January/February 15

Cor

rect

ions

For

um

69 L

yme

Roa

d, H

anov

er, N

H 0

3755

CH

AN

GE

SE

RV

ICE

RE

QU

EST

ED

TelepsychologyQUALITY CARE, LOWER COST

Risk Management:Top Tools &

Assessments

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 VOL. 24 NO. 1

CF J-F 15 p01-2 Cover_*Cover J/F 05 2/2/15 11:24 AM Page 1

CF M-F 15 p/ 1-e Cr v0v_*Cr v0v M2F / 5 1241215 : A1/ J P oag0 e

The Pulse

ACA & APPA WinterConferences Product Highlights

Offender RiskManagement: Top Tools &Assessments

Drug Testing Kits & Services

TelepsychologyQuality Care, Lower Costs

Advances Block SmuggledContraband

Kiosk Trends

Ad Index

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 VOL. 24 NO. 1

4102026 30353842

CORRECTIONSFORUM

Publisher & Executive EditorThomas S. Kapinos

Assistant PublisherJennifer A. Kapinos

West Northeast

Central U.S. Sales ManagerBonnie Dodson(828) 479-7472

Editor-in-ChiefDonna Rogers

Contributing EditorsMichael Grohs, Kelly Mason, Bill Schiffner, G.F. Guercio

Art DirectorJamie Stroud

CORRECTIONS FORUM

(ISSN10729275)is published bi-monthly by:

Criminal Justice Media, Inc 116 South Catalina Avenue

Suite # 116Redondo Beach, CA 90277

(310) 374-2700

Send address changes to:CORRECTIONS FORUM

Subscription Department69 Lyme Rd.

Hanover, NH 03755(603) 643-6551

Subscriptions:Annual subscriptions for non-qualified personnel,

United States only, is $60.00. Single copy or back issues - $10.00

All Canada and Foreign subscriptions are $90.00 per year.

Free digital “issues” are availablefor qualified Canadian and Foreign Subscribers — Go to www.correctionsforum.net

Printed in the United States of America,

Copyright © 2015Criminal Justice Media, Inc.

Main Offices116 South Catalina Avenue

Suite # 116Redondo Beach, CA 90277

(310) 374-2700

Art Sylvie(480) [email protected]

Peggy Virgadamo(718) 456-7329

[email protected]

Associate Publishers

35

38

J-F 15 p03 TOC_M_A 05 p004 toc 2/2/15 1:14 PM Page 4

REDEFINING REHABAN INNOVATIVE JAIL REENTRY PROGRAM

An enterprising group of criminaljustice undergraduates at the Uni-versity of Houston-Downtown(UHD) is helping to set jail inmatesback on their feet—and setting a na-tional precedent in the process, ac-cording to a press release from theuniversity.

In the first jail program of itskind in the nation, senior criminaljustice majors are working closelywith licensed social work profes-sionals and counselors in the HarrisCounty Jail to enact a rehabilitation

Senior criminal justice students from the University of Houston-Downtown (UHD)gather at the Harris County Sheriff’s Office with their professor Judith Harris, Ph.D.(fourth from left), and HCSO social worker Jennifer Herring (fifth from right).

4 CORRECTIONS FORUM • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 VISIT US AT WWW.CORRECTIONSFORUM.NET

J-F p04-09 minis ver 2_Layout 1 2/1/15 12:08 PM Page 4



program for inmates as soon as theyenter the criminal justice system.Unlike other national jails that pro-vide rehabilitative services onlyupon reentry to the community,

this program—offered as part of theHarris County Sheriff’s Office(HCSO) Reentry Services—extendstraining throughout inmates’ incar-ceration.

HCSO social worker Jennifer Her-ring serves as program manager andis involved in the day-to-day coordi-nation of non-profit support andstudent supervision. She says theprogram’s objective is to use evi-dence-based practical approaches tomeet inmates—who she and stu-dents refer to as “clients”—exactlywhere they are and determine theirneeds based on what they identify asbarriers in their lives. She insists thata one-size-fits-all method is inade-quate to provide her clients with thespecialized rehabilitation they need.

“At its core, this program is abouthelping inmates become empow-ered, and therefore, make betterchoices,” said Herring. “In accom-plishing this main goal, we helpmake our streets safer, reduce therates of recidivism and help peoplefind their purpose.”

Herring’s clients approach her ona regular basis to say, “Thank youfor my life. I owe everything toyou.” She is quick, however, toshare credit with the entire HCSOReentry Services team—includingUHD students for its contributions.

She notes that many of the in-mates are depressed and feel unableto rise above their current situa-tions. Herring disagrees with thisnotion and embodies the opinionof Franklin D. Roosevelt, who said,“Men are not prisoners of fate, butonly prisoners of their own minds.”

That is exactly where Judith Har-ris, Ph.D., UHD assistant professor ofcriminal justice, and her senior sem-inar students fit into the program.The students undertake rigoroustraining prior to working with in-mates. Once trained, Harris’ upper-classmen jump directly into theprogram, working alongside socialworkers and clergy in the day-to-dayrehabilitation of their clients. Ratherthan sitting in court and observing



DEATH PENALTY 2014:FEWEST EXECUTIONS IN 20 YEARS

With 35 executions last year,2014 marks the fewest people put todeath since 1994, according to a re-port released in December by theDeath Penalty Information Center(DPIC). The 72 new death sentencesin 2014 is the lowest number in themodern era of the death penalty,dating back to 1974. Executionsand sentences have steadily de-creased, as Americans have grownmore skeptical of capital punish-ment. The states’ problems withlethal injections also contributed tothe drop in executions this year.

Executions decreased 10% com-pared to 2013—from 39 last year to35 this year—continuing an overalldecline since 1999, when there were98 executions. The number of statescarrying out executions—seven—was the lowest in 25 years. Justthree states—Texas, Missouri, andFlorida—accounted for 80% of theexecutions. For the first time in 17years, Texas did not lead the coun-try in executions, being tied withMissouri at 10.

Death sentences—a more currentbarometer than executions—havedeclined by 77% since 1996, whenthere were 315. There were 79 deathsentences last year. This is thefourth consecutive year that there

have been fewer than 100 deathsentences.

“The relevancy of the deathpenalty in our criminal justice sys-tem is seriously in question when43 out of our 50 states do not applythe ultimate sanction,” said RichardDieter, DPIC’s executive directorand the author of the report. “TheU.S. will likely continue with someexecutions in the years ahead, butthe rationale for such sporadic useis far from clear.”

Seven people who had been ondeath row were exonerated in 2014,the most since 2009. Three men inOhio were cleared of all charges 39years after their convictions, thelongest time of any death row ex-onerees. Two others in North Car-olina were freed after 30 years inconfinement. Since 1973, 150 peo-ple have been exonerated and freedfrom death row.

Individual state developments il-lustrate the growing isolation ofdeath penalty use:

• The number of executions hasdeclined in 11 of the past 15 years.In 1999, 20 states carried out execu-tions; in 2014, only 7 states did so.

• In California, a federal judgedeclared the state’s death penaltyunconstitutional.

Read DPIC’s full report at:http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/YearEnd2014

the criminal justice system fromthe sidelines, these students are as-signed clients and regularly advo-cate to Harris County judges ontheir clients’ behalf, working inconjunction with court-appointedattorneys.

“Students key mission in this pro-gram is to get their clients movingin a positive direction,” said Harris,

“but it is astounding to watch thestudents’ monumental movementas they generously give to and in-spire their clients. It’s impossible toparticipate in this program and notchange. This is what life is allabout—connecting to your careerand life-purpose and tapping intoyour innate skills and passions.”

For further info see: www.uhd.edu


These important news items came in aswe were preparing to print CorrectionsForum. To see this late breaking news inits entierty go to correctionsforum.net

Wave of Civil Asset ForfeitureReforms Introduced on theFederal and Local LevelOn January 16, Attorney GeneralHolder announced a new policy pro-hibiting federal agency forfeiture, or“adoptions,” of assets seized by stateand local law enforcement agencies,with a few public safety exceptions...

White House Grounds Penetrated by PotentiallyDangerous DronesIn the latest string of White House se-curity breaches, on Monday of thisweek, a “quadcopter” or 4-rotor un-manned aerial vehicle flew over andthen crash-landed on the southgrounds of the White House withouttriggering any security alarms. In fact,the UAV managed to stealthily fly un-noticed by any system in place andwasn’t detected until a Secret Serviceagent spotted it before hurtling to theground, prompting a lockdown beforethe area could be deemed safe...

National Institute of Justiceadds Body-Worn Camera Pageto WebsiteThe NIJ compares the current BWCequipment capabilities available...

Justice Reinvestment in NebraskaNebraska’s prisons are over-crowded—state corrections officialsreport that these facilities are at 159percent of their capacity. Manypeople sentenced to prison are dou-ble-bunked or sleeping on cots incommon areas, and others arebeing housed in county jails...

