Is My Patient Faking It?
Unfortunately, correctional nurses must be wary of a variety of motives behind inmate-patients seeking medical or mental health treatment. Malingering is defined as the intentional falsification or exaggeration of symptoms for external motives or secondary gain. There is a high incidence of malingering in jails and prisons. A reported 20% of mental illness in corrections is malingering.
Reasons to Fake Illness
There are many reasons an inmate may fake a mental or medical condition. The first that usually comes to mind is to procure drugs. Separated from preferred mood enhancers such as alcohol or barbiturates, inmates seek other avenues of relief. Seroquel (Suzie-Q) is an example of a current favorite that may be sought through feigning mental illness or psychosis.
However, in the prison system secondary gain can include other, more benign desires such as special creams, lotions, or supplements. One prison system I worked in had a problem with overuse of nutritional supplements (such as Ensure). It was discovered that it brought a high price on the facility black market as bodybuilders thought it would help them bulk up.
Illness can also bring desirable housing locations or work release. Trips to hospital or specialists provide avenues for escape attempts or a chance for a ‘vacation’.
Some inmates may exaggerate symptoms because they think they will not get attention in the system unless they are in severe distress. A true medical condition exists but not as intense as it is being portrayed.
A Nurse’s Best Response
A good principle to follow is to “Trust no one but give everyone the benefit of the doubt”. This is key to maintaining the right level of professional objectivity, writes Melissa Caldwell, PhD, in a recent article for the Society of Correctional Physicians. Here are some tips to help you maintain objectivity in the face of potential malingering:
- Do a complete nursing assessment. Do not disregard any medical complaint as faking. Always respond.
- Thoroughly document all objective and subjective data. Repeated questioning now or later may reveal inconsistencies or validate findings.
- Review prior documentation and history for comparison or evidence of drug-seeking behaviors.
- Portray empathy. You do, in fact, want to get to the bottom of the issue and provide correct treatment.
- Avoid giving clues that will make them a better malingerer.
- Err on the side of safety. Provide a period of observation (such as in the infirmary or holding area).
- Always question yourself. After 3 false ‘chest pain’ complaints – this could be the real one.
Remember, determining malingering is not a nursing function. Assessment, referral or treatment based on protocol are nursing actions. As in the game of baseball – play your position.
Why It‘s Important
Getting to the bottom of potential malingering is important in order to eliminate the waste of valuable resources and time that could be more effectively used elsewhere. Correctional nurses can help eliminate inmate malingering by taking careful histories and assessments, documenting responses for comparisons over time, and collaborating with medical and mental health staff to develop appropriate interventions.
More Resources on Malingering
Lockup Doc http://lockupdoc.com/tag/malingering
All Nurse: http://allnurses.com/correctional-nursing/print256963.html
CorrDoc: http://www.corrdocs.org/framework.phppagetype=newsstory&newsid=12160&bgn=2
Lawofficer.com: http://www.lawofficer.com/news-and-articles/columns/Kulbarsh/malingering.html
Journal of Family Practice: http://www.jfponline.com/Pages.asp?AID=2821#1
Psychopharmacology: http://www.acbhcs.org/Psychopharmacology/2005/June2005.pdf
Prison Tattoos – What Nurses Need to Know
Tattoos have been a part of prison culture for some time. Prison tattoos are most often obtained to identify allegiance to a particular gang. Tattoos (also called Tats or Ink) can identify skills, specialties, or convictions. Read about ways tats communicate information. Tattooing is usually forbidden in the prison system, making it a daring task, as well as making it a potentially dangerous one.
Dangers of Prison Tattooing
The major danger of prison tattooing (aside from bad art work!) is blood-born pathogen (BBP) transmission. Typical methods for tattooing include use of common ball-point pen ink and crude make-shift needles. Sterilization is not performed between uses. Although most inmates fear HIV transmission, the most likely BBP is Hepatitis B. The Hepatitis B virus is extremely contagious. Hepatitis C and resulting liver damage can also be transmitted through the prison tattooing process.
A controversial program in Canadian prisons was piloted to decrease the transmission of BBP by employing inmates to provide tattoos within the facility using good technique and sterilized equipment.
