North Dakota Department Of Corrections And Rehabilitation

The Insider

On December 3, 2016, the Association of State Correctional Administrators (ASCA) honored Leann Bertsch, Director of the North Dakota Corrections and Rehabilitation, with the 2016 Tom Clements Innovation Award.

ASCA established the Tom Clements Award in 2015 to recognize a ASCA member who exemplifies Tom Clements’ virtues of vision and innovation in the corrections profession. The Clements Award honors Tom Clements, who was formerly Director of the Colorado Department of Corrections, and who was assassinated in the line of duty in March of 2013. Throughout his thirty-three years as a correctional professional, Tom pursued a progressive vision of a corrections professional that supports

the redemption of offenders. An innovator, he was continually on a mission to find new and better ways to improve conditions for staff, provide needed programs and treatment for offenders, and build bridges to community services that would enhance offenders’ chances for success.

Rich Raemisch, Execuitive Director of the Colorado Department of Corrections and Co-Chair of the Clements Committee presented the award to Director Bertsch, noting, “how closely her vision, values, and innovations mirrored those of Tom Clements.”

To read the complete press release please visit: http://www.asca.net/projects/30/pages/214

L Bertscheann

Excellence in Developing & ImplementingAwarded for

Successful Innovations in Corrections

THE INSIDER January 2017PAGE 2

Parole and Probation In-Service 2016

The fall in-service for the Division of Parole and Probation was held in Bismarck this past October. With the financial assistance from the North Dakota POST Board we were able to bring in one of the premier public safety presenters in the country, Mr. Gordon Graham. Mr. Graham is a retired 33 year veteran of California Law Enforcement and spent the majority of his time with the California Highway Patrol. For those of you who grew up in the 1970’s watching the television show “CHIPS” it was filmed at his precinct. During the filming it provided him with unlimited overtime and he took advantage of the overtime to put himself through law school.

The focus of Mr. Graham’s presentation were thoughts on real risk management. On what you can do to better protect yourself, your team, your organization and your community. He noted that the vast majority of things we do in corrections and law enforcement we do right. The bad news is that when things do not go right there are significant consequences. These consequences include injury, lawsuits, death and the loss of public trust. He presented on three topics: Why Things Go Right and Wrong in Law Enforcement and Corrections, Ethical Decision Making, and The Top Ten Ways Cops get in Trouble. The main point taken from each topic was:

• The importance of identifying and clarifying an issue as part of the decision making process. You cannot make the right decision if you are addressing the wrong problem. Take a close look at how you make decisions.

• Recognize that every incident encountered by officers has ethical considerations. Ethical actions speak louder than ethical words.

• Law enforcement and corrections is a noble endeavor, please take it seriously. You are the leaders in your organization and our profession and you must set the proper example.

Mr. Graham closed the training discussing the importance of keeping in shape, both mentally and physically. These are easy things to let slide and say we don’t have enough time for. Lastly, end of career planning (which doesn’t mean waiting until your about to retire)! There is no better time than now to start planning, saving and investing for your future.

By: John Gourde, Program Manager

DOCR Mission

To enhance public safety, to reduce the risk of future criminal

behavior by holding adult and juvenile individuals accountable, and to provide opportunities for

change.

THE INSIDER January 2017 PAGE 3

Correctional Behavioral Health Workgroup Informs 2017

Legislative Session

The Correctional Behavioral Health Workgroup is a diverse group of corrections and behavioral health professionals convened in August 2015 by Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (DOCR) Director Leann Bertsch. The mission of the Correctional Behavioral Health Workgroup is to serve as a unified voice for correctional agencies in North Dakota in order to make recommendations to the 65th Legislative Assembly regarding the improvement of access to behavioral healthcare for individuals involved with the criminal justice system. The workgroup’s membership includes representatives from jail administration, parole and probation, DOCR administration, transitional planning and behavioral health, and the Department of Human Services.

Correctional agencies across the state recognize that there may be gaps in behavioral health services for individuals in contact with the criminal justice system. There are instances where offenders are incarcerated because of these gaps, where a better use of resources may be more effective. If gaps in behavioral health services can be addressed earlier in the process, with appropriate services and service coordination, it will provide the courts with additional sentencing options as well as reduce the “revolving door” of incarceration for offenders with behavioral health

issues, thus improving outcomes and increasing public safety.

To that end, the workgroup has developed a report delineating key challenges, along with proposed solutions, based on the professional experience of its members. The report has been shared with the legislative interim committees for human services, health services, and incarceration issues. The recommendations were also shared with the ND Behavioral Health Stakeholders group and numerous other identified stakeholder groups within law enforcement and community service provision. The full report can be found at http://www.nd.gov/docr/media/reports.html.