National Sheriffs’ AssociationAwaits Google ResponseIn light of the recent ambush attackson law enforcement, the NationalSheriffs’ Association (NSA) is con-cerned that those who have griev-ances with law enforcement could usethe Waze App feature to plan or carryout an attack. Sheriffs are concernedwith the ability of Google’s App,Waze, to locate law enforcement per-sonnel by using the crowdsourcingfeature to report an officer’s location.

Texas Court Denies DeathPenalty Appeal of Intellectu-ally Disabled ManTexas Executes Intellectually Dis-abled Man

LATE BREAKING NEWS



LED LightingUpgrades

Upgrading a facili-ty’s lighting systemto more energy effi-cient LED lights canoffer a big savings.Lower energy usagelower equals lowermaintenance costs.LEDs offer 50,000+hour life span and a5-year warranty.Higher lighting out-put means better visi-bility, longer lifespan, fewer lockdowns and increasedsafety. Contact com-pany for a free light-ing evaluation.

www.bobbarker.com,1.800.334.9880

Solar PowerSolar America

Solutions, LLC, andits SunQuest productline, specialize in

highly efficient and renewablesolar thermal energy solutions forgovernment, industrial and com-

mercial applications that regular-ly save end users 40%-50% oftheir monthly heating costs.

www.solaramericasolutions.com,1.317.833.9961

Water Management SystemI-CON’s NEXUS Controller was

designed to increase security andimprove water conservation byup to 70% in a correctional facili-ty setting. The NEXUS controlleroperates as a standalone or com-municating eight input/eightoutput controller used to controlup to eight lavatory, shower orflush buttons and valves.

Multiple controllers can be net-worked and linked into an I-CONENVISAGE powered computersystem for maximum control of afacilities’ plumbing system.

www.i-con.com, 1.407.365.6241

Secure AntiperspirantDeodorant

Oraline offers a totally clear,soft plastic roll on antiperspirantfor high security environments.

10 CORRECTIONS FORUM • JANUARY/FEBRURARY 2015 VISIT US AT WWW.CORRECTIONSFORUM.NET

BY BILL SCHIFFNER, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

ACA’s annual Winter Conference is one of the bestattended events in the corrections industry. Thisyear’s Winter Conference will take place in LongBeach, Calif., February 6-11.

“The 2015 Winter Conference will feature a‘green aisle’ in the exhibit hall. There will be 22exhibitors in that section; more than double whatwe had at the Salt Lake City Conference last sum-mer,” reports Tommy Norris, chair of ACA’s Cleanand Green Committee and founder ofGreenPrisons.org.

“Sustainability will continue to be a growingmanagement principle for the corrections industry.But it’s more than just the environment. It’s about

offender jobs and training and sound fiscal man-agement by administrators,” he explains.

GEARING UP“ACA conferences continue to be cornerstones

of our annual tradeshow budget and we are verypleased to have the opportunity to demonstrateour state-of-the-art kiosks and other products tocorrections leaders from across the country,”adds Ronny Park, vice president at TouchPay.“We have been exhibiting with ACA for ten yearsand value the contacts and relationships we buildwhen we participate.”

2015 ACA Winter Conference toShowcase More Sustainable Options

J-F 15 p10-19 show prods_master template 1/30/15 12:55 PM Page 10


Eliminate access to hard plasticand improve security with trulyclear packaging with this highquality antiperspirant.

www.oraline.net, 1.888.296.6730

Legal Research SolutionsLexisNexis now offers a range

of legal research solutions

specifically designed for prisonsthat can help provide secureaccess to current, compliantlegal research within reach of afacilities’ budget. Choose fromtheir External Hard DriveSolution, Touch Screen KioskSolution, and Customer User

Interface (CUI) Solution. www.lexisnexis.com/corrections,

1.888.AT.LEXIS

Web-based SoftwareThe Northpointe Suite is an

integrated web-based assessment,case planning and case manage-ment system for criminal justicepractitioners. Modules includeCOMPAS Core Risk/Needs which

takes a “retrospective” look at riskand needs factors for placing andsupervising the offender in thecommunity, COMPAS Reentry forthe population who has beenincarcerated for more than 18months, COMPAS Women torefine and guide treatment plan-ning for women offenders, COM-

PAS Youth for delinquent youthages 12 to 17, an ad hoc report-ing system, in support of an evi-dence based practice approach.

http://www.northpointeinc.com,1.888.221.4615

Media Program and U-TAB7 Union Supply Group’s Union

Supply Media is an affordable,cutting-edge technology package

that enables inmates to order,download, rent and play digitalcontent. Choose from its customCD program or U-TAB7 touchtablet to offer music, movies,eBooks, TV shows, games, andeducational programs. The mediaprogram works without the needfor network wiring, kiosks orInternet connections.

www.unionsupplygroup.com,1.310.603.8899


Connecting Loved OnesAramark’s iCare program connects families with their incarcerated

loved one. They can order gift packages, including popular brands andunique products, snacks, health and hygiene items, stationary, andmore. Facilities offering iCare have seen a direct impact on safety andsecurity, creating a better environment for the offender and staff.

www.aramarkcorrections.com, 1.800.777.7090



Breathalyzer SystemThe Dräger Interlock 7000 is

an in-car Breathalyzer systemthat reinvents the traditionalignition interlock device to incor-porate enhanced user featuresand monitoring capabilities. TheDräger Interlock 7000 includeshighly advanced bypass protec-tion and is said to offer the fastestwarm-up time in the industry.

www.draeger.com, 1.866.385.5900

Payment OptionsJPay offers a wide variety of

payment channels for offendersneeding to meet their parole andp r o b a t i o no b l i g a t i o n s .The companycan also pro-vide automatedIVR (interactivevoice response)p h o n e


The American Probation and Parole Association’s(APPA) 2015 Winter Training Institute broughttogether over 1,000 specialists from all walks ofcommunity corrections, criminal jus-tice and treatment professions to theGrand Ballroom of the Tampa MarriottWaterside Hotel and Marina.

The conference featured educational workshops,intensive training programs, and a resource expodesigned specifically for community corrections.

Here are some of the products that werecreating a buzz:

Winter APPA Conference Heats Up with NewSolutions for the Corrections, Parole Communities



reminders with an immediatepayment option, which helpsagencies boost their collectionrates. IVR reminders are also cus-tomizable for appointments andother pertinent dates.

www.jpay.com, 1.800.574.5729

Wireless TabletTelmate’s Tablet is a wireless

device specifically designed forcorrections facilities that trans-forms the way inmates spend

their time and helps improvepublic safety. It allows inmates tocommunicate with their friendsand family using the modernmethods they’re familiar with,including secured messaging,photo sharing and more.

www.telmate.com, 1.855.516.0115

Risk Assessment SoftwareNoble Software group provides

industry-leading risk assessmentsand offender compliance tools tocorrections agencies nationwide.

Driven by assess-ment results,your staff caneasily create cus-tomized caseplans—includingTitle-IVe compli-ant juvenile casep l a n s — w i t hactionable goals

and interventions through theuse of Noble’s case planningtools. Full reporting is availablefor detailed analysis of anagency’s EBP progress.http://www.noblesg.com, 1.979.248.6568

Case Management SoftwareWith over 10,000 users, Capita

Case enables probation andparole professionals to thrive,

despite ever increasing workloaddemands. Capita Case’s technolo-gy and intelligent domain knowl-edge helps facilities manage theirworkload more efficiently.Management gains improvedsupervision controls, and exten-sive graphical reporting and per-formance measurements.

www.capitacase.com, 1.949.260.3000

Home Alcohol MonitoringIntoxalock Home eLERT offers

the reliability, accuracy andadvanced features of their igni-

tion interlock devices, but in aportable and discrete homemodel. Home eLERT featuresphoto imaging, GPS and real-timereportingthat canhelp indi-v i d u a l stest andverify their sobriety conveniently.

www.intoxalock.com, 1.888.283.5899

Case Management SystemCaseloadPRO is a full-featured

Probation Case ManagementSystem. All of the data necessaryto organize and run a Probationdepartment is collected andarranged in a more user-friendlymanner. CaseloadPRO is availablefor both Juvenile and Adult divi-sions. The system helps manage:reports, letters and forms, com-plete caseload assignment andhistory, case details, etc.

www.caseloadpro.com, 1.800.686.1134

Check-in ApplicationASIware announces the general

availability of their new mobile,supervised check-in application,


Monitoring ToolAdventfs.com’s Diversion Manager is a powerful solution for

Probation Professionals to assist in managing, educating and monitor-ing offenders. It offers a series of online education programs to providegraduated sanctions or divert qualified offenders into a positive preven-tion experience. In addition, Diversion Manager gives the probationofficer the ability to monitor the progress of the offenders and runactivity reports.