Other complications from prison tattooing are allergic reactions to the pigment, aggravation of existing skin diseases, or keloid scarring. You may see these conditions during a sick call visit.
Education Opportunity
Consider adding disease transmission information about prison tattooing during the intake process. Let incoming inmates know of the dangers of submitting to the tattooing process behind bars. Other education opportunities may come during sick call or cell-side rounds. Add tattoo information to regular infection control education and information materials.
Nursing Care Dilemma
An ethical dilemma can ensue if you are asked to assess a tattoo for age. Correctional nurses have been asked to determine if a tattoo is recent (and therefore ‘illegal’). This situation places the nurse in a position to be part of a punitive action. Since correctional nurses must maintain a care-giving status with inmates alternative methods are needed for assessing and staging tattoos within the facility.
How are prison tattoos handled in your workplace? Share your story in the comment section for this post.
Women’s Health in Prison
Girl in Prison By Alice Cope
The number of women in prison is much less than men, however, the rate of growth of female prisoners is nearly double that of males in the US. From 1995 to 2002 the female inmate population grew by 42% and is the fastest growing prison population. Currently 7% of the US prison population and 12% of the jail population is female. Gender issues must be considered in correctional healthcare. Women inmates have increase need for healthcare.
Trauma Informed Care
As many as 57% of women inmates have been physically or sexually abused at some point in their lives. This trauma contributes to increase in depression, stress & anxiety disorders, learning problems, behavioral disorders, and substance abuse according to NCCHC. The trauma-informed approach recognizes trauma as a central issue in the health of the majority of women inmates. Sensitivity and acknowledgement of a traumatic history can lead to interventions promoting recovery.
Mental Health
Trauma and abuse coupled with drug and alcohol abuse lead to increase mental illness. 36% of women inmates are treated for some form of mental illness compared to 24% of men. Correctional nurse working in women’s prisons experience first-hand the increased medication administration, esp. psychotropics, for female inmates. Women inmates are more willing to seek out counseling and psychiatric services, although many facilities are under staffed in these area.
Pregnancy and Reproductive Health
Incarcerated women tend to have complicated and high risk pregnancies due to their past medical histories, lack of prenatal care, and drug/alcohol use. Reproductive health is jeopardized by increased sexually transmitted diseases, pelvic inflammatory disease, and poor hygiene. Inadequate attention to female-specific screenings such as breast exams and Pap smears can lead to undetected cancers.
Impact of Prison on Health
A study in the UK found that imprisonment was largely detrimental to women’s health for a number of reasons. The shock of imprisonment coupled with separation from family and children affected health, as did poor health habits such as lack of exercise, poor dietary choices and close proximity to smokers.
What other female-specific health conditions have you seen in corrections?
Save Healthcare $$$ – Deliver Care Behind the Walls
Prison Tower, Joliet, IL
A West Virginia jail is discovering what many county and state governments have confirmed – inmate healthcare is less expensive when delivered onsite rather than in the community. Why is that? Lets discuss the factors that make onsite healthcare efficient and effective for the corrections community.
Officer Manpower
The greatest savings, by far, in delivering care, treatment and diagnostics behind the security wall of the prison or jail is sheer manhours. Every time an inmate must leave the facility, officers need to attend them, often putting the facility into overtime mode. More than one officer may be needed to deal with transportation, shackles, and continuous observation. Consider the round-the-clock needs while caring for an inmate in a hospital setting. Some states reduce costs by having a locked unit within the hospital which can decrease manpower needs. A few states have an entire prison hospital and/or long-term care facility within a security perimeter.
Telemedicine Behind Bars
A popular way to increase the specialty care delivered behind bars is the use of telemedicine. Televideo equipment beam the specialty practitioner into the facility to dialog with the inmate-patient and the facility medical staff. This operation is most effective for specialty areas like infectious diseases (ongoing management of HIV/HCV) and psychiatry. More sophisticated equipment has been developed to allow accurate assessment of heart and lungs, but they can be ost-prohibitive.