The recommendations are based on two key points:

1. In order for criminal justice diversion or re-entry strategies to be effective, they must be supported by a full continuum of behavioral healthcare.

2. We must improve the capacity to effectively treat those who do have to go to jail or prison in order to reduce recidivism and contain the cost of the corrections system.

Specific recommendations provided by the workgroup that are reflected in current legislation being considered include:

By: Dr. Lisa Peterson, Clinical Director

(continue on page 11)

THE INSIDER January 2017PAGE 4

Managing the NDYCC Population Through a Partnership with PATH

Over a relatively short period of time, the DJS population shifted from a largely seriously delinquent and antisocial profile to one of predominantly mental health, substance abusing, and behaviorally disturbed youth. The population changed fast, and the DJS system needed to retool itself quickly. By the end of 2010, the characteristics of the youth had changed enough to prompt a change in the way data was reported to the Legislature in the 2011 session. Coincidentally, the adolescent unit of the State Hospital closed in 2010. Since that time, the youth corrections population has continued to move towards the more complex, traumatized and mentally ill group of youth. As an example, the percent of youth with a mental health diagnosis who further met the criteria for a “serious emotional disturbance” was an alarming 45% when it was reported it in 2011. In 2017, when the numbers were recalculated for this legislative session, the percentage rose to 79%.

At a time when juvenile crime rates were falling, here in North Dakota and nationally, commitment rates to youth corrections in North Dakota are not. This is because seriously mentally ill and addicted youth march steadily through the front door of juvenile corrections. Often, these youth bring with them multiple prescriptions for psychotropic medications, need for psychiatric oversight, complicated

Individualized Educational Plans, and other complex needs the likes of which a correctional center is ill-equipped to manage.

Because these youth pose significant behavioral challenges, they are often poor candidates for the residential care programs. However, DJS and PATH have partnered together to create a small treatment foster care program for youth who are ready to transition out of the Youth Correctional Center, but are not likely to manage an abrupt discharge to another environment.

Treatment Foster Care (TFC) involves intensive services utilizing highly trained foster parents providing care for children with psychiatric conditions involving severe emotional and behavioral problems. Treatment foster parents are required to have significant education requirements and are certified in medication monitoring and crisis intervention. PATH licensed social workers offer therapy and support to families and their children in care while providing treatment consultation and behavioral management support to PATH foster parents. In addition PATH social workers offer case management with the child’s psychiatric community of care.

The PATH/DJS effort is called Specialize Foster Care (SFC) and SFC Foster Parents meet weekly with their case manager and bi-weekly with DJS

By: Lisa Bjergaard, Director of Division of Juvenile Services

(continue on page 16)

THE INSIDER January 2017 PAGE 5

The North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (DOCR) has been named an implementation site for a Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) sponsored project to develop and evaluate cognitive-behavioral interventions for inmates at risk for placement and placed in administrative segregation. Dr. Paula Smith of the University of Cincinnati and Dr. Ryan Labrecque of Portland State University are co-principal investigators on the project, which is funded by the BJA’s Encouraging Innovation: Field-Initiated Programs group of grants. Administrative segregation (AS)-often referred to as solitary confinement-involves housing an inmate in conditions characterized by isolation from other inmates (American Bar Association, 2011). There is a widely held belief among policy makers and corrections officials that AS makes prisons and communities safer (see Mears, 2013). Nevertheless, its use remains controversial. Some researchers contend AS increases subsequent criminal behavior (Pizarro, Stenius, & Pratt, 2006), and others argue this practice causes harmful psychological effects (for a review, see Gendreau & Labrecque, 2016). Moreover, the evaluation of offender rehabilitation services in AS units has largely remained a neglected area of research (see Smith, 2016).

The DOCR’s ongoing initiatives related to segregated housing reform and providing programming for people in segregation will inform further policy and curriculum development and implementation. DOCR will administer a tool to identify inmates upon entry to prison who are at elevated risk for future AS placement, the Risk of Administrative Segregation Tool (Helmus, 2015). This tool examines six risk factors, which are: age at admission, number of prior convictions, previous admission to administrative segregation, sentence length, criminal versatility in current convictions, and prior violence. Behavioral health staff will then engage individuals found to be at risk in a 10-session, cognitive-behavioral prevention program. Participants will be compared to matched controls to determine if the prevention program was effective in reducing the likelihood that they would be placed in AS in the future.