http://www.adventfs.com, 1.866.494.8556



PROOFF. This software will enableprobation, parole and other super-visory organizations to providebetter quality oversight, more effi-ciently. PROOFF was built with afocus on the following objectives:Provide organizations with a toolto manage caseloads more effi-ciently, enable organizations tocreate a more flexible program

structure to obtain more desirableprogram outcomes and create aproduct that is affordable and easyto use for both the supervisee andsupervisor.

www.asi-ware.com, 1.937.845.1076

Software and Support Services CorrectTech showcased integrat-

ed software and support servicesfor residential, treatment, reentryand probation programs. TheirProgram Foundation Platform and12 modules were designed by com-munity corrections professionals toguide organizations toward a pow-

erful EBP implementation, relievethem of strenuous paperwork andmanual processes.

http://www.correcttech.com,1.303.586.6551

Tracking DeviceSuperCom had on display

PureTag, a highly secure compactRF bracelet that operates acrossthe complete spectrum of thePureSecurityCor r ec t ionsTracking Suite.S u p e r C o mengineers haveincorporatedthe latestadvancementsin technologyto develop asuperior publicsafety solutionthat is easy toi m p l e m e n tand understand.

www.supercom.com, 1.212.675.4606




Predicting offender recidivismwith objective actuarial/clini-

cal measures has been gainingmomentum in the past few years,as expansive, methodologically-sophisticated research increases,relates psychologist Wagdy Loza.

Today it is rare for correctionalprofessionals to rely solely onclinical judgment and predictrecidivism without at least oneassessment measure, this expertnotes, who is chief psychologistwith the Correctional Service ofCanada, and professor, Psychiatry,Queen’s University, Can. That is insome measure because the ever-

growing prison populations andthe increased costs to house, edu-cate, treat medical/mental health,proves the need for developingeconomical measures for predic-tion of offender recidivism.

Loza explains that the Self-Appraisal Questionnaire (SAQ) isa self-report risk/need measuredesigned to be multifaceted andto cover the predominant predic-tive content areas that have beendemonstrated to be reliable andvalid for the assessment and pre-diction of post-release offending.The SAQ is based on the viewthat multi-method/multi-trait

assessment improves the predic-tion of criminal behavior.

The SAQ has also been foundto be reliable and valid for usewith offenders from differentcountries/ethnic backgrounds.Individuals from various minori-ty ethnic backgrounds often forma large percentage of the incarcer-ated offenders in their respectivecountries of the United States,Australia, and Canada, he says,and some research indicates thatthere are racial and ethnic differ-ences in psychopathic personali-ty, which is often used for pre-dicting recidivism.


Offender Risk Assessment:Tools & Methodologies

Highlights of some most-used assessment tools.

BY G.F. GUERCIO, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

J-F 15 p20-25 risk_master template 1/31/15 6:32 PM Page 20


But the results of studies indi-cate that the SAQ has sound psy-chometric properties, with relia-bility and concurrent validity onsamples of offenders fromCanada, Britain, Australia, NorthCarolina, Pennsylvania, andSingapore, he relates, which are across-validation of ethnicities forthe tool.

The ORAS (Ohio RiskAssessment System) is actually aseries of tools, qualifies EdwardLatessa, professor and director,School of Criminal Justice,University of Cincinnati. “TheORAS-PAT (pretrial assessment),is designed to aid the court indetermining if someone accusedof a crime can safely be releasedprior to trial. It focuses on twooutcomes; failure to appear andnew arrests.” He furthers: “TheORAS-CST is designed to be usedpost-conviction and pre-sentenceand covers all of the major riskdomains. It focuses on risk ofreoffending and also gives proba-tion the areas to target should theoffender be placed on communi-ty supervision. There is also ascreener tool,” he continues,

“and we recently developed theORAS-MAT which is designed forMisdemeanants. The ORAS-PITtool is for assessing offendersentering prison and the ORAS-RTis to assess them prior to release.We have two RT tools, one forlong-term inmates and one forshort-term.”

Originally designed for Ohio, anumber of jurisdictions haveadopted the tools. “Ohio wanteda system that was non-propri-etary and that everyone coulduse,” he notes. “In Ohio we alsodeveloped a juvenile system:OYAS. It is used across the stateand is one of the reasons cited fora significant reduction in thenumber of youth sent to DYS.”

“NCCD has been developingactuarial risk assessments for usein juvenile and adult justice set-tings since the early 1980s,” saysErin Hanusa, senior communica-tions manager, National Councilon Crime and Delinquency.“These risk assessments are usedby paroleand proba-tion depart-ments to

guide decisions related to supervi-sory strategies.”

Actuarial risk assessment is byno means a new practice, shestates. “This type of risk assess-ment is based on statistical rela-tionships between individual fac-tors or characteristics and a set ofoutcomes” like subsequentoffenses. To develop an actuarialassessment, large datasets are col-lected and analyzed. A combina-tion of analyses reveals whichfactors have the strongest statisti-cal relationships with the recur-rence outcomes, she says, andfrom there, different combina-tions of these factors are identi-fied and examined to create a riskassessment that most effectivelyseparates a given population intorisk groups.

“NCCD’s CorrectionalAssessment and InterventionSystem (CAIS) is a multidimen-sional assessment and supervi-sion system that includes anactuarial risk assessment and a


Assessment Terms &Contact InformationORAS (Ohio Risk Assessment System): Edward Latessa,School of Criminal Justice, University of Cincinnati,[email protected]

STRONG-R (Static Risk Offender Needs Guide for Recidivism):Washington State Institute for Criminal Justice (WSICJ),Washington State University, 509.358.7961

COMPAS (Correctional Offender Management Profiling forAlternative Sanctions)--Northpointe Institute, www.north-pointeinc.com, 888.221.4615

PSA-Court (Public Safety Assessment-Court): The Laura andJohn Arnold Foundation (LJAF) www.arnoldfoundation.org,713.554.1349

CAIS (Correctional Assessment and Intervention System): NCCD(National Council on Crime and Delinquency), www.nccdglob-al.org, 800.306-.6223

OST and CSS-M (Offender Screening Tool and CriminalSentiments Scale-Modified): David J. Simourd, Ph.D.,[email protected]

SAQ (Self-Appraisal Questionnaire): Dr. Wagdy Loza, C. Psych.,[email protected]

LS/CMI (Level of Service/Case Management Inventory): Multi-Health Systems, Inc., US: 1.800.456.3003 Ext. 264, Canada:1.800.268.6011 Ext. 264, International: 416.492.2627 Ext. 264,www.mhs.com

The Ohio RiskAssessment System is

a series of toolsdesigned for pre- andpost-trial assessment.


comprehensive assessment ofneeds,” states Hanusa. “These dis-tinctly separate assessments areprovided within the context of aclinical evaluation of what drivesan offender’s criminal behaviors,along with recommended super-vision strategies and programsthat take into consideration theattitudes, capacities, and learningstyle of the individual offender.”

For the tool the Static RiskO f f e n d e rNeeds Guidefor Recidivism:S T R O N G - R ,there areabout 25 stat-ic/auto popu-lated itemsthat accompa-ny a 54-itemneeds assess-ment, explainsZ a c h a r yH a m i l t o n ,assistant pro-f e s s o r ,Department ofC r i m i n a lJustice & Criminology and direc-tor, Washington State Institutefor Criminal Justice, WashingtonState University (WSU). “Specificitems are taken from the DOCsystem: gang status, infractions,etc., to make the assessmentmore tailored to the jurisdiction.”

In 2008 the WADOC imple-mented the SRA (static risk assess-ment) and also started collectingdata using their inhouse offenderneeds assessment (ONA). Thisdata was collected for five yearsuntil WSU was brought in tocombine the SRA and the ONA tomake a fourth generation tool,the STRONG-R.

Hamilton roughly outlines theprocess: “We used a sample ofnearly 50,000 offenders; we useda two-year fixed follow-up. Ourpopulation consisted of felonsand gross misdemeanants, so ouroutcome is operationalized asfelony reconvictions. We createdeight models, independentlyselecting and weighting items forpredictions of violent, property,

drug and general felonies, witheach outcome model created sep-arately for males and females.”The end result Hamilton con-cludes: “The tool is scheduled tobe implemented in Washingtonin the fall of 2015.”

Each year 12 million in theU.S. are jailed, mostly for non-violent crimes, and over 60 per-cent of jailed inmates are await-ing trial, costing over $9 billion

annually, relates MattAlsdorf, director ofCriminal Justice, Lauraand John ArnoldFoundation (LJAF).While the criminal jus-tice goal is to detainthose who pose a riskprior to trial, and torelease those who donot, data collected byLJAF shows it is not thereality.

