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Version 1.1 by Ryan Larkin on 2016/08/16 17:31
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1 **Washington County Sheriff's Office**
2
3 **CORRECTIONS DIVISION**
4
5 **Policy Manual**
6
7
8 Volume: AB (CH)
9
10 Services and Programs
11
12 Chapter: 17 (11)
13
14 Public Volunteers and Contract Staff
15
16 Replaces and/or Supersedes:
17
18 None
19
20
21 Published: 01/23/2011
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23 Review Date: 01/23/2012
24
25
26 Sheriff Cory C. Pulsipher
27 Undersheriff Bart G. Bailey
28
29
30 **TABLE OF CONTENTS**
31
32 CH 11_101 Definitions
33
34 CH 11_102 References
35
36 CH 11_103 General
37
38 CH 11_104 Access, Supervision, and Restrictions
39
40 CH 11_105 Rules and Orientation
41
42 CH 11_106 Compensation
43
44
45 **CH 11_101 DEFINITIONS**
46
47 1. WCSO: Washington County Sheriff's Office
48 1. PCF: Purgatory Correctional Facility
49
50
51 **CH 11_102 REFERENCES**
52
53 1. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Standards: 2000-13.
54 1. Utah Sheriffs' Association Jail Standards:
55 11. J01.04.02: Volunteers and Contract Providers
56 11. J02.03.04: Utilizing Community Resources
57 11. J03.03.01: Staffing
58 11. J03.03.03: Utilizing Community Resources
59 11. J04.03.01: Staffing
60 11. J04.03.03: Utilizing Community Resources
61 11. J07.01.01: Written Volunteer Policies and Procedures Required
62 11. J07.01.02: Content
63 11. J07.02.01: Utilizing Community Resources
64 11. J07.02.02: Purpose and Role
65 11. J07.02.03: Working Arrangement
66 11. J07.03.01: Qualifications and Screening
67 11. J07.03.02: Rules and Orientation
68 11. J07.03.03: Restrictions
69
70
71 **CH 11_103 GENERAL**
72
73 1. Policy:
74 11. Volunteers and contract providers may be used to assist in providing services and programs for inmates. However, all outside staff shall work within the security, safety, operational, and policy requirements of the jail command.
75 11. The Corrections Chief Deputy, or designee, should:
76 111. Evaluate the need for volunteers, contract staff, and community-based programs;
77 111. Inventory available community resources; and
78 111. Obtain the needed services, programs, volunteers, and/or contract staff.
79 11. Services and programs should include, but not be limited to:
80 111. Mental health services;
81 111. Medical services;
82 111. Religious services;
83 111. Legal assistance;
84 111. Library services;
85 111. Tutors;
86 111. Recreation programs;
87 111. Exercise programs; and
88 111. Treatment programs.
89 1. Rationale:
90 11. All activities in the jail must be directed and controlled by jail staff to ensure that jail regulations and policy requirements are enforced, and to protect the jail's legitimate interests.
91 11. Unless sufficient staff time is available to facilitate inmate services and programs, opportunities may not be adequately provided (some may be required by law) and/or legitimate interests may be jeopardized.
92 11. Jail officials should consider the use of volunteers, student interns, clergy, community-based programs, and other community resources to:
93 111. Provide otherwise unavailable services and programs; and
94 111. Reduce operating costs for the jail.
95
96
97 **CH 11_104 ACCESS, SUPERVISION, AND RESTRICTIONS**
98
99 1. Policy:
100 11. In accordance with Washington County policy (F): “Before a volunteer can donate service to the County, the volunteer and the service must be approved by both the Commission, (or a Commission Representative) and Human Resources.”
101 11. Volunteers and contract staff shall receive approval from the Sheriff, or designee, prior to being permitted to work in the jail.
102 11. Volunteers and contract staff shall be carefully supervised and controlled by those responsible for the operation and management of the jail.
103 11. The movement, access, and actions of volunteers and contract staff shall be restricted to that minimum level necessary to carry out authorized functions.
104 11. Jail officials should establish qualifications for volunteers and contract staff and should screen candidates before they can be permitted to work in the jail. As a part of the minimum qualifications, persons should ordinarily be rejected if:
105 111. They have a felony record;
106 111. A relative or close friend is incarcerated in the jail;
107 111. There is reason to believe that the candidate would:
108 1111. Not obey the policy and rule requirements of the jail;
109 1111. Be vulnerable to intimidation or manipulation; or
110 1111. For philosophical, moral, or other reasons have difficulty strictly supporting and following security requirements; or
111 111. Other justifications which may exist related to the legitimate interests of the jail operation.
112 11. Visitors, relatives, or friends of current PCF inmates are not allowed to serve as volunteers.
113 11. Volunteers shall sign a waiver of liability before entering a secure portion of the facility where inmates are present.
114 1. Rationale:
115 11. Access to, and management of, the jail is within the statutory authority of the Sheriff.
116 11. The services rendered by volunteers and contract staff are potentially of substantial benefit to the jail operation. There are, however, potential difficulties associated with allowing persons other than staff to work inside the jail. Volunteers and contract staff:
117 111. May not have had the benefit of corrections pre-service or in-service training;
118 111. May see the jail operation through the narrow view of their own mission in the jail, often viewing necessary jail safety and security regulations as unreasonable impediments to service delivery and unfair restrictions of the human rights of inmates;
119 111. Are vulnerable to being manipulated by inmates, even to the extent of violating rules and policy requirements; and
120 111. may engage in actions which they deem of minor consequence, but which will have a substantially adverse affect on safety, security, or other legitimate facility interests.
121 11. Careful supervision and control of volunteers and contract staff can greatly minimize the potential problems associated with their involvement in the facility. Providers who cannot support and adhere to rules become a liability to the security and safety of the facility.
122
123
124 **CH 11_105 RULES AND ORIENTATION**
125
126 1. Policy:
127 11. PCF should provide rules, regulations, and orientation training for volunteers and contract staff prior to allowing them to function in the jail.
128 11. Rules and regulations should include strict requirements concerning disclosure of information learned as a result of working in the jail.
129 1. Rationale:
130 11. Volunteers and contract staff, no matter how well motivated and diligent, will not be able to avoid violating rules and policy requirements unless they have fair notice of those requirements.
131 11. Unauthorized disclosure or discussion of information obtained from jail records or as a result of observations and discussions may:
132 111. Violate GRAMA provisions or other state or federal law requirements;
133 111. Undermine jail safety or security;
134 111. Violate protected privacy interests;
135 111. Undermine community confidence in the jail operation;
136 111. Have a disruptive effect on the jail operation; and
137 111. Result in spreading inaccurate or misleading information based on the limited knowledge and experience of the person communicating the information.
138
139
140 **CH 11_106 COMPENSATION**
141
142 1. Policy:
143 11. Volunteers shall not be financially compensated.
144 11. Contract staff shall be compensated as specifically detailed by their contract with the jail.
145 1. Rationale:
146 1. Compensation should be regulated by the terms of a contract in order to avoid confusion and/or liability.