The project will also evaluate the effect of a 22-session treatment program on future institutional adjustment for those inmates in AS who are identified as high-risk and in need of such programming. Participants in these groups will be compared to historical control groups. The historical control groups will be comprised of similarly matched inmates who were in AS at least two years prior to the

North Dakota DOCR Named Implementation Site

(continue on page 11)

By: Dr. Lisa Peterson, Clinical Director

THE INSIDER January 2017PAGE 6

James River Correctional Center Gives to the Community

New to the James River Correctional Center in 2016 was a 3,200 square foot garden. C o r r e c t i o n a l Officer Arlen

Lind initiated the garden project to include landscaping improvements and planting flower beds in areas where inmates would be able to view and enjoy. Staff and inmates all enjoyed the addition of color to our campus to include flower beds planted around the Special Assistance Unit so the inmates could enjoy the colors from their windows.

The garden expansion project was approved by Warden Pringle in May 2016 and 30 pounds of seed potatoes was donated from Country Gardens in Jamestown. Officer Lind contacted Community Action Region VI food pantry staff in Jamestown to see what their needs were for fresh produce. They requested potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, onions, green beans, zucchini, winter squash, garlic, green peppers, and pumpkins. They wanted produce that would stay fresh and stored over a period of time. Officer Lind advised the food pantry coordinator we would plant whatever they needed.

3,911 pounds of fresh produce from JRCC was given to struggling families in the Jamestown area. The crop consisted of 750 pounds of potatoes (one of which weighed a whopping 2.9 pounds), onions, green beans, beets, carrots, garlic, cantaloupe, tomatoes, squash, pumpkins, watermelon, peas,

and cucumbers.

The number of families that received services from the food pantry is as follows:

• June: 154 families• July: 140 families• August: 180 families• September: 152 families• October: 134 families• November: 172 families

We are extremely proud of the contributions made from the JRCC garden, Officer Lind and his crew. Officer Lind stated the inmates in the garden program worked very hard over the summer. One inmate stated of all the things he has done in prison, the garden was the most reforming thing he has done.

By: Connie Hackman, Deputy Warden

The Insider Newsletter is an official publication of the North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and is published four times each year. Its goal is to enhance communication and keep staff, and all those interested, informed of developments and achievements throughout the Department. All employees are encouraged to submit articles, letters, comments, and ideas for future issues of The Insider to be considered in the next publication. The Editor reserves the right to edit or exclude, if deemed inappropriate, any items submitted for publication. Please e-mail articles to:

A Message from the Editor

North Dakota Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation

PO Box 1898Bismarck, ND 58502-1898

Editor: Michelle LinsterE-mail: mlinster@nd.govPhone: (701) 328-6362

THE INSIDER January 2017 PAGE 7

Correctional Officer Drew Topp started a choir program at the James River Correctional Center on March 16, 2016. The choir has been slowly but steadily growing since it first started and has had over 30 inmates involved.

Topp stated the inmates have had varying degrees of experience in singing and performing. He teaches them a variety of music to include rock, pop, classical, and traditional. He also teaches them how to sing properly, read music, and he to talks to them about being a good audience and being respectful to the people who are performing or teaching/ speaking.

The first choir performance was at a GED graduation in 2016, and was a great addition to the event. In addition to the GED graduation, Topp organized a choir concert in August and had eight inmates perform, and also organized a concert in January that had ten inmates perform. Staff and pre-approved visitors were invited to the concerts.

Topp is working towards a double major in music education and vocal performance at the University of Jamestown and has been playing music since he was six years old. Topp can play piano along with six other instruments and sang in choir from elementary school through

high school. Topp also had a student from the University of Mary earn credits towards his degree while interning as Topp’s assistant choir director here at JRCC. Topp hopes to have other college student’s intern with JRCC’s choir program.

Topp stated he never thought his music and working at JRCC would ever coincide since it is two work fields that don’t intersect very often. Topp stated another Correctional Officer encouraged him to start the choir at JRCC and he took the idea to Warden Pringle. Warden Pringle was excited to have a choir program at JRCC and said anytime we can have a prosocial activity for inmates to participate in, we will do what we can to get it going.

Topp stated the inmates have worked hard to make the choir a success; they really enjoy learning, and have exceeded his expectations. Inmate’s state the choir has made a positive impact on their lives, choir rehearsal is the highlight of their day, and it is an incentive for them to be on their best behavior so they can be in choir.

Great Talent at the James River Correctional Center

By: Connie Hackman, Deputy Warden

DOCR Vision

A safer North Dakota through effective correctional services.