In re-s p o n s e ,the foun-d a t i o nb e g a n

work on a way toprovide objective,scientific, data-dri-ven risk assess-ments to the morethan 90 percent ofU.S. jurisdictionsthat do not use pre-trial assessmentmethods. Theresult is the PublicSafety Assessment-Court (PSA-Court), a tool thatreliably predicts the risk a givendefendant will reoffend, commitviolent acts, or fail to come backto court, based on nine datapoints, Alsdorf reports. There areno interviews and it can beapplied to every defendant inevery case.

He informs since adopting inmid-2013, Kentucky has beenable to reduce crime by close to15 percent among defendants onpretrial release, while at the sametime increasing the percentage ofthose released: a key goal.

“Understanding the risk and

need factors of offenders is a keystep in the offender managementprocess and the use of offenderassessment tools greatly helpsthis function,” notes psychologistDavid Simourd. “The OffenderScreening Tool (OST) is a broad-based assessment instrumentdesigned to assess the risk or like-lihood of future criminality andneed (the factors that give rise toa person’s criminal risk potential)of offenders. In actual practice, itcan be used at both intake for ini-tial classification or at re-assess-ment to monitor progress.

“The Criminal SentimentsScale-Modified (CSS-M) is a self-report instrument that measuresantisocial attitudes, values, andbeliefs directly related to criminalconduct. Correctional theory,research, and practice indicatethat criminal attitude is one of

the primary riskfactor for criminali-ty and as suchgaining informa-tion about offenderlevel of criminalattitudes can bevery helpful indetermining treat-ment need andfocus.”

Research on thestatistical proper-ties and reliabili-ty/validity of theinstruments havebeen establishedsays Simourd: The

CSS-M among offenders of vari-ous characteristics, the OSTamong probationers in Arizona,Minnesota, and Virginia. TheOST was designed based on anintegration of correctional theo-ry, research and practice, andCSS-M has been used worldwide.Training is required to administerand interpret the OST and CSS-M,according to Simourd.

The Level of Service (LS)risk/needs assessment tools arethe most widely used and widelyresearched in the world, accord-ing to Kevin M. Williams, Ph.D.,manager, product development,

VISIT US AT WWW.CORRECTIONSFORUM.NET CORRECTIONS FORUM • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 23

Zachary Hamilton

Tim Brennan


Clinical/Education/Public SafetyDivision, Multi-Health Systems,Inc. (MHS).

The LS/CMI is relevant to allstages of the criminal justiceprocess, but it is most often usedin post-conviction situations, herelates. For instance, the LS/CMIis extremely informative in deter-mining institutional security lev-els, type and intensity of treat-ment programs, conditions ofcommunity supervision, andparole decisions, according toresearch. Currently, the LSI-Rand LS/CMI are world leaders inforensic risk/need assessment,and are used in at least 25 U.S.states, 10 Canadian provincesand territories, and in 16 coun-tries internationally, Williamspoints out, and adds that there isno need to employ separateforms or versions of the LS/CMIfor various settings (parole, pro-bation, and prison/jail). The toolis validated on a racially diversepopulation and both genders.And, notes Williams, “Over 15million LS assessments have beenadministered since the tool wasdeveloped, including over onemillion in 2014 alone.”

He adds: “MHS hosts the Levelof Service Community of Users,an email group and blog made up

of the users/leaders/researchers inPublic Safety organizations acrossthe country and around theworld and is a means by whichorganizations can share best prac-tices, research, policies and proce-dures that are working for them.”

In Broward County, Fla., 25cents of every local tax dollar isdedicated to the operation andmaintenance of jails, says TimBrennan Ph.D, chief scientist,Northpointe Institute.

“The Broward County Sheriff’sOffice installed the COMPAS riskassessment model as a tool toimprove population management,control crowding and reducecosts, while simultaneously show-ing no increase in crime. The finaloutcome—deferring the construc-tion of a new jail and closinganother—has saved taxpayers mil-lions of dollars, he points out.

When formal risk assessmentsfirst emerged in the U.S. in the1920’s, they were largely focusedon parole decisions, Brennannotes. “Since that time their useshave steadily proliferated so thatthey are now used at virtuallyevery decision juncture in crimi-nal justice, including pre-trialrelease risk, probation supervi-sion intensity and content, earlyrelease decisions, designing target

populations for many policyinterventions, electronic moni-toring and more recently in sen-tencing design.”

Historically, development hasbeen a steady proliferation of dif-ferent kinds of risk assessmentsystems for a large variety ofoffenses and diverse outcomes,notes Brennan. “However, theoverall trend over the last fewdecades has been characterized bya slow but gradual improvementin predictive accuracies. Currentlywe are gaining knowledge on howbest to use specific risk assessmenttools as well as improving ourapproaches to the implementa-tion, training, supervision andquality control of such systems.”

As for the future, Brennan saysthe emergence of MachineLearning (ML) “includes a varietyof predictive and classificationmethods from the field of artifi-cial intelligence.” Examplesinclude neural networks, supportvector machines and variouskinds of decision trees. Theexploration of ML methods maylead to some important advancesin criminal justice, he strategizes,“However, their evaluations arefar from complete at this pointand we await more comparativestudies at this stage.”


The most consistent findings of research is the probability of recidivism increases as LS/CMI risk/needs leads increase.



It seems almost every day we readin the headlines about numbers ofviolent assaults on police officers,in addition to drug-related sui-cides—many of these scenariosinvolve individuals under theinfluence of the latest crop ofdesigner drugs such as syntheticcannabinoids and bath salts. Thesenew synthetic compounds accountfor about a third of positive find-ings in the next generation ofdesigner drugs according to the2013 World Drug Report.

The rapid turnover of the com-pounds found in these designerdrugs is a major challenge to theanalytical capabilities of most labs,frustrating attempts at deterrence

and detection, while encouragingthe growth of the market.

More toxicological screeningsare key to the effective enforce-ment of new laws passed by thegovernment and individual statesto protect the public from theseuntested and demonstrably dan-gerous drugs. There are a numberof tools and tests to help agencieskeep up trends, laws and scientif-ic research in these drugs as wellmore common drugs and alco-hol. Here’s a sampling of some ofthe most current drug testingkits, equipment and lab serviceson the market:

14 Common Drugs of Abuse

When required to report theresults of drug tests to the court,American Bio Medica Corporation

(ABMC) offers new RTC II,designed for the criminal justicemarket. This is an accurate, costeffective and easy to use all-inclu-sive cup test that will detect up to14 of the most commonly abuseddrugs.

www.abmc.com, 1.800.227.1243

DESIGNER DRUG TESTS

Randox Toxicology is theexclusive supplier of ELISA test-



NEW TESTING KITSAND SERVICESAMMUNITION IN THE WAR AGAINST LATEST DESIGNER DRUGS

J-F 15 p26-29 drug_master template 1/29/15 8:32 AM Page 26

ing solutions for Bath Salts,NBOMe and Spice. With over 17tests for designer drug detectionwe are at the forefront of productinnovation, in this rapidly chang-ing drugs market.

www.randoxtoxicology.com,1.304.728.2890

DRI HydrocodoneThe new Thermo Scientific DRI

Hydrocodone/HydromorphoneAssay demonstrated good correla-tion with LC-MS/MS and hasexcellent assay precision. It is asensitive, specific and easy-to-use

screening tool for hydrocodoneand major metabolites in urinesamples at a 300 ng/mL cut-off.The assay utilizes liquid ready-to-use reagents, calibrators and con-trols, and can be run in qualita-tive and semi-quantitative modes. www.thermoscientific.com, 1.800.232.3342

HIGH COMPLEXITYTESTING

For everything from ensuringthe compliance of parolees torehabilitation of those in recov-ery, success depends heavilyupon speed and precision of test-

ing. eLab Solutions erases thepossibility of doubt in drug com-pliance with their cutting-edgeonsite testing solution that helpsensure quick and accurate results.Their QuikLIMS software is saidto ensure that those results arealways at your fingertips.

www.elabsolutions.com, 1.866.990.ELAB

SyntheticCannabinoids Testing

Immunalysis offers two distinctSynthetic Cannabinoid Homo-geneous Enzyme Immunoassays(HEIATM) for the detection ofsynthetic cannabinoids in urine.Their original assay, gearedtowards the detection of JWH-018,JWH-073, AM-2201 and theirmetabolites, is now complement-ed by a new assay targeted at thenext generation, UR-144 andXLR11 compounds found in thecurrent Spice or K2 products.Together, these assays provide themost comprehensive screeningtool for an examiner’s automatedchemistry analyzer.

www.immunalysis.com, 1.909.482.0840

TESTING SYNTHETICCANNABINOIDS

Synthetic cannabinoids pre-sent an analytical issue for foren-sic laboratories. There are over 20uncontrolled forms and complex

botanical matrices with fewenforceable guidelines. Extractionmust account for several peaksand high potency material pre-sent at trace levels. Using theAgilent 7000 Series TripleQuadrupole GC/MS target ana-lytes are selectively isolated.