Mobile Diagnostic Units
Another way care is coming to the inmates rather than transporting the inmates to the care is through mobile units. X-rays, Mammography, MRI, and CT Scan Units are now available to come to the facility. Secure outlets from the facility to the mobile unit are arranged and staffed during special periods of operation.
Healthcare is a major component of any Department of Corrections budget. The recent Pew Report on America’s prisons cites an average of 6.8% of state budgets goes toward corrections. Investigating methods to deliver effective and efficient healthcare within the walls is a priority.
Nursing Care During a Prison Riot
The recent prison riot in Chino, CA brings to mind the need for a well prepared nursing staff to handle mass casualties. According to reliable reports, 250 inmates were injured, 55 seriously.
What is the role of the correctional nurse in a riot?
Correctional healthcare staff prepare regularly for a mass casualty situation. In an accredited facility, a prison-wide disaster drill is enacted annually to review the processes and skills necessary to deal with a large influx of injuries. An area of the prison (possibly a rec area or exercise yard) would be designated to triage the victims. Once this area has been secured, correctional nurses provide immediate emergency evaluation and treatment to the inmates brought there by custody staff. They make determinations about the need to transport to a hospital based on degree of injury.
What other challenges for care delivery exist due to a riot?
A common practice during periods of unrest in a correctional facility is the practice of lockdown. Facility lockdown severly restricts inmate movement and communication. This standard procedure for containment reduces the chances for further violence but is a severe stress on manpower and normal processes. Increased security services are required and often increased healthcare staff are needed, as well. Since inmate movement is limited, normal healthcare processes like sick call and medication administration must take place cell-to-cell rather than having inmates travel to the medical unit. Facilities may not be set up to accommodate medication carts in the housing units and pills may have to be ‘pre-poured’ which increases the potential for errors. Diabetic’s insulin injections are now given on the cell block requiring transport of needles and vials. Privacy becomes an issue for various treatments and assessments.
What protection do healthcare staff have during a riot situation?
Prisons and jails are arranged to contain or separate various areas within the security parimeter, usually using a sally port system. Sally ports, strictly monitored and operating by custody staff, greatly increasing protection in an emergency situation. Inmate and staff movement is totally curtailed during the immediate danger. Once the violence is subdued and contained, staff members would be escorted in and out of the building.
In addition, once it is determined which inmates were the leaders of the riot, they will likely be transferred to different facilities to reduce communication, collusion, and/or retaliation.
A prison riot is an emergency situation requiring the skilled intervention of correctional nurses to assess and manage trauma victims. Custody officers and healthcare staff work together to deal with the emergency.
Elderly Inmates – Increasing the Need for Correctional Nurses
With the current economic woes, governments are looking at ways to trim costs. The burgeoning correctional system is one place being reviewed. Upwards of 25% of a state’s budget may be allocated to this concern. However it is unlikely that much can be spared from correctional healthcare budgets. Costs have been escalating for many reasons, not a small one is the increasing age of the inmate population. Information in this blog post comes from two excellent articles. The Council of State Governments published a report – Graying Prisons. Dr. Glenda Reimer’s extensively referenced article The Graying of the U.S. Prisoner Population appeared in the July, 2008 issue of the Journal of Correctional Health Care.
The Extent of the Problem
The elderly inmate (defined as over 50 years of age) is the fastest growing segment of the incarcerated US population. The National Institute of Corrections documents a 172.6% increase in the decade ending 2001 when a total of 113,000 inmates had this designation. This growth is expected to continue for many reasons including longer sentencing, the general aging of the US population as a whole, and get-tough-on-crime reforms.
An Aging Inmate is Older than You Think
Due to a tendency toward poor dietary and exercise habits, coupled with high levels of substance abuse, the inmate population has a physiologic age an average of seven to ten years older than chronological age. This is exacerbated by a general lack of access to health-care services and a poorer socio-economic background than the general public. In fact, a study by the Florida Department of Corrections found, in 2000, that two-thirds of the inmates surveyed had their first significant health care experience while in prison.