THE INSIDER January 2017PAGE 8

Reading is A Gift

It is not often in corrections that you get to witness the love b e t w e e n

a father and his child, but that it exactly what a new reading program has accomplished. “Reading is A Gift” was started in the Fall of 2015 at the James River Correctional Center in Jamestown, ND. The program’s intent is to help incarcerated men connect with their family, especially their children ages 12 and under. The men are recorded on DVD reading a book to their children, then the book and DVD are wrapped and sent to their children as a Christmas present and again for Father’s Day.

My first participant wrote in his second thank you note, “Thanx again for putting the Reading Is a Gift program together for us! My son is 1,000 miles away so this was the closest he has got to me in 3 years. My son thought it was cool that I was the first person to get to do the program. He really liked the book and recently finished it. It means a lot to those of us who have children and want to stay connected. Especially having as long of a sentence as I have had and at such a distance. Thanks for caring about us and know you’re appreciated.”

When the gentlemen enter the recording session, they are nervous.

Nervous about their appearance or worried they will make a reading mistake. I ask them to pretend they are sitting next to their child, just talking with them and reading to them. I tell them I feel their children are more excited to see them, then to care about an awkward pause or reading mistake. When my second participant sat down to read to his six children, I had no idea what I was about to witness. His first reading was to his youngest daughter, age 4. He began to read the book titled How Do I Love You. He read the first line, “How do I love you, Let me count the ways, I love you like the sun loves the bright blue days.” As he reads each line, it became more and more difficult to fight back the emotion and tears. “I love you as a bee loves a fragrant flower, I love you as a thirsty duck loves a sudden shower…” His head begins to sink, his face cannot be seen, his sniffles become louder and louder with each line as he struggles to finish. As I watch and witness this love, I cannot help but be moved and have to fight back some tears myself. After he finished that quick but difficult first read, I realized I had made a mistake with the volume setting and needed him to start over, t h a n k f u l l y.

(continue on page 9)

By: Tracy Monson, Library Technician

THE INSIDER January 2017 PAGE 9

The second read was great, his head was up, he was talking and looking into the camera as he read for almost two hours straight to all his six children. This is what he had to say about the program. “My children absolutely loved the DVD and books. They watched it so much it already skips. My wife said they were telling their friends and teachers, ‘my Daddy was reading with me.’ Also my wife said since Christmas they have improved their attitudes, being able to just put in the DVD and see and hear me when they miss me. So all the way around, I am and so is my family forever grateful for your reading is a gift program. I wish to participate again this year if at all possible.”

With the overwhelming success of the first two recordings of this program at JRCC, it was then implemented at the Missouri River Correctional Center and the North Dakota State Penitentiary, both in Bismarck, ND for Christmas 2016. A participant from MRCC wrote a thank note to his two teachers, “I just would like to say thank you for your never ending gift. Not only did you help me fill my children with warmth and joy, but you also helped me. Bringing warmth, a feeling of worth, as well as playing a small role in the world of parenthood. Two hearts of two pure souls, and I just want to say thank you”.

The program starts about three months before Christmas and Father’s Day. The participants fill out paperwork needed to complete

a screening and approval process to mail the gift to their family member. They must complete three book reports, a requirement to promote reading, and they must remain in good standing at their facility with no discipline issues. As the recording time approaches and the requirements are met, each gentleman is allowed to select the books for their children. I was fortunate enough to be introduced by a local Librarian to the Scholastic Book Company program designed to promote literacy, called FACE, (Family and Community Engagement). Scholastic offers a large catalog filled with books for every age level, and they sell them

at an 80% discount. The requirement is the books must be given away. A perfect fit for this program. The DOCR Education Department pays for the books as part of enrichment programming, and the gentlemen must pay for their own postage to mail

them out.

This program would not exist if it were not for the forward thinking, “let’s take a chance mentality,” and approval from DOCR Director of Education, Dr. Penny Veit-Hetvetled. Dr. Veit-Hetletved is the winner of the Award of Excellence from Mountain Plains Adult Education Association, and under her direction, the ND DOCR is #1 in the U.S. for GED passing rates. Dr. Veit-Hetletved writes, “I loved the idea of this program…but it wasn’t until I received a thank you from a student at the North Dakota State Penitentiary that it really hit me

(Reading is a Gift... continued from page 8)

(continue on page 11)

THE INSIDER January 2017PAGE 10

On October 29, 2011, Taylor Berhow made a decision that changed the lives of several families; he got behind the wheel of a vehicle while intoxicated and crashed the vehicle killing three of his friends. He is currently serving a sentence for manslaughter at the North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (DOCR).