www.chem.agilent.com, 1.877.424.4536

Lab TestingNMS Labs continues to be a

leader in designer drug toxicolo-gy and have documented caseswith new compounds previouslynot seen on the street. NMS Labsis one of very few accredited labsto have committed the necessaryresources, analytical and toxico-logical expertise to keep up withthis divergent and rapidly grow-ing list of drugs. They offer thesetests to death investigation, lawenforcement and healthcareproviders.

www.nmslabs.com, 1.866.522.2206

BIOCHIP ARRAYTECHNOLOGY

Biochip Array Technology is amultiplex immunoassay drugscreening methodology devel-oped by Randox Toxicology,which advances on ELISA meth-

ods for rapid and accurate drugdetection. Biochip Array Tech-nology provides simultaneousdetection of multiple drug classesand drug metabolites from a sin-gle, undivided specimen.

www.randoxtoxicology.com,1.304.728.2890

Oral TestWhen you have an offender

that just “can’t go,” are they try-ing to hide something? Find out



for sure, with ABMC’s Oral Statdrug test. This oral fluids test willdetect up to 10 of the most com-monly abused drugs.

www.abmc.com, 1.800.227.1243

LATERAL FLOW TESTPremier Biotech’s new Rapid

(Instant/Onsite/POCT) EtG Testis said to yield accurate, reliableresults. This revolutionary rapidEtG test is a lateral flow, urinedip cassette that yields results in

as little as one minute. It alsooffers a shelf life of two yearsfrom date of manufacture andpositive results are stable for twohours.www.premierbiotech.com, 1.888.686.9909

Continuous AlcoholMonitoring

SCRAM Continuous AlcoholMonitoring (CAM) is reported tobe the most widely used CAMproduct in the world. Extensively

peer-reviewed and court validat-ed, SCRAM CAM provides aproven deterrent to drinking. Onany given day, it generates anaverage 99.4% Sober Days rate,meaning that 99.4% of all clientsbeing monitored by the productare sober and fully compliantwith court orders.

www.alcoholmonitoring.com,1.800.557.0861

ORAL FLUID DRUG TESTING

Redwood ToxicologyLaboratory (RTL) expanded itsSynthetic Cannabinoid OralFluid Drug Testing service toinclude four newer-generation,uncontrolled designer drugs.The additions of AM-2201, JWH-210, JWH-081, and RCS-4address changing drug abusepatterns that resulted from theDEA's ban of f ive syntheticcannabinoids. Analyzing thou-sands of specimens each day,RTL has the ability to monitorsynthetic drug usage across abroad population and can verifythe widespread emergence ofmany newer, unregulateddesigner-drug chemicals.

www.redwoodtoxicology.com,1.800.255.2159

Web-Based Call Systemcall2test is a randomized, web-

based, call-in system for drug and

alcohol testing and probationreporting. call2test can be con-

figured in less than 60 seconds, isfully automated, and can be usedby courts of any size. By utilizingexisting Interactive voiceresponse technologies, call2test isable to provide service at a lowcost per offender.

call2test.com, 1.888.972.9166

DRI OxycodoneThe Thermo Scientific DRI

Oxycodone assay is a liquid,ready-to-use assay with specificantibodies that detect oxy-

codone and oxymorphone with-out significant cross reactivity toother opiate compounds. It hasbeen optimized for 2 cutoff lev-els; 300 ng/mL and 100 ng/mL.The reagents are liquid ready-touse and conveniently packagedfor a variety of clinical chemistryanalyzers. www.thermoscientific.com, 1.800.232.3342


SCRAM REMOTE BREATHSCRAM Remote Breath offers a flexible option in breath testing.

It is the first handheld, wireless, portable breath alcohol tester thatincludes government-grade facial recognition, high-resolution pho-tos, BrAC results, and a GPS location with every test. Automatedfacial matching reduces manual photo review by 90-95%, whilerandom, scheduled, and on-demanding testing provides more flexi-bility to monitor clients.

www.alcoholmonitoring.com, 1.800.557.0861


Milton Building70 Industrial Drive, Ivyland, PA 18974U.S. & Canada: 800-523-8966 Fax: 800-323-8966Tel: 215-396-8600 Fax: 215-396-6662Web Site: www.medi-dose.comE-mail: [email protected]

Responding to pharmacy packaging needs around the world

The most trusted names in tamper-evident unit dose packagingSince 1971, correctional facilities have relied on the provenMedi-Dose systems for the quickest, safest and most economicalway to package solid oral medication. They’re tamper-evident,ultraviolet inhibitant and minimize errors and pilferage. Plus Medi-Dose contains no metal or glass!

Both Medi-Dose and TampAlerT can be easily identified usingour MILT software ... providing complete labeling and logreporting, even bar coding!

There’s no doubt about Medi-Dose and TampAlerT, proven in correctional facilities for over 30 years.

EPS ®, INC.

3

A secure, tamper-evident sealadheres to the bottle when youtwist-off the cap.

2

Twist TampAlerT cap onto bottle.

1

Dispense medication intoTampAlerT bottle.

1

2

3

4

5

6

Medi-Dose® System

TampAlerT® System

Beyond a reasonable doubt...and TampAlerT®

With TampAlerT, a twist of the wrist is all you need to dispenseliquids in no-leak, tamper-evident unit dose. TampAlerT vialsare available from 15 ml to 120 ml, in natural or ultravioletinhibitant polyethylene, with either regular or child-resistantscrew caps. Each cap contains a tamper-evident seal.And TampAlerT contains no metal or glass!


The inmate populationin the U.S. is aging andtraditionally lesshealthy than those ofus on the outside.There are also more

mentally ill people in prison thanthere are in state hospitals—by amargin of 10 to 1. Pile onto thatthe anticipation of an upcomingwave of prisoners with dementia.Aside from the amount of condi-tions to be treated, there is the factthat correctional facilities are usu-ally in remote areas. Some states,such as Wyoming, are almostentirely remote. Treating an

inmate in these areas can beexpensive. Simply walking aninmate out the door can cost hun-dreds of dollars. According to aLegislative Analyst’s Office 2012report, medical guarding andtransportation can exceed $2,000per inmate per day. The solutionin many cases might be telehealth.

Telehealth is not new. It hasbeen in use for over 50 years, butits appeal is growing rapidly andthe services are increasing in boththe number of conditions that canbe treated as well as the quality ofcare. Users have found significantsavings in cost as well. According

to a National Conference of StateLegislatures’ 2014 report, theUniversity of Texas MedicalBranch, which is one of twoproviders of inmate healthcare inthe state, saved correctional facili-ties $780 million over a period of13 years through the use of tele-health. Telehealth saved Georgia$9 million in 2011 alone. In oneyear, Corizon Health, a healthcareprovider to 531 facilities across theU.S., administered more than5,000 telehealth encounters. Ofthose, 3,000 would have requiredtransportation to an off-site loca-tion, which resulted in a savings


BY MICHAEL GROHS, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

This not-so-new practice is saving some millions annually, and even inmates with seri-ous mental illnesses are benefiting.

TELEPSYCHOLOGY

In one year, Corizon Healthadministered more than 5,000telehealth encounters. Of those,3,000 would have required trans-portation to an off-site location,which resulted in a savings ofnearly $1 million.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CORIZON HEALTH

J-F 15 p30-35 mental_master template 1/29/15 8:36 AM Page 30


of nearly $1 million. Telehealth can be used for

many specialties, says Dr. CalvinB. Johnson, Chief Medical Officerat Corizon, including cardiology,endocrinology, ENT, generalsurgery, infectious diseases,nephrology, ob/gyn, orthopedics,and urology. The options aremuch more advanced than a sim-ple Skype consultation. In Texas,prisoners experiencing chest painare connected to monitors andevaluated by an off-site clinicianto see if a hospital visit is war-ranted. There is also one particu-lar area of focus that telehealthhas seen continual growth, and itis among the most widespreadafflictions seen in correctionalsettings: mental health.

According to Sharen Barboza,PhD, CCHP-MH, director ofClinical Operations-Mental Healthat MHM Services, Inc., nearly onein five inmates has some form ofmental illness. Ellen Rappaport,Wexford health director ofTelehealth & Re-Entry explainsthat, like conventional mentalhealth care, mental telehealth canbe divided into two categories:

telepsychiatry, in which doctorscan perform psychotherapy andprescribe psychiatric medicationsvia telemedicine, and telepsychol-ogy, in which PhD-level practi-tioners provide counseling andpsychotherapy but not medica-tions. Masters-level professionalscan also perform psychiatric andsubstance abuse assessments andmake referrals to psychiatrists,psychologists, and drug rehabilita-tion services.