Most Common Chronic Conditions Affecting the Older Inmate
Elderly inmates have high levels of chronic illness that must be managed within the security environment. A study by the National Institute of Corrections found these conditions of greatest frequency:
- Arthritis
- Hypertension
- Ulcer Disease
- Prostate Problems
- Myocardial Infarction
Correctional Nursing Needed More Than Ever!
The increasing percentage of aging inmates and their corresponding chronic disease load is requiring an increase in need for correctional nurses. Government statistics do not seem to be kept on current and projected employment in correctional nursing. This needs rectified. Inquiries are in process.
Nurses are needed to provide patient education, medication compliance counseling, and management of the care coordination necessary to deliver chronic care is a security environment.
Systemically, some state governments have initiated designated facilities for housing long-term care and acute care delivery in a centralized fashion. Concentrating healthcare services can lead to cost savings overtime, but can be expensive to initiate.
The need for dedicated quality nursing care to the incarcerated population is great. This specialty nursing practice needs attention and increased visibility.
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BlogTalkRadio Podcasts- I Can't Eat That! Food Allergies in Corrections - Dec 22,2011 December 22, 2011Jeffrey Keller, MD, FACEP, discusses the thorny issue of self-reported food allergies in the correctional setting. There are many misconceptions about what constitutes a food allergy. In addition, food preferences can be inappropriately identified as an allergy. How should correctional nurses sort out food allergies? Dr. Keller is the president of Badger Cor […]CorrectionalNrsgTday
- Are Correctional Nurses Outcasts? - Oct 04,2011 October 4, 2011Lorry chats with Kevin Connor, BSN, RN, CCHP, President of the California-Nevada Chapter of the American Correctional Health Services Association about the image of correctional nursing. Keven is Communicable Diseases Coordinator for the San Bernadino Sheriffs Department and works out of the West Valley Detention Center in Ranco Cucamonga, CA. The CA-NV ACHS […]CorrectionalNrsgTday
- Aging, Stressors and Inmate Health - Sep 17,2011 September 17, 2011Lorry talks with Dr. Tina Maschi, assistant professor at the Fordham University Graduate School of Social Service in New York City about her work on behalf of prisoners. She is a 2010 recipient of the competitive Hartford Geriatric Social Work Faculty Scholars Program Award, which is funded by the Hartford Foundation and the Gerontological Society of America […]CorrectionalNrsgTday
- Correctional Nursing in the UK - Aug 29,2011 August 29, 2011A chat with Ann Norman, SEN, RGN, a long time prison nurse now advising the Royal College of Nursing where she assists in the development of policy, support members locally and nationally across the 4 UK countries. In her role she actively supports the interests of prisoners and detainees, prison and police custody nursing staff, individuals who have a learn […]CorrectionalNrsgTday
- Thoughts on Correctional Nursing from the ACA Exhibit Hall - Aug 28,2011 August 28, 2011Lorry roams the Exhibit Hall at the 2011 American Correctional Association Conference in Orlando tracking down correctional nurses. They share advise for nurses new to the specialty.correctional nursing | American Correctional Association | Lorry Schoenly | corrections | nurse interviews […]CorrectionalNrsgTday
- Tales from the Jail: Inside Jail Nursing - Jun 30,2011 June 30, 2011Paul "Trey" Flores, BSN, RN, CCHP shares an insider look at nursing in couny jails and detention facilities. He should know, having worked a variety of these settings from small 400 inmate sites to those with over 3,700 average daily population.Jail Nursing | Correctional Health Care | Correctional Nursing | Trey FLores | Lorry Schoenly […]CorrectionalNrsgTday
- Critical Thinking in Correctional Nursing Practice - May 26,2011 May 26, 2011Lorry interviews Tre’ O’Brien, BSN, RN, CCHP-RN about her work in developing critical thinking skills for correctional nurses. Tre has been a registered nurse for over 23 years with experience in nursing including acute care, outpatient services and management. She has worked in correctional nursing for the past 16 years and currently practices as a clinical […]CorrectionalNrsgTday