In 2016, Taylor asked the DOCR if he could speak to others regarding his decision to drive while intoxicated and the impact it has had on him and the families of the victims. He wanted to inform others of the choices he made not only that night, but all the decisions that lead up to that fateful night. The DOCR agreed to the presentations and gave Taylor a list of criteria that he would need to stay in compliance with throughout the process and he purchased dress clothes with his own money for the presentations. During the presentations he is escorted by two DOCR staff.

During his presentation he explains how he grew up in what most would consider a “normal” childhood. He received good grades, was in organized school activates, never got into trouble, and had friends his age that did not get into trouble. He had what most would consider the best parents you can ask for; provided him with what he needed, not “wanted”, had a good upbringing, was taught morals and values, no drinking, not even casual, and no criminal history (not even speeding tickets!).

Taylor explains he started to drink because it was “cool” and that is what people did on the weekends. As his drinking progressed it impacted his high school grades, he quit the swimming team, started hanging out with different friends and received three Minor in Consumption/Possession citations. After high school the drinking progressed…a friend even passed away from drinking and driving but that did not deter him from drinking and driving. In fact, it made the drinking worse and he started drinking more to deal with the emotions of losing a friend which lead up to the events of October 29, 2011.

He ends with this statement, “Any decision you make affects not only you, your family and friends, but also the community you live in. So I hope what you take away from this is every decision you make affects others, not only yourself. Plan ahead. Use your good judgment.”

To date Taylor has presented at Heart View and the Prairie Learning Center. All the feedback has been very positive and appreciated that he is willing to share his story with others so they may learn from his mistakes.

The “Moments of Impact” video was created before he started his sentence by KAT Communications and can be found at this link: http://www.momentsofimpact.info/

Hoping to Make an Impact

THE INSIDER January 2017 PAGE 11

(Reading is a Gift... continued from page 9)

DOCR Values

Respect, Professionalism, Teamwork, Transparency, Integrity,

& Innovation

Click for detailed value statements

on the impact we were making in these resident’s lives. He thanked me for the program reminding him that he was still ‘human’ and that the kindness within the program compelled him to remain incident free. That’s the beauty of intrinsic motivation.”

Chad Pringle, Warden of JRCC, is a firm believer in pro-social activities and reinforcement. Warden Pringle writes, “Reading is a Gift helps these children stay connected with their fathers through the great activity of reading. But even more importantly, it helps these men focus on the importance of being a positive influence in their children’s lives.”

My goal for this program are quite possibly, hopefully, making a tremendous positive effect. Just maybe one man will stop and think carefully about his kids or the consequences, before making a choice that could send him back to prison, just maybe.

To watch a news piece on the Reading is a Gift program, you can visit: http://www.kfyrtv.com/content/news/Some-inmates-from-State-Penitentiary-get-to-be-home-for-Christmas-thanks-to-technology-408271075.html

(Implementation site... continued from page 5)

(Behavior Workgroup... continued from page 3)

1. Examine the criminal code to determine felony level infractions that lead to criminal justice involvement for people with behavioral health needs to determine which could be reduced without significant impact on public safety.

2. Invest in local, community-based, effective substance abuse treatment services including medication-assisted treatment options.

3. Support the development of a pre-trial services division to offer assessment, referral for appropriate interventions based on criminogenic and other needs, and supervision to assist people in getting treatment they need prior to adjudication.

4. Invest in more cost-effective, community-based resources from a chronic care model such as peer support, supported employment, and behavioral healthcare programs targeted to individuals at high risk for future crime who also have serious behavioral health needs.

start of the program. The project began on October 1, 2016 and is expected to be completed by September 30, 2019. When the project is complete, a summary of the findings will be provided to all departments of corrections in the United States. As this work seeks to reduce violent crime in correctional institutions, reduce the use of unnecessary confinement in AS settings, and implement evidence-based, research-driven strategies into the daily operations of correctional institutions, it has the potential to significantly impact future corrections practices.

THE INSIDER January 2017PAGE 12

Organizational Characteristics. All people on DOCR Community Supervision. One day counts on the last day of the month.

Janu

ary

2016

Febr

uary

201

6

Mar

ch 2

016

Apr

il 20

16

May

201

6

June

201

6

July

201

6

Aug

ust 2

016

Sept

embe

r 20

16

Oct

ober

201

6

Nov

embe

r 20

16

Dec

embe

r 20

16

General Organizational Information

Daily Supervision Count 7,271 7,292 7,269 7,304 7,333 7,358 7,381 7,350 7,262 7,333 7,333 7,334

Count of all people on DOCR supervision in the community.