According to Sidney Hunter-Moore, RN, staff and programdevelopment coordinator, GeorgiaPrograms of MHM, “The tele-psy-chiatry contact is essentially thesame as the conventional proxi-mal contact.”It uses high qualityaudio and video-conferencingtechnology to provide inmateswith access to medical services.The remote psychiatrist, thepatient, and the patient’s proxi-mal caregiver discuss any concernsthe patient might have. The off-site practitioner utilizes a previ-ously prepared shadow document,and the proximal caregiver willprovide any new pertinent infor-mation that might be needed for

the medical records. Once theconference is completed, theremote clinician faxes his or herdocumentation to the proximalclinician.

Better FocusHunter-Moore also notes that

“telepsych” offers many benefits.It is efficient. Run correctly, hesays, telepsych can increase thenumber of patients being seen by10% to 30%. Cathleen Cleary,M.D., who works for MHM says,“I’m not as distracted…[with] peo-ple stopping to say hello…askingme questions because they happento see me as they’re walking by myoffice. I can focus better on thepatient.” Tele-psych is more orga-nized in the sense that theassigned facilitator rather than thedoctor is responsible for coordinat-ing calling patients, getting recordsand forms, and maximizing thesharing of critical information.Telepsych clinics function muchlike clinics in other medical spe-cialties. Productivity is maximizedby the use of support staff wherev-er it can improve the outcome ofcare. Telepsych also allows for flex-ibility, which can be a factor whenit comes to unanticipated eventssuch as unexpected transfers oradmissions and high priority issuesthat arise outside of regular clinichours. More patients can be treat-ed than can be handled duringnormal clinic hours.

Telepsych has also been foundto benefit the clinicians. Doctorshave found increased work satis-faction using telepsych. They likethe flexibility and off-site envi-ronment, the organization, andthe on-demand care. There is alsothe matter of significantimproved recruiting opportuni-ties that allows for organizationsto find the best clinician for anyspecific clinic without having tobe concerned with finding thosewilling to relocate and work insuch a non-traditional environ-ment. Clinicians can also bemoved to a different clinic,which allows matchmaking of aclinician with a treatment team.


According to MHM Services, thetele-psychiatry contact is essentiallythe same as the conventional proxi-mal contact. The remote psychia-trist, the patient, and the patient’sproximal caregiver discuss any con-cerns the patient might have.

CO

UR

TES

Y O

F M

HM

SE

RV

ICE

S, I

NC

.


Hunter-Moore also notes that telepsych can helplower the frequency of transfers for urgent care.Doctors can meet patients who transfer in withmedication issues, which in turn means gettingmedication started quickly and might mean avoid-ing after-hours transfer. Telepsych allows cliniciansto view patients in situations in which urgent issuesmust be decided outside of business hours andallows for the option of borrowing or shifting clinichours from other places according to priorities.Moving clinician hours, says Hunter-Moore, can bedone much more easily and therefore more often.The end result, he says, is that remote sites have bet-ter access to high quality and qualified clinicians.

The list of psychiatric conditions that can betreated through this method is vast and includes aplethora of conditions and options: adjustment andanxiety disorder, ADD, bipolar disorder, depressionand major mood disorders, medication manage-ment, initial evaluations, second opinions, crisiscare, individual and group therapy, obsessive com-pulsive disorder, panic disorder, paranoid disorder.Even conditions deemed “serious” and “medicallynecessary” such as paranoid schizophrenia, psy-chosis, schizoaffective disorder, and schizophrenia,conditions from which 14% to 20% of inmates suf-fer, can be successfully treated through telepsych.Rappaport points out that currently substance abusetreatment is not widely provided through telehealth,but “experts predict that its use will increase rapidlyduring the next several years.”

On the RiseTelehealth use is growing rapidly. Hunter-Moore

says, "In Georgia, we started providing telementalhealth services to the state prison system in 2006and now provide over 1,700 contacts per month pri-marily for medication management but also for ini-tial evaluations, consultations, second opinions, andeven crisis care.” In fact, every prison and statedetention center in Georgia that offers mentalhealth treatment uses telehealth for some or all oftheir psychiatric care. One area, says Hunter-Moore,that offers “exceptional promise” is the potential oftherapeutic family contacts and group therapies thatcan bring groups together from disparate locations.Rappaport points out that not only is the use of tele-health growing in scope, one current focus is imple-menting telehealth quickly in order to bring a widerrange of specialty services to inmate patients in amore timely manner as well as save on transporta-tion and overtime costs.

The cost-benefit ratio is significant. Anytime aninmate is not taken out of the facility is a savings forthe facility and the taxpayers. In Maryland, shepoints out, after two years of operation, their pro-gram is on track to enable the state to recoup theinitial investment costs in the first or second quarterof 2015. Hunter-Moore furthers that MHM’s reviews



have showed that by usingtelemedicine, their clinicians are20% to 45% more productive,and aside from the savings foundin transportation and time, theyhave found that the per contactcost to be as much as 50% lessthan proximal visits. UsingInternet based technologies thatare currently available, initialcosts can amount to less than athousand dollars a unit, anamount that is unlikely to be abarrier for most facilities.

There are numerous ways todeliver telehealth services.Johnson points out that Corizonoffers options including specifictelemedicine equipment, rollingmonitor carts, portable units inwheeled briefcases and in somecases even tablets and smartphones. “Varying the requiredequipment expands the reach oftelehealth and limits the need forperipheral employees to assist inthe process. These devices aremade accessible based on con-nectivity and the technical capa-bilities of the facilities.” Thisgives the option of delivering“house calls” to segregation cells.Tablets, iPads, and smart phonesall have telehealth capabilities,and Rappaport suggests that theywill likely be the wave of thenear future since the providerwill have access to the patient nomatter where the provider islocated. While the challengemight be that such devices arenot allowed in many facilities,the providers can use themregardless of where they are.Hunter-Moore explains that insome cases, clinicians need tomake contact with inmates whocannot be brought out of theircell. This has required the organi-zation to make telehealth unitsportable enough to address thatchallenge. In some cases, theyhave outfitted the units withheadphones and microphonesthat allow the inmate and theprovider to communicate withan extra sense of privacy despitethe security limits on theinmate’s physical movements.

HIPPA & OtherSecurity Issues

Naturally, there are some con-siderations to keep in mind whenit comes to these services. Oneissue that might leap to mind issecurity. As Hunter-Moore notes,in accordance with HIPPA stan-dards, “covered entities must pro-tect individually identifiablehealth information against delib-erate or inadvertent misuse or dis-closure.” To comply, providersmust provide safeguards to protectconfidentiality and prevent unau-thorized access. (MHM uses atelemedicine platform called Vseein which the signal is transmittedusing “strong encryption.”)

Other issues that might ariseare connectivity issues within thesecurity requirements of a correc-tional facility. There is also thematter, says Rappaport, thatscheduling follow-up encounterscan be an issue as a result of thetremendous amount of inmatemoving and transfers in the cor-rectional environment. (Theyaddress this challenge by havinga point person at the facility tofollow up and track and monitortelehealth patients.)

Johnson also points out thatthe required T1 lines are anexpensive form of connectivity,but they provide “a more realistictele-presence.” He furthers thatsome providers would prefer hav-ing those expensive telehealthunits in their office, but that isnot always a possibility. Corizonprovides hubs in many specialtyclinics for a variety of providersto use, so they may be required towalk to a nearby building or areato provide their consultation.

A 2013 study titledTelepsychiatry in CorrectionalFacilities: Using Technology toImprove Access and Decrease Costsof Mental Health Care inUnderserved Populations written byStacie Anne Deslich, MA, MS,Timothy Thistlethwaite, MD, andAlberto Coustasse, DrPH, MD,MBA, MPH was conducted thatset out to determine if telepsychi-

atry truly did increase inmateaccess to psychiatric care andlower costs for clinicians andfacility administrators. The resultsfound that “Telepsychiatry pro-vided improved access to mentalhealth services for inmates, andthis increase in access is throughthe continuum of mental healthcare, which has been instrumen-tal in increasing quality of care forinmates.” The study also deter-mined that the use of telepsychsaved facilities anywhere from$12,000 to over $1 million. Theyconcluded that increasing accessto inmates might result inimproved living conditions andsafety in correctional facilities,and that “Providers, facilities, andstate and federal governments canexpect increased savings with uti-lization of telepsychiatry.”

Some may wonder about theefficacy of using telepsychiatry intreatment versus face-to-face con-tact. Another study conducted byTexas Tech University and theFederal Bureau of Prisons in 2008and published in the Journal ofConsulting and Clinical Psychologyset out to determine if the use oftelemental health altered thetreatment experience. The resultsindicated that “no significant dif-ferences in inmates’ perceptionsof the work alliance with themental health professional, postsession mood, or overall satisfac-tion with services when telemen-tal health and face-to-face modal-ities were compared within eachtype of mental health service.”