- Understanding Inmate Seizure Disorders: Considering Psychogenic Causes - Apr 07,2011 April 7, 2011Guest Gregory Famiglio, MD discusses his experiences with seizure management in the inmate population, especially the challenges of psychogenic seizures and the female population. Dr. Famiglio practices in a female prison in the Pennsylvania Prison System. Seizures | Psychogenic | Corrections | Lorrys Schoenly | Gregory Famiglio […]CorrectionalNrsgTday
- Healthy Inmates 2020 - Mar 25,2011 March 25, 2011In this episode Lorry talks with Susan Tiona, MD, who is heading up a project which applies the Healthy People 2020 effort to the US inmate population. Dr. Tiona is a family practice physician currently practicing in a medium security prison in Colorado. More Healthy Inmate 2020 info can be found at their website: http://www.healthyinmates.org/Healthy Inmate […]CorrectionalNrsgTday
- Psychiatric Emergency Response: Just In Time Intervention - Feb 17,2011 February 17, 2011Kat Major is an RN working a mobile unit that intervenes in psychiatric emergency situations in California. Psychiatric Emergency Response Team (PERT)members ride with law enforcement during off-hours to respond to calls concerning mental health clients. Learn more about this unique service and the corrections connection.correctional health care | lorry scho […]CorrectionalNrsgTday
- I Can't Eat That! Food Allergies in Corrections - Dec 22,2011 December 22, 2011
- Correctional Nursing Today Podcasts
- Tales from the Jail: Inside Jail NursingOriginally aired June 29, 2011: Paul "Trey" Flores, BSN, RN, CCHP shares an insider look at nursing in county jails and detention facilities. He should know, having worked a variety of these settings from small 400 inmate sites to those with over 3,700 average daily population. […]
- Critical Thinking in Correctional NursingOriginally aired May 26, 2011: Lorry interviews Tre' O'Brien, BSN, RN, CCHP-RN about her work in developing critical thinking skills for correctional nurses. Tre' has been a registered nurse for over 23 years with experience in nursing including acute care, outpatient services and management. She has worked in correctional nursing for the past […]
- Understanding Inmate Seizure DIsorders: Considering Psychogenic CausesOriginally Aired April 7, 2011: Guest Gregory Famiglio, MD discusses his experiences with seizure management in the inmate population, especially the challenges of psychogenic seizures and the female population. Dr. Famiglio practices in a female prison in the Pennsylvania Prison System. […]
- Healthy Inmate 2020Originally Aired March 25, 2011: In this episode Lorry talks with Susan Tiona, MD, who is heading up a project which applies the Health People 2020 effort to the US inmate population. Dr. Tiona is a familiy practice physician currently practicing in a medium security prison in Colorado. More Health Inmate 2020 info can be found at thier wesite: http://www.he […]
- Psychiatric Emergency Response: Just In Time InterventionOriginally Aired February 17, 2011: Kat Major is an RN working a mobile unit that intervenes in psychiatric emergency situations in California. Psychiatric Emergency Response Team (PERT) members ride with law enforcement during off-hours to respond to calls concerning mental health clients. Learn more about this unique service and the corrections connection. […]
- HIV Treatment in Jails and PrisonsOriginally Aired January 13, 2011: Josiah Rich, MD, MPH, of Miriam Hospital and Borwn University talks about his research in preventing and treating HIV in the inmate population. Dr. Rich is the director and co-founder of the Center for Prison Health and Human Rights at the Miriam Hospital Immunology Center and is recent recipiant of one of 12 NIH grants to […]
- Improving Clinical Communication in CorrectionsOriginally Aired December 16, 2010: Effective communication improves patient safety and assures quality care, yet is a great challenge in the sometimes fragmented correctional healthcare system. Idaho Prison System nurse leaders share their tips for improving clinical communication including using the SBAR model for nurse-physician interactions. […]
- Reducing Legal Risk for Correctional NursesOriginally aired November 20, 2010: Valerie Lane, RN, CLNC, discusses legal risk for correctional nurses. Valerie is a certified legal nurse consultant specializing in correctional cases and has worked many years in the California Corrections System. […]