People on supervised probation 6,342 6,360 6,330 6,311 6,349 6,384 6,356 6,533 6,265 6,335 6,331 6,341

Count of people on DOCR supervision with a case type of suspended or deferred.

People on parole 646 692 726 766 767 815 812 817 818 832 816 804

Count of people on DOCR supervision with a case type of parole.

Interstate Compact - In 756 755 778 797 796 813 807 800 789 789 797 797

Count of people sentenced to community supervision in another state supervised by North Dakota.

Interstate Compact - Out 793 791 774 775 781 798 788 781 783 794 803 800

Count of people sentenced to community supervision in North Dakota supervised by another state.

Successful Completion Rate of Parole or Probation 66.4% 66.0% 61.5% 61.6% 62.3% 62.5% 62.2% 62.0% 62.7% 62.6% 63.1% 63.1%

ND cases closed as revocation divided by the total number of cases closed and taken from a hundred (cumulative since January 1 of that year).

People on GPS 80 80 82 83 83 80 78 84 83 84 78 80

People on Scram 70 71 67 68 66 61 58 54 51 50 49 50

Supervision Level (Assigned supervision level based on assessment and crime type.)

Maximum 1,214 1,219 1,217 1,233 1,217 1,199 1,153

Medium 2,460 2,448 2,430 2,450 2,407 2,412 2,387

Minimum 1,213 1,208 1,210 1,180 1,164 1,157 1,143

Not Classified 1,955 1,927 1,939 1,887 1,968 1,980 1,789

Includes people incarcerated who have an active probation case.

Drug Court 86 81 83 84 89 94 88

Diversion 640 626 631 625 640 641 651

Demographics

Male 5,363 5,410 5,389 5,426 5,464 5,470 5,481 5,477 5,418 5,495 5,500 5,475

Female 1,908 1,882 1,880 1,878 1,869 1,888 1,900 1,873 1,844 1,838 1,833 1,859

White

Black

American Indian

Asian

Hispanic

Average Age

People on community supervision can have multiple sentence types. Example, a person can be on probation and parole at the same time.* 2% error due to business rules with closing supervision cases.

http://www.nd.gov/docr/media/stats.html

THE INSIDER January 2017 PAGE 13

http://www.nd.gov/docr/media/stats.html

Organizational Characteristics. All DOCR Inmates. One Day Counts on the Last Day Of The Month. These numbers use the Association of State Correctional Administrators (ASCA) Performance Based Measurement Standards (PBMS) and are based on the controlling sentence. Ja

nuar

y 20

16

Febr

uary

201

6

Mar

ch 2

016

Apr

il 20

16

May

201

6

June

201

6

July

201

6

Aug

ust 2

016

Sept

embe

r 20

16

Oct

ober

201

6

Nov

embe

r 20

16

Dec

embe

r 20

16

General Organization Information

Prisoners Housed in NDSP, JRCC, MRCC 1,325 1,337 1,363 1,347 1,346 1,360 1,324 1,360 1,365 1,372 1,358 1,379

Prisoners Outsourced 466 438 448 449 464 436 431 419 435 444 439 412

Total Inmates Under DOCR Responsibility 1,791 1,775 1,811 1,796 1,810 1,796 1,755 1,779 1,800 1,816 1,797 1,791

Average Length of Sentence (Years) 6.64 6.66 6.58 6.62 6.60 6.65 6.75 6.72 6.77 6.70 6.75 6.81

Prisoners Serving Sentences Of Court (Prison Sentence)

Inmates Serving Less Than 1 Year 12 12 13 13 17 10 8 8 9 10 14 14

Inmates Serving 1 to 3 Years 888 885 913 916 928 935 904 914 917 933 908 886

Inmates Serving 3 to 5 Years (3.01 to 5) 316 304 310 294 292 286 283 289 296 293 298 310

Inmates Serving 5 to 10 years (5.01 to 10) 235 233 232 229 228 217 218 221 226 229 227 229

Inmates Serving 10 to 20 Years (10.01 to 20) 160 162 163 165 163 165 161 165 168 169 170 172

Inmates Serving 20 to 40 Years (20.01 to 40) 85 84 84 84 87 87 87 87 90 88 87 87

Inmates Serving More than 40 Years (40.01 plus) 17 17 18 18 18 19 19 19 19 19 19 19

Inmates Serving Life with Parole 41 41 41 41 41 41 40 40 40 40 39 39

Inmates - Life Without Parole 37 37 37 36 36 36 35 36 35 35 35 35

Inmates - Death Sentence 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Crime Distribution Statistics (Controlling Sentence)

