BILL REQ. #: Z-0582.1
State of Washington | 62nd Legislature | 2011 Regular Session |
Read first time 03/25/11. Referred to Committee on Public Safety & Emergency Preparedness.
AN ACT Relating to implementing the policy recommendations resulting from the national institute of corrections review of prison safety; adding new sections to chapter 72.09 RCW; and creating a new section.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 It is the intent of the legislature to
promote safe state correctional facilities. Following the tragic
murder of officer Jayme Biendl, the governor and department of
corrections requested the national institute of corrections to review
safety procedures at the Monroe reformatory. While the report found
the Monroe reformatory is a safe institution, it recommends changes
that would enhance safety. The legislature recognizes that operating
safe institutions requires ongoing efforts to address areas where
improvements can be made to enhance the safety of state correctional
facilities. This act implements changes recommended in the report of
the national institute of corrections.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2 (1) The department shall establish a
statewide security advisory committee to conduct comprehensive reviews
of the department's total confinement security-related policies and
procedures.
(2) The statewide security advisory committee shall make
recommendations to the secretary regarding methods to provide
consistent application of the policies and procedures regarding
security issues in total confinement correctional facilities.
(3) The statewide security advisory committee shall include a wide
range of institutional staff including, but not limited to, custody
staff. At a minimum, the statewide security advisory committee shall
include:
(a) The director of prisons or his or her designee;
(b) Two correctional officers: One from a minimum security
facility and one from a major facility;
(c) The senior-ranking security custody staff member from each
total confinement correctional facility.
(4) The statewide security advisory committee shall develop
guidelines to establish local security advisory committees for each
total confinement correctional facility within the department. The
chair of each local security advisory committee shall be the captain at
a major facility and the lieutenant at a minimum security facility.
The local security advisory committee should consist of a wide range of
staff from the facility, to include medical staff, class counselors,
program staff, and mental health staff.
(5) The department shall report back to the governor and
appropriate committees of the legislature by November 1, 2011:
(a) The issues raised by members of the statewide security advisory
committee;
(b) Actions taken by the department as a result of recommendations
by the statewide security advisory committee;
(c) Recommendations, if any, for additional resources or
legislation to address security concerns in total confinement
correctional facilities.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3 (1) The department shall establish
multidisciplinary teams at each total confinement correctional facility
that will evaluate offenders' placements in inmate job assignments and
custody promotions. The teams at each facility shall determine
suitable placements based on the offender's risk, behavior, or other
factors considered by the team.
(2) At a minimum, each team shall have representation from mental
health staff, program staff, correctional industries, if applicable to
the individual facility, and custody staff.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4 (1) The department shall develop training
curriculum regarding staff safety issues at total confinement
correctional facilities. At a minimum, the training shall address the
following issues:
(a) Security routines;
(b) Physical plant layout;
(c) Offender movement and program area coverage; and
(d) Situational awareness and de-escalation techniques.
(2) The department shall deliver such training to applicable
correctional staff by July 1, 2012.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 5 (1) The department may pilot the use of body
alarms and proximity cards within available resources.
(2) The department shall hire a consultant to study the feasibility
of implementing a statewide system for staff safety, utilizing body
alarms and proximity cards for staff within the department's total
confinement correctional facilities and report findings and
recommendations to the governor and appropriate committees of the
legislature by November 1, 2011. At a minimum, the report shall
include:
(a) Recommendations for the use of body alarms by security level;
(b) Recommendations for specific positions that should require the
use of body alarms;
(c) The information technological and infrastructure requirements
needed for body alarms and proximity cards;
(d) The training requirements for body alarms;
(e) Lessons learned from any pilot project the department may
implement in the interim;
(f) The estimated cost of the alarms and proximity cards and needed
supporting infrastructure, staffing, and training requirements.
(3) The consultant shall seek the input of the statewide security
advisory committee in preparing its report.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 6 (1) The department shall hire a consultant
to study the deployment of video monitoring cameras within the
department to make recommendations regarding statewide standards for
the positioning and use of video monitoring cameras in total
confinement correctional facilities and report findings and
recommendations to the governor and appropriate committees of the
legislature by November 1, 2011. At a minimum, the report shall
include:
(a) Recommendations for the use of video monitoring cameras by
security level;
(b) Recommendations for specific locations within a total
confinement correctional facility which would benefit from the use of
video monitoring cameras;
(c) The information technological and infrastructure requirements
needed for effective use of video monitoring cameras;
(d) Recommendations for how video monitoring cameras would best be
deployed in current total confinement correctional facilities;
(e) Recommendations about how video monitoring cameras should be
incorporated into future prison construction to insure consistency in
camera use system-wide;
(f) The estimated cost of the video monitoring cameras, supporting
infrastructure needed, and staffing required by the total confinement
correctional facility.
(2) The consultant shall seek the input of the statewide security
advisory committee in preparing its report.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 7 (1) The department shall develop a
comprehensive plan for the use of oleoresin capsicum aerosol products,
commonly referred to as pepper spray, as a security measure available
for staff at total confinement correctional facilities.
(2) The department may initiate a pilot project, within available
funds, to expand the deployment of oleoresin capsicum aerosol products
within total confinement correctional facilities.
(3) The department's plan for the deployment of oleoresin capsicum
aerosol products to staff shall include findings, if any, from the
pilot project, recommendations regarding which facility's use should be
limited to, what the training requirements should be, the estimated
costs, and an implementation schedule.
(4) The department shall seek the input of the statewide security
advisory committee in developing its plan.
(5) The department shall report its plan, including costs, to the
governor and appropriate committees of the legislature by November 1,
2011.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 8 Sections 2 through 7 of this act are each
added to chapter