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Version 2.2 by Ryan Larkin on 2016/09/02 15:20
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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
17 Replaces and/or Supersedes:
18
19 None
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21 Published:
22
23 01/23/2011
24
25 Review Date:
26
27 01/23/2012
28
29
30 Sheriff Cory C. Pulsipher
31 Undersheriff Bart G. Bailey
32
33
34 **__TABLE OF CONTENTS__**
35
36 CH 11_101 Definitions
37
38 CH 11_102 References
39
40 CH 11_103 General
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42 CH 11_104 Access, Supervision, and Restrictions
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44 CH 11_105 Rules and Orientation
45
46 CH 11_106 Compensation
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48
49 **CH 11_101 __DEFINITIONS__**
50
51 1. WCSO: Washington County Sheriff's Office
52 1. PCF: Purgatory Correctional Facility
53
54
55 **CH 11_102 __REFERENCES__**
56
57 1. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Standards: 2000-13.
58 1. Utah Sheriffs' Association Jail Standards:
59 11. J01.04.02: Volunteers and Contract Providers
60 11. J02.03.04: Utilizing Community Resources
61 11. J03.03.01: Staffing
62 11. J03.03.03: Utilizing Community Resources
63 11. J04.03.01: Staffing
64 11. J04.03.03: Utilizing Community Resources
65 11. J07.01.01: Written Volunteer Policies and Procedures Required
66 11. J07.01.02: Content
67 11. J07.02.01: Utilizing Community Resources
68 11. J07.02.02: Purpose and Role
69 11. J07.02.03: Working Arrangement
70 11. J07.03.01: Qualifications and Screening
71 11. J07.03.02: Rules and Orientation
72 11. J07.03.03: Restrictions
73
74
75 **CH 11_103 __GENERAL__**
76
77 1. Policy:
78 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.
79 11. The Corrections Chief Deputy, or designee, should:
80 111. Evaluate the need for volunteers, contract staff, and community-based programs;
81 111. Inventory available community resources; and
82 111. Obtain the needed services, programs, volunteers, and/or contract staff.
83 11. Services and programs should include, but not be limited to:
84 111. Mental health services;
85 111. Medical services;
86 111. Religious services;
87 111. Legal assistance;
88 111. Library services;
89 111. Tutors;
90 111. Recreation programs;
91 111. Exercise programs; and
92 111. Treatment programs.
93 1. Rationale:
94 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.
95 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.
96 11. Jail officials should consider the use of volunteers, student interns, clergy, community-based programs, and other community resources to:
97 111. Provide otherwise unavailable services and programs; and
98 111. Reduce operating costs for the jail.
99
100
101 **CH 11_104 __ACCESS, SUPERVISION, AND RESTRICTIONS__**
102
103 1. Policy:
104 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.”
105 11. Volunteers and contract staff shall receive approval from the Sheriff, or designee, prior to being permitted to work in the jail.
106 11. Volunteers and contract staff shall be carefully supervised and controlled by those responsible for the operation and management of the jail.
107 11. The movement, access, and actions of volunteers and contract staff shall be restricted to that minimum level necessary to carry out authorized functions.
108 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:
109 111. They have a felony record;
110 111. A relative or close friend is incarcerated in the jail;
111 111. There is reason to believe that the candidate would:
112 1111. Not obey the policy and rule requirements of the jail;
113 1111. Be vulnerable to intimidation or manipulation; or
114 1111. For philosophical, moral, or other reasons have difficulty strictly supporting and following security requirements; or
115 111. Other justifications which may exist related to the legitimate interests of the jail operation.
116 11. Visitors, relatives, or friends of current PCF inmates are not allowed to serve as volunteers.
117 11. Volunteers shall sign a waiver of liability before entering a secure portion of the facility where inmates are present.
118 1. Rationale:
119 11. Access to, and management of, the jail is within the statutory authority of the Sheriff.
120 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:
121 111. May not have had the benefit of corrections pre-service or in-service training;
122 111. 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;
123 111. Are vulnerable to being manipulated by inmates, even to the extent of violating rules and policy requirements; and
124 111. 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.
125 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.
126
127 **CH 11_105 __RULES AND ORIENTATION__**
128
129 1. Policy:
130 11. PCF should provide rules, regulations, and orientation training for volunteers and contract staff prior to allowing them to function in the jail.
131 11. Rules and regulations should include strict requirements concerning disclosure of information learned as a result of working in the jail.
132 1. Rationale:
133 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.
134 11. Unauthorized disclosure or discussion of information obtained from jail records or as a result of observations and discussions may:
135 111. Violate GRAMA provisions or other state or federal law requirements;
136 111. Undermine jail safety or security;
137 111. Violate protected privacy interests;
138 111. Undermine community confidence in the jail operation;
139 111. Have a disruptive effect on the jail operation; and
140 111. Result in spreading inaccurate or misleading information based on the limited knowledge and experience of the person communicating the information.
141
142 **CH 11_106 __COMPENSATION__**
143
144 1. Policy:
145 11. Volunteers shall not be financially compensated.
146 11. Contract staff shall be compensated as specifically detailed by their contract with the jail.
147 1. Rationale:
148 1. Compensation should be regulated by the terms of a contract in order to avoid confusion and/or liability.