Connecticut Department of Correction (CTDOC)
Restrictive Housing System Study
Independent Report Created by Falcon Inc,
Commissioned by the Connecticut Department of Correction
As part of the Department of Corrections continuing efforts to improve the quality of services it provides to the individuals under their supervision, the agency contracted with the Falcon Inc., a nationwide consulting and management firm, to conduct a comprehensive study of the CTDOC’s restrictive housing policies.
Specifically, a seven-member team from Falcon Correctional and Community Services, Inc. worked collaboratively with CT Department of Correction executive and senior staff members to:
- Conduct a focused review of data and population trends
- Review and assess CTDOC’s existing systems and restrictive housing practices
- Facilitate a series of workshops with internal and external stakeholders to include advocacy and special interest groups
- Tour 11 facilities to include interactions and interviews with both staff and incarcerated individuals
- Identify and analyze observations
- Develop the enclosed set of recommendations
Key Observations
The CTDOC had numerous strengths that the Falcon team recognized while collecting data, visiting the facilities, attending meetings with CTDOC staff, and facilitating workshops. While there were too many to list, the report highlights several of the agency’s strengths and characteristics, including:
Executive and senior leadership are motivated and attuned to worldwide correctional practice reforms and demonstrates interest and action through engagement in proactive initiatives, such as the Amend program and the current Restricted Housing System Study.
Recommendations
- Governance Structure
- Establish a governance structure for special projects.
- Activate a team for implementation.
- Communication & Stakeholder Engagement
- Enhance stakeholder communication plan.
- Staffing & Staff Development
- Conduct a comprehensive staffing analysis.
- Align initial, annual, and continuous learning and development opportunities to philosophical and operational changes.
- Introduce formal staff wellness initiatives building upon University of Connecticut (UConn) and Amend partnerships.
- Operations
- Optimize the classification process.
- Use the DP to assess criminogenic and clinical needs that may have contributed to the requirement for increased restrictions.
- Redefine RH as a behavioral assessment and intervention strategy.
- Memorialize New Practices in Policy.
- Evaluate the need for additional programming spaces.
- Consider technological companion to strip searches.
- Consider terminating the use of in-cell restraints.
- Programming
- Conduct a comprehensive staffing analysis.
- Expand capacity for evidence-based programming.
- Expand access to substance use treatment programs.
- Mental Health
- Conduct a full evaluation of mental health practices of Suicide Watch, Behavioral Observation Status (BOS) and Programmatic Intervention Cell (PIC) to include health record reviews and relapse data.
- Expand and enhance treatment and intervention for individuals interfacing with the DP and RH settings by integrating behavioral health treatment with programming and eliminating a categorical approach to disposition.
- Introduce a treatment/programming model that engages individuals, even during short-term RHU stays, and continues post release from RHUs.
- Data Collection and System Monitoring
- Implement a modern data system with live time and retrospective tracking and monitoring of all RHU-related practices to include suicide watch, BOS, PIC, Refusing to House, and in-cell restraints available at site and departmental levels. The record system should also be developed with capability to identify high-frequency or high-risk individuals for screening and additional assessment as warranted.
- Implement Scheduled, Offered, Accepted, Refused (SOAR) out-of-cell tracking (OOCT) and analysis for all restrictive statuses.
- Create public-facing disciplinary and RHU data dashboards.
To view the entire report, click on the following link:
Comprehensive Study, Program Validation, and Best Practice Recommendations. Submitted to Commissioner Angel Quiros on November 27, 2024