Part 1 Violent Crime Inmates 567 563 579 576 588 579 570 576 582 583 578 592

Other Violent Crime Inmates 247 237 248 244 250 256 260 265 277 268 263 257

Property Crime Inmates 315 300 306 308 303 298 288 289 282 289 283 280

Drug Offense Inmates 499 502 513 508 517 504 500 519 518 549 545 536

Other Public Order Offense Inmates 163 173 165 160 152 159 137 130 141 127 128 126

Inmate Demographics

Average Inmate Age 36.14 36.14 35.99 36.05 36.06 36.02 36.01 35.97 36.18 36.03 36.20 36.51

Male Inmates 1,571 1,552 1,580 1,559 1,571 1,562 1,530 1,554 1,576 1,575 1,562 1,578

Female Inmates 220 223 231 237 239 234 225 225 224 241 235 213

White Inmates 1,177 1,167 1,187 1,174 1,171 1,151 1,114 1,126 1,152 1,151 1,153 1,148

Black Inmates 148 146 149 152 156 161 159 164 158 166 168 170

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander Inmates 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

American/Alaskan Native Inmates 347 342 349 351 356 358 355 361 364 372 356 354

Hispanic or Latino Inmates 106 108 114 109 114 113 114 115 113 113 108 106

Asian Inmates 8 7 7 6 6 6 5 5 5 5 5 5

Other Race/Ethnicity Inmates 5 5 5 4 7 7 8 8 8 9 7 8

Inmates With Unknown/Missing Race/Ethnicity 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Inmates Non-Citizens 22 23 22 19 18 18 18 19 19 21 21 21

THE INSIDER January 2017PAGE 14

DOCR Adult Services Inmate Population InformationInmate Population on December 31, 2016 (Male and Female)

TOTAL COUNT: 1791NDSP 753, JRCC 439, MRCC 187, DWCRC 113, Non Traditional Beds 299

Non-Traditional Bed Breakdown:

Correctional Centers (Jails) 18, Interstate Compact 21, TRCC 102, BTC 83, GFC 18, MTPFAR 23, MTPMDN 5, FTPFAR 18, FTPMDN 7, LRRP 4

Year 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016Admissions - Calendar Year 960 1181 1231 1399 1603 1624Releases - Calendar Year 1025 1085 1191 1257 1526 1628Inmate Count on December 31 1440 1536 1576 1718 1795 1791

Inmate Count on December 31 (Crime Type)Offense 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Violent Offenders (Excluding Sexual) 470 507 536 569 567 594Sex Offenders 275 282 274 298 294 303Property and Other Public Order Offenders 336 354 351 349 386 329Drug & Alcohol Offenders 359 393 415 502 548 565

Drug - Deliver, Manufacture or Intent 234 256 247 258 294 316Drug - Possession Only 100 109 136 171 200 220Alcohol - DUI, APC 25 28 32 73 55 29

Inmate Count on December 31 (Minimum Mandatory)Offense 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Breaking/Unlawful Entry Into a Motor Vehicle 0 0 0 1 1 2DUI/Actual Physical Control 21 24 10 2 0 11Driving Under Suspension 0 0 0 0 0 0Refusing to Submit to Chemical Testing 0 0 0 0 0 1Drug Offenses (Not Alcohol) 35 37 31 26 22 25Reckless Endangerment 2 0 0 3 1 2Assault 15 11 9 5 3 6Burglary With Weapon 0 0 0 0 1 3Felonious Restraint 0 0 0 0 0 1Kidnapping 1 1 1 0 0 0Sex Offense 9 8 10 11 9 21Terrorizing 8 10 14 6 1 11Robbery 6 5 9 11 11 14Criminal Vehicular Injury 0 0 0 0 0 1Negligent Homicide/Criminal Vehicular Homicide 2 1 1 1 1 2Manslaughter 1 0 0 0 0 0Murder * 13 14 14 16 17 19Felon in Possession of a Firearm 1 0 0 0 1 0Offender Registration Violation 3 3 0 0 0 2

Total 117 114 99 82 68 121* There are 73 males and 1 female with a Life sentence (not all are minimum mandatory sentences)6.76% of the inmate population on December 31, 2016 had a minimum mandatory sentence.

http://www.nd.gov/docr/media/stats.html

THE INSIDER January 2017 PAGE 15

Inmate Count on December 31 (85% Truth-In-Sentencing)2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Number of Inmates Having 85% TIS 274 280 308 318 304 299Average Sentence In Months (excludes Life) 99 111 101 100 121 126