The benefits seem clear.Telepsych offers more services atless cost. Budgets are strained,and correctional facilities havebecome the default mentalhealth clinics, which they werenot designed to do, but fiscal sol-vency is not the only focus whenit comes to telehealth expansionfrom a clinician’s point of view.Says Dr. Johnson, “It is impor-tant to remember that while costsavings can be achieved, the pri-mary goal of telehealth is toensure patients receive consistentquality care.”



SmuggledCONTRABANDremains a huge issue for correc-tional facilities across the coun-try. In addition to the usual toolsof escape, weapons and narcotics,cell phones are now the mostprevalent form of contrabandcurrently plaguing this country’sprisons and jails.

In an effort to control the traf-ficking and use of contrabanditems, numerous technologies arebeing deployed—these includewhole body imaging technology,which is becoming increasinglypopular for the detection of bothinternal and external contraband.

These innovations in technolo-gy have reduced the risk forhuman error, time and manpower.

Over the past few years manystates have been beefing up theirsecurity systems to help combatthe transport of contraband inprisons. For example, Texas’criminal justice system, thenation’s largest, has investedheavily in efforts to keep cellphones out of prisons, wherethey have enabled inmates tocoordinate escapes and maintaincontact with gangs.

Those enhancements andupgrades included a special K-9unit responsible for sniffing outcell phones, increased video sur-

veillance of guards and the addi-tion of “managed access systems”at two prisons that intercept allbut a few specified outgoing cel-lular signals.

According to a May 2014 arti-cle in The Texas Tribune, correc-tions officials and state legislatorssay that increased emphasis hashad a major effect. They reportcell phone confiscations by theCriminal Justice Department fellto 594 in 2013—a five-year low—from 738 the previous year.

“Cell phones are definitely thebiggest problem in correctionalfacilities today,” comments CraigSchober, media director, BerkeleyVaritronics Systems. “They aresmall, cheap and are extremelyeasy to conceal.” The companymarkets a number of productsthat help in cell phone detection.

Another company that is offer-ing some interesting solutions inthis area is GTL. “Recognizingthere is more to effectively con-trolling the entrance of cellphones and other contrabandinto facilities than simply block-ing signals or finding phones,GTL takes a strategic 3-prongedapproach to combat this illicitactivity: Detection, Extraction,and Analysis (DEA), says MitchVolkart, product manager ofIntelligence Tools at GTL. “GTL is

able to combine our most effec-tive intelligence products withother industry leading tools, pro-viding the capability to effective-ly detect contraband mobiledevices, forensically extract theraw data, and analyze the infor-mation to formulate actionableintelligence,” he adds.

Here are a number of productsolutions to control contrabandin correctional facilities:

IED DetectorCEIA’s EMIS-MAIL is designed

to detect a wide variety of metalthreat items including detona-tors, batteries, trigger circuits andother metal components of parcel

bombs without false alarms fornon-threat items such as metalstaples, paper clips and metalbinding spirals. The EMIS-MAIL isuniquely qualified to operate in a



Advances Help Block

Contraband

J-F 15 p35-37 contra v2_master template 1/29/15 8:43 AM Page 35

prison or correctional facilityenvironment with specific set-tings available for prison parcelinspection. The EMIS-MAIL isalso compliant with the NIJ-0602.02 Department of JusticeDetection requirement standard.

www.ceia-usa.com, 1.888.532.CEIA

COVERT CELL PHONEDETECTOR

PocketHound is sensitiveenough to detect all nearby cellphone activity but covert enoughto alert you while still inside yourpocket. This tiny receiver vibratesto alert users of any voice, text ordata activity within 75 feet.

PocketHound is the perfect toolto enforce a no cell phone policyin areas where cell phones areillegal or unauthorized.

www.PocketHound.com or www.bvsys-tems.com, 1.732.548.3737

Detection SystemL-3 Security & Detection

Systems ProVision advancedimaging systems utilize effectiveradio wave-based technology toprovide an efficient screeningcapability. The millimeter wavetechnology in the ProVision sys-tem utilizes safe radio waves todetect threats that may be hiddenunder a person’s clothing. Abroad variety of concealed mate-rials, including both metallic andnon-metallic threat items, can befound with the unit.

www.sds.L-3com.com, 1.781.939.3800

DETECTION SYSTEMMicroSearch is a highly reliable

human presence detection systemthat deters escapes by detectingprisoners hiding in vehicles or

containers. MicroSearch usespatented ENSCO technology toquickly and non-invasively detectescapees by sensing their heart-beat, going from set-up to resultsin less than two minutes. It isideal for monitoring prison ser-vices, prison industries, and staffvehicles. Portable and compact, iteasily protects multiple sites andsallyports.

www.ensco.com/microsearch,1.800.367.2682, ext. 4420

Electronics DetectorREI’s ORION 2.4 Non-Linear

Junction Detector detects thepresence of electronics, regardlessof whether the electronic target isradiating, hard wired, or turned

off. It can locate hidden electron-ics in walls, floors, ceilings, fix-tures, furniture, or containers. Anantenna-mounted line-of-sightdisplay lets the operator focus onthe target while sweeping. TheNEW ORION 2.4 transmits at2.4GHz frequency for detectingsmall electronics such as SIMcards, cell phones and otherforms of electronic contraband.

www.reiusa.net, 1.931.537.6032

Infrared SystemTarget-ID is the first Fourier-

Transform Infrared (FTIR) spec-troscopy system developed specif-ically for field-deployed narcotics.Combining the power, speed, andaccuracy of FTIR with a library ofup to 2,500 narcotics, precursors,

and common cutting com-pounds, Target-ID returns foren-sic laboratory quality results in amatter of seconds without dam-aging or degrading evidence.Target-ID also allows users todefine their own library matches.Lightweight and easily trans-portable, Target-ID provideshours of operation on a singlebattery charge.www.smithsdetection.com, 1.800.297.0955

CELL PHONE DETECTIONCellsense has a high sensitivity

for detection of cell phones,whether turned on or off, orlocated on or inside the body. Italso offers detection capabilitiesfor weapons such as small blades,

knives, shanks, lighters, etc. Fastfull body scans in a single walk-by, up to 40 inmates per minute.Convert between the free-stand-ing and wall-mount mode byremoving the base. Fully portablewith versatile screening capabilityat any angle.www.cellsensegroup.com, 1.630.541.6509

Managed WirelessAccess System

Securus Technologies recentlyentered into an exclusive distrib-ution agreement with Vanu, Inc.where Securus will provide man-aged wireless access systems that



will limit the use of contrabandwireless units in prisons and jails.Vanu’s Spectrum-Shield technol-ogy enables correctional facilitiesto address the critical need forpreventing the illicit use of cellu-lar technologies. The system dis-tinguishes between legitimateand non-legitimate wireless cellu-lar devices within a correctionalfacility using its specialized radioalgorithms. Spectrum-Shield pre-vents contraband devices frommaking and receiving unautho-rized phone calls, text messagesand data.

www.securustech.net, 1.972.277.0665

ELECTRONICSURVEILLANCE

Mistral has a line of electronicsurveillance products that may beemployed in situations that sta-tionary camera systems may not

be effective: e.g., in hostage or riotsituations. Mistral’s Eyeball tech-nology is one that employs ‘soft-ball’ shaped camera systems (withIR and mics) that can be thrownwherever needed (and landupright), with 360º viewing onremote PDUs. Eyeballs are said tobe virtually indestructible.

www.mistralsecurityinc.com,1.301.913.9366

Metal DetectorThe Cell-Scan II (CS II) is a

portable multifunctional metaldetector. The new thinner, lighterCS II features a 90% larger open-ing than the original. It features adigital counter, ultra bright detec-tion LED and mutable alarm. TheCS II has an integrated PVC base

with large casters for ease ofportability. Regardless of metalcomposition of the contraband,passing items through the Cell-Scan Detector determines if theinmate, visitor, or worker isattempting to conceal any metals.

www.cell-scan.com, 1.517.803.2652

SOFTWARE SOLUTIONSGTL Data IQ intelligence soft-

ware utilizes advanced data min-ing technologies to draw connec-tions between offenders’ phone

calls, visitations, deposits andmore, giving investigators thepower to detect, flag and act onsuspicious behavior. Unlike otherapplications that can only ana-lyze their own data sources, GTLData IQ can also interface withany third-party data source. Thissoftware provides investigators aholistic view of investigative dataand generates actionable intelli-gence, thereby combating fraudand other criminal activity.

www.gtl.net, 1.800.489.4500



A visitor enters your jail. Theywalk up to a kiosk to check inusing their driver’s license. Thekiosk does an instant identifica-tion check, cross referencing theirname to a list of those not per-mitted in the building and toselect criminal databases youchoose, such as criminal warrantand sex offender data bases—allwithin seconds. In addition, secu-rity personnel have access to anadvance list of those visitorsexpected for the day so they canbe pre-screened, getting your visi-tors along on their way evenquicker. And, if desired by yourjail, a visitor’s badge can be print-ed and ready while they are stillat the kiosk.

