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Version 1.2 by Ryan Larkin on 2016/08/16 17:34
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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)
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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 **CH 11_102 REFERENCES**
51
52 1. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Standards: 2000-13.
53 1. Utah Sheriffs' Association Jail Standards:
54 11. J01.04.02: Volunteers and Contract Providers
55 11. J02.03.04: Utilizing Community Resources
56 11. J03.03.01: Staffing
57 11. J03.03.03: Utilizing Community Resources
58 11. J04.03.01: Staffing
59 11. J04.03.03: Utilizing Community Resources
60 11. J07.01.01: Written Volunteer Policies and Procedures Required
61 11. J07.01.02: Content
62 11. J07.02.01: Utilizing Community Resources
63 11. J07.02.02: Purpose and Role
64 11. J07.02.03: Working Arrangement
65 11. J07.03.01: Qualifications and Screening
66 11. J07.03.02: Rules and Orientation
67 11. J07.03.03: Restrictions
68
69 **CH 11_103 GENERAL**
70
71 1. Policy:
72 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.
73 11. The Corrections Chief Deputy, or designee, should:
74 111. Evaluate the need for volunteers, contract staff, and community-based programs;
75 111. Inventory available community resources; and
76 111. Obtain the needed services, programs, volunteers, and/or contract staff.
77 11. Services and programs should include, but not be limited to:
78 111. Mental health services;
79 111. Medical services;
80 111. Religious services;
81 111. Legal assistance;
82 111. Library services;
83 111. Tutors;
84 111. Recreation programs;
85 111. Exercise programs; and
86 111. Treatment programs.
87 1. Rationale:
88 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.
89 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.
90 11. Jail officials should consider the use of volunteers, student interns, clergy, community-based programs, and other community resources to:
91 111. Provide otherwise unavailable services and programs; and
92 111. Reduce operating costs for the jail.
93
94 **CH 11_104 ACCESS, SUPERVISION, AND RESTRICTIONS**
95
96 1. Policy:
97 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.”
98 11. Volunteers and contract staff shall receive approval from the Sheriff, or designee, prior to being permitted to work in the jail.
99 11. Volunteers and contract staff shall be carefully supervised and controlled by those responsible for the operation and management of the jail.
100 11. The movement, access, and actions of volunteers and contract staff shall be restricted to that minimum level necessary to carry out authorized functions.
101 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:
102 111. They have a felony record;
103 111. A relative or close friend is incarcerated in the jail;
104 111. There is reason to believe that the candidate would:
105 1111. Not obey the policy and rule requirements of the jail;
106 1111. Be vulnerable to intimidation or manipulation; or
107 1111. For philosophical, moral, or other reasons have difficulty strictly supporting and following security requirements; or
108 111. Other justifications which may exist related to the legitimate interests of the jail operation.
109 11. Visitors, relatives, or friends of current PCF inmates are not allowed to serve as volunteers.
110 11. Volunteers shall sign a waiver of liability before entering a secure portion of the facility where inmates are present.
111 1. Rationale:
112 11. Access to, and management of, the jail is within the statutory authority of the Sheriff.
113 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:
114 111. May not have had the benefit of corrections pre-service or in-service training;
115 111. 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;
116 111. Are vulnerable to being manipulated by inmates, even to the extent of violating rules and policy requirements; and
117 111. 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.
118 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.
119
120 **CH 11_105 RULES AND ORIENTATION**
121
122 1. Policy:
123 11. PCF should provide rules, regulations, and orientation training for volunteers and contract staff prior to allowing them to function in the jail.
124 11. Rules and regulations should include strict requirements concerning disclosure of information learned as a result of working in the jail.
125 1. Rationale:
126 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.
127 11. Unauthorized disclosure or discussion of information obtained from jail records or as a result of observations and discussions may:
128 111. Violate GRAMA provisions or other state or federal law requirements;
129 111. Undermine jail safety or security;
130 111. Violate protected privacy interests;
131 111. Undermine community confidence in the jail operation;
132 111. Have a disruptive effect on the jail operation; and
133 111. Result in spreading inaccurate or misleading information based on the limited knowledge and experience of the person communicating the information.
134
135 **CH 11_106 COMPENSATION**
136
137 1. Policy:
138 11. Volunteers shall not be financially compensated.
139 11. Contract staff shall be compensated as specifically detailed by their contract with the jail.
140 1. Rationale:
141 1. Compensation should be regulated by the terms of a contract in order to avoid confusion and/or liability.