- Cancer Care Behind BarsOriginally aired October 27, 2010: A chat with Gail Kwarciany, RN, MSN, about her work with inmate cancer patients at UTMB, Galveston. Discussion includes the challenges of cancer care behind bars and the special needs of inmates with cancer. […]
- Infusing End of Life CareOriginally aired August 31, 2010: Susan Loeb, PhD, RN, discusses the National Institute of Nursing Research Grant funded project to include End-of-Life Care in corrections. Dr. Loeb is Associate Professor of Nursing at the Pennsylvania State University and Faculty Affiliate in the Gerontology Cneter and Bioethics Program. She is Principle Investigator for th […]
- Failure to RescueOriginally aired August 19, 2010: Sue Smith, RN, MSN, CCHP-RN, joins Lorry to discuss the issue of failure to rescue. First recognized in acute care facilities, failure to rescue has come to be associated with understaffing, lack of communication, healthcare staff who become overly task oriented and to lack of vigilance. In the correctional setting, inmate-p […]
- Inmate Health Perspective with Author Piper KermanOriginally Aired July 14, 2010: Piper Kerman, author of the memoir "Orange is the New Black" discusses her book and experiences in a federal prison, focusing on the healthcare perspective. […]
- Exploring Juvenile Correctional NursingOriginally aired July 1, 2010: A chat with Ellyn Presley, RN, CCHP, Public Health Nurse at Prince William County Juvenile Detention Center. Ellyn has worked in Juvenile Corrections for almost 20 years and is very active in professional correctional health care activities. […]
- Correctional Nurse TrailblazerOriginally aired June 17, 2010: Lorry chats with Jackie Moore, PhD, RN, CCHP-A, CCHP-RN, about the beginnings of organized correctional healthcare. Whe was there at the start! Dr. Moore has over 3 decades of nursing experience primarily in corrections and started the first correctional healthcare company providing services to facilities in the northeast. She […]
- Double Down on TB in JailsOriginally posted 06-02-2010: Janice B Hill, RN, MPH, is a correctional nurse leader with nearly 3 decades of experience with the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office in Largo, FL. She is an active nurse educator frequently presenting on juvenile standards for the National Commission on Correctional Health Care. She was instrumental in the development of Fl […]
- Preventing Suicides in Jails and PrisonsOriginally posted 05-06-2010: Lorry talks with Anne Hanson, MD, about strides made to reduce suicide in corrections. Dr. Hanson is the director of the University of Maryland's forensic psychiatry fellowship program and chair of the American Academy of Psychiatry and Law's correctional psychiatry committee. She has worked in correctional psychiatry […]
- Talking About Jail NursingOriginally Posted 04-14-2010: Becky Pinney, MSN, RN joins Lorry to provide an insider look at jail nursing. Becky is currently President, Metropolitan Corrections Systems, for Prison HEalth Services with multi-facility responsibilities for PHS sites and regions. In her current position, she is responsible for the oversight and direction to facility-based sta […]
- ANA Correctional Nursing StandardsOriginally posted 03-19-10: Lorry talks with Catherine Knox, MS, RN, CCHP-RN, about the latest revision of the Scope and Standards for Correctional Nursing. Catherine has 22 years of correctional nursing experience in a variety of settings. She was the Statewide Director of Nursing for the Washington Department of Corrections from 2004 until the Fall of 2008 […]
- Is Prison Nursing for Me?Originally Posted 02-18-2011: Margaret M. Collatt, BSN, RN, CCHP-RN/A, joins Lorry to talk about correctional nursing in the prison setting - What it takes to be a Correctional Nurse. Margaret has over 26 years of correctional healthcare experience and was the Health Services Manager at the Oregon State Penitentiary for 8 1/2 hears. She has developed and ins […]
- Dealing with EmergenciesOriginally Posted 02-09-2010: Lorry interviews SUsan Laffan RN, CCHP-RN/A about how to handle emergency medical issues in a correctional facility. Susan has been a registered nurse for 28 years. She has worked in the ED for 28 years and correctional nursing for 18 years. Susan is currently the chairperson of the Academy of Correctional Health Professionals. […]
- Tales from the Jail: Inside Jail Nursing
Lorry Schoenly
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News Briefs- They call us 'jail nurses' January 13, 2012
- Pennsylvania county OKs inmate medical costs program January 13, 2012
