must do their part to aid in the successful re-entry of offenders and make the community safer.

Secretary Harold Clarke opened the two-day symposium in SeaTac by recognizing the diverse group of approximately 250 criminal justice and community leaders who gathered to hear nationally recognized experts speak on re-entry.

“Working together we will—not we can, but we will—make Washington a safer place,” Secretary Clarke told those attending.    

 Several symposium speakers recognized the importance of family support in the effort to prevent offenders from returning to lives of crime after release from prison or jail.

“Families are pro-social leverage to help offenders and they provide great strength,” said Thomas MacLellan, program director of the National Governor’s Association Center for Best Practices. “When you leverage families and social networks you get a better outcome.”

 “You cannot have successful re-entry without acknowledging people who are touched by it, such as family and friends,” said B. Diane Williams, President of the Chicago-based Safer Foundation. “These offenders left with a family; so family must be prepared and taught how to be supportive when they return.”

In addition to integrating offender family members and friends in each offender’s re-entry plan, employment also is crucial in an offender’s successful re-entry.

“It’s difficult for families and friends to welcome offenders home when they feel like they are a big burden because of joblessness,” said Williams.
 

Another way of assisting offenders is by providing them with a faith-based mentor. Faith-based mentors can aid offenders in finding jobs, coaching with job interviews, and helping build resumes.  Often times, the faith community can hire ex-offenders.

“Mentors must earn the trust of inmates before release and assist them once released,” said Steve McFarland, director of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Task Force on Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. “Religious mentors are helpful in stopping the generational legacy of incarceration.”  

The Safer Foundation’s Williams noted that people often prefer to avoid risk when considering efforts such as improving an offender’s chances of remaining crime free.
   
“Re-entry must be a balance of risk, investment and return,” Williams said. “None of this comes without risk and it’s not perfect so we must all do the best we can and manage hiccups as best we can.”

Steve Aos, Washington Institute for Public Policy used the economist’s concept of “compound interest” to explain that even small improvements in reducing recidivism can have a big impact on crime over time.

By implementing public policies such as re-entry, even small improvements in recidivism year after year can result in substantially different crime rates that in turn reduce the need to build expensive new prison space, Aos said.

The re-entry symposium was sponsored by: Community, Trade and Economic Development, Department of Corrections, Department of Corrections Correctional Industries, Department of Social and Health Services, Employment Security Department, International Association of Police Chiefs, Jail Industries Board, Metropolitan Improvement District, National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice, National Governor’s Association, Washington Correctional Association, and Women in Criminal Justice.