Sound futuristic? It’s not ofcourse. Kiosks are widely used inmarkets such as schools, health-care, transit and in an extensive

and growing range of fields.Corrections is no exception. Forthe past few years, these electron-ic wunderkinds are used forinmates to order commissaryitems, to order healthcare servicesand to send “kites” for requestsand complaints.

Kiosks also accept and disbursemoney—allowing booking agentsto automatically count inmatesmoney, deposit it and place it ona debit card at release. Kiosksallow friends and family todeposit money—from a kiosk inany jail or prison in the net-work—at the present location oracross the state. Kiosks are alsopermitting communications suchas phone and video visits, emailand photo sharing.

They are going beyond thoseapplications too. One new appli-cation undergoing testing will

allow visitors to the jail to checkin on their smartphone on arrivalin the parking lot, undergo abackground check and have abadge printed by the time theyarrive inside.

Security, obviously, is a highpriority at corrections facilities.However, it is a two-edged sword.“When you start to increase secu-rity, it starts to slow thingsdown,” points out Kevin Allen,president of LobbyGuard, a kioskmaker servicing about 30 verticalmarkets. “We try to do two thingswith our kiosks: Enhance securityand make [access] quicker.”

The LobbyGuard kiosk isinstalled at the DetentionServices Bureau at the ShelbyCounty Juvenile Court inSouthern Pennsylvania. Visitorscan approach the self-servicekiosk and do a license scan, take


BY DONNA ROGERS, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Kiosk TrendsFrom secure check-ins, self-serve commissary to mobilephone apps, these kiosks offer the best efficiency yet.

J-F 15 p38-41 kiosk2_master template 1/29/15 8:46 AM Page 38

photo for positive ID andrespond to questions tailored bythe jail. Once we have the data Ican run a background check onthem—registered sex offenderdatabase, red flag list maintainedby the jail, and also check ShelbyCounty’s own warrants for theirarrests, he says, adding that noti-fication gets sent to sheriff. Andit takes “less than two secondscheck all those records.”

In April a beta release of the

product will allow visitors toinstall an app on their Apple andAndroid phones. When a visitorarrives it links up to the systeminside, they can sign in—eitherinside or outside building. It’s upto the customer but they need tobe within a certain range,explains Allen. Using their owncell broadband or wifi it sends alink to the front desk, which isstill subject to a backgroundcheck; the visitor can bypass the

kiosk and the badge can be wait-ing behind the desk.

GPS signs you out automatical-ly when you leave.

Using the Go! App speeds upthe time at the front desk, whichis especially for frequent visitorslike attorneys. Notes Allen: “It’san extension of that efficiencyequation—taking less of the frontoffice’s time….and it’s far moreaccurate than depending on thehonor system.”


COMPANY NAME

KIOSK NAME

APPLICATIONS

COMMENT

CONTACT INFO

Microtronic US

Guest Station

User can purchase a Vending Card, add funds tothe Vending Card using cash and when finishedshopping, get a cash refund of the balance on thecard.

Our Guest Station is for customers using theMicrotronic Cashless payment system for VisitorVending in Prisons and Jails. This kiosk allowscustomers the availability to get a refund of cashloaded onto the Vending Card once they havefinished their visit, says Terri Bryant, president.

[email protected]; www.microtronicus.com; 1.800.879-3586

COMPANY NAME

KIOSK NAME

APPLICATIONS

COMMENT

CONTACT INFO

Slabb, Inc.

Model X6

Check-in for community corrections clients throughtheir supervision period

The company won the bid in 2013 to manufacture,deliver and install over 60 customized self-service kiosksto the Arkansas Department of Community Correctionfor selected minimum-risk clients. Identification of theparolees is done via a fingerprint reader, webcam shotsand signature pad. Partnering with Marquis Software fora specialized interface allows payments to theInformation Network of Arkansas (INA). Users can alsoaccess housing and employment information.

702.730.1110, www.slabb.com



COMPANY NAME

KIOSK NAME

APPLICATIONS

COMMENT

CONTACT INFO

Telmate

Automated Lobby Kiosk

Visitation scheduling, inmate trust deposits; resti-tution, bond, & bail payments; work releaseTelmate also has an Automated Booking Kiosk.

All of the lobby kiosks are all interconnected, so afamily member near any Telmate kiosk nation-wide is able to deposit cash for an inmate housedin any other facility with same solution.

www.telmate.com or 1.866.516.0115

COMPANY NAME

KIOSK NAME

APPLICATIONS

COMMENT

CONTACT INFO

TouchPay

Lobby Kiosk

Automated payment platform

For corrections, TouchPay’s funding solutions pro-vide comprehensive services throughout the entirecustody experience of offenders—from booking todeposit to release and post-release. At booking,TouchPay provides an Intake Kiosk for automatedprocessing that counts both coins and cash notesin bulk.

www.touchpayonline.com, 1.866.204.1603

COMPANY NAME

KIOSK NAME

APPLICATIONS

COMMENT

CONTACT INFO

Touch Legal, Inc. (TLI)

TLI Correctional Grade Touchscreen Law Library Kiosk

Delivery of secure access to off-line and Internet-based stateand federal law library materials, as well as inmate email,messaging, request/grievance services.

“It is critical that correctional facilities proactively leveragesecure technology to provide inmates with regular access to lawlibrary resources, email communications and to automate theprocessing of inmate grievances and requests,” says BradPlaschle, COO.

Brad Plaschle, esq., 707.526.6655, Ext 4; Cell: 415.377.2610; [email protected]; or www.touchsonic.com



COMPANY NAME

KIOSK NAME

APPLICATIONS

COMMENT

CONTACT INFO

LobbyGuard

LobbyGuard Scout

Automated check-in system

The Scout is the company’ssmallest, lightest and most versa-tile of its products. Also availableis LobbyGuard SL which is soft-ware that can be installed on anycompatible Windows 7 orWindows 8 PC, laptop or tabletcomputer. It ships with allperipherals, including camera, driver license scanner, and printer. Multiplekiosks can be networked together at key locations via LobbyGuard CloudServices to have one view of all your visitor data, reporting options, con-figuration settings and more from anywhere on the web. LobbyGuard Go!is an app that is compatible with Apple and Android operating systems.Says company president Kevin Allen: “It places the kiosk right in yourhand.”

http://lobbyguard.com; 919.785.3301


N E W P R O D U C T S

TRI-FOLDMATTRESS• Folds up for easy storage

• Velcro® straps allow forsecure closure anddoubles as handle• Great option for

temporary sleepingquarters or emergency

management

1-800-334-9880www.bobbarker.com

Ferguson Safety'sDozer Mattresses Through review of lab testing and realworld track record the ParklandMemorial Hospital staff inside of theDallas County Jail specified to useFerguson Safety’s Dozer mattresses.

The Dozer’s fabric and seamstrength exceeds all other institutionalmattresses and the fire resistant coredecreases the possibility of bonfires andthe deadly smoke they create.

To further increase the safety of the6,500 inmates of the Dallas Jail,Parkland staff specified Ferguson SafetyProducts suicide prevention SafetySmocks and Safety Blankets for theirspecial segregation cells.

For more information visit www.fergusonsafety.com


Page No.AUTOCLEAR/Control Screening...........37Black Creek Integrated Systems Corp. .17Bob Barker.............................................43Corizon....................................................7Endur ID Incorporated............................6Ferguson Safety Products .....................14Infax ........................................................9Institutional Eye Care............................42Keefe Group ..........................................44Mars.......................................................13Medi-Dose Company ............................29MHM Correctional Services, Inc. ...........2Microtronic US ......................................18NaphCare ..............................................33Point Blank Industries .............................5Sentry Security Fasteners, Inc...............19Slabb, Inc...............................................41StunCuff Enterprises, Inc. .......................4STV Architects, Inc ..................................4Telmate .................................................25Time Keeping Systems, Inc. ..................15Trinity Services Group, Inc....................11Western Union Commercial Services ...21Wexford Health Sources .......................31

This advertisers index is provided as a service to our readers only. The publisher does not assume

liability for errors or omissions.

A D I N D E XMuvi-Pro HD

Micro Camcorder

Don't get caught off guard—count onMUVI PRO high definition body cameras

to give an accurate behind-the-sceneaccount of what really happens when

you are making your rounds. For more information

visit www.officersonly.com

J-F 15 p42-44 showcase index_master template 1/31/15 6:36 PM Page 42



Date post:	07-Apr-2016
Category:	Documents
Upload:	criminal-justice-media-inc
View:	221 times
Download:	0 times

January/February 15

Documents