- Ensuring standards are standard behind bars January 13, 2012
- Academy seeks scholarship applicants January 13, 2012
- Study: Why is alcohol addictive? January 13, 2012
- California convicts arrive in Los Angeles County with costly mental illnesses January 13, 2012
- Do no harm — and keep an eye on costs January 13, 2012
- Xanax abuse and addiction January 13, 2012
- Prometa protocol: Not effective for meth dependence? January 13, 2012
- Brain activity linked to delusion-like experience January 13, 2012
Corrections One- Contraband: Cell phone carrier pigeonThis photo, taken by the Sao Paulo State Prison Affairs Department, shows a live pigeon carrying a makeshift backpack with a cell phone in it.The bird was caught flying into a prison in Sao Paulo, Brazil. In Sao Paulo, gangs frequently use carrier pigeons to smuggle phones behind bars. Tell us: Have you ever seen something like this at your facility?Have you […]
- Top 3 challenges for women in corrections in 2012I have worked in male dominated professions my entire life. I started in a county jail in the 80s where the only women were me, the nursing staff and a former Jail Matron who had managed to work her way up to Assistant Superintendent. When I got there in the 80's, I had little trouble adapting to jail life. The inmates seemed receptive but I faced chall […]
- 4 correctional healthcare game changers from 2011By Lorry SchoenlyAnother year is here and we can look back on plenty of correctional healthcare news from 2011. What top stories from the past year are most memorable to you? Here are my top picks for 2011 game changers along with suggested action to reduce their impact. #1 Legal eagles rule the roost Healthcare is now the most common legal issue raised by i […]
- Top 10 corrections resolutions for 2012By Robert HoodAs 2011 comes to an end, it is time to make plans for 2012. Many people are thinking of resolutions for the New Year. Each year millions of adults resolve to "get in shape" or "lose weight." While the effort to adopt resolutions shows an optimistic sense of good intent personally, the same idea can be applied to your profess […]
- 5 most dangerous contraband items of 2012By Joe BouchardIt is easier to look back than to look forward. No matter if you are Nostradamus or Jean Dixon or even the modern-day psychic Sylvia Browne, making predictions for coming times can be tricky. This is especially true if your ego makes it difficult to commit an error.No Nostradamus am I! Still. I can make two predictions for the year 2012. First […]
- Private corrections: We can do it better and cheaperBy Charles AlbinoIn the first segment of this series, I detailed some of the conditions that led to the formation of private companies to operate correctional facilities in the United States. As we move forward in Part 2, we will hear from the private sector and why they believe they merit a "place at the table" in correctional facility operations. […]
- When officials fall from graceBy Cherrie GrecoWhen well-known officials fall from grace, members of the general public express a variety of emotions and impose vigorous vocal judgment. Feelings of shock, disgust, and disappointed head-shaking are commonly exchanged at the water cooler. Faith in a system once trusted becomes fragile; trust caves in and is replaced by cynicism. In time, th […]
- Success with one is success with manyBy Eugene AthertonI remember a promotional interview for Warden in our correctional system. I suggested that effective leaders encourage successful relationships among staff in order to achieve success. When asked how that could be done, I answered, "One relationship at time." Now, at the time I was not sure of the meaning of the statement. It soun […]
- Top 10 corrections stories of 2011: A look backBy Carol McKinley Stories come and go throughout the year on our website, and there are so many, sometimes we forget them. So CorrectionsOne looked back at the most popular stories of the year and called the people and facilities involved to get an update. Here's a look back at the top stories of 2011. 1. The 23-year-old California woman who police say […]
- California corrections 2011: A year in reviewBy Bob WalshThis has been a momentous year for the profession within the formerly great state of California. Monumental. Nearly overwhelming. Maybe even disastrous. It depends a lot on who you ask and from which side of the issues you are looking.The Books Not Bars crowd is no doubt deliriously happy about the near-total demise of the Division of Juvenile Ju […]