DOCR Adult Services Inmate Population Information (Male and Female)Average Inmate Population, Admissions, Releases by Fiscal Year

FY 2011 FY 2012 FY 2013 FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2016Average Daily Population 1477.26 1459.68 1528.65 1567.87 1696.26 1781.65Admissions 1005 1061 1206 1291 1531 1657Releases 1036 1048 1141 1228 1389 1612

Fiscal Year Admissions Of 85% Truth-In-Sentencing InmatesFY 2011 FY 2012 FY 2013 FY2014 FY2015 FY 2016

Number of Inmates 96 85 112 101 112 95Average Sentence In Months 43.59 55.32 39.25 51.62 46.09 57.44

Average Sentence Does Not Include Inmates With Life Sentences

Number Of Fiscal Year Admissions by Crime TypeFY 2011 FY 2012 FY 2013 FY 2014 FY2015 FY 2016

All Inmates 1005 1061 1206 1291 1531 1657Violent Offenders (Non-Sexual) 238 241 305 277 327 325Sex Offenders 81 85 81 83 83 74Drug & Alcohol Offenders 336 351 413 522 708 775Property and Other Public Order Offenders 350 384 407 409 413 483

Average Sentence Imposed By Court (Fiscal Year, Crime Type, In Months, Excludes Life Sentences)FY 2011 FY 2012 FY 2013 FY 2014 FY2015 FY 2016

All Inmates 33.55 31.74 31.26 34.35 32.74 30.37Violent (Non-Sexual) 42.34 34.73 29.45 43.56 35.04 37.57Sex Offenders 67.91 64.08 81.88 75.29 72.60 66.67Drug & Alcohol Offenders 31.30 31.09 28.96 29.68 29.35 27.52Property and Other Public Order Offenders 21.93 23.48 25.06 25.85 28.15 24.55

Number Of Fiscal Year Admissions By Length Of Court Imposed SentenceFY 2011 FY 2012 FY 2013 FY 2014 FY2015 FY 2016

Less Than One Year 50 57 39 23 33 41One Year to Less Than Five Years 826 891 1038 1114 1294 1453Five Years to Less Than Ten years 91 78 93 105 144 122Ten Years to Less Than Twenty Years 23 23 16 27 35 27Twenty Years or More 15 12 20 22 25 14

NOTE: The average sentence is that sentence imposed by the court. It does not take into account such things as good time, credit for time served, parole relief or any other method of shortening the sentence except Pardon Advisory Board recommendations adopted by the Governor (which can actually change the sentence). The average sentence is reported in months to two decimal points.

Data is based on the “controlling sentence” for offenders who are admitted for multiple crimes. Controlling sentence is the lon-gest sentence ordered by the court that has not expired.

NDSP - North Dakota State Penitentiary. JRCC - James River Correctional Center. MRCC - Missouri River Correctional Center. DWCRC - Dakota Women’s Correctional Rehabilitation Center (New England), TRCC - Tompkins Rehabilitation Correctional Center (Jamestown). BTC - Bismarck Transition Center. MTP - Male Transition Program (Fargo & Mandan). FTP - Female Transition Pro-gram (Fargo & Mandan). GFC - Grand Forks Centre. LRRP - Lake Region Re-entry Program (Devils Lake).

January 10-11February 7-8March 7-8April 4-5May 2-3June 6-7July 11-12August 8-9September 5-6October 3-4November 7-8December 5-6

April 4November 7

Parole Board MeetingDates for 2017

Pardon Advisory Board Dates for 2017

Pardon Advisory Board Members are appointed by the Governor for an open ended term to include the attorney general, two members of the parole board, and 2 citizens/residents of the state. The Pardon Board Members are listed as follows:

Members LocationDuane Dekrey, Chairman PettiboneWayne Stenehjem BismarckBeverley Adams FargoMandy Maxon BismarckH. Patrick Weir Medora

Parole Board Members are appointed by the Governor for a three-year term. The Parole Board Members are listed as follows:

Members LocationH. Patrick Weir, Chairman MedoraMandy Maxon BismarckJackson Lofgren BismarckRobert Udland FargoJames Prochniak West FargoJennifer Thompson Fargo

Parole Board Members

Pardon Advisory Board Members

(Managing the NDYCC ... continued from page 4)

staff to make sure services are being provided in accordance with treatment planning and community placement agreements. Boundaries between the YCC and PATH are porous for the youth in this program, and so if the youth would benefit from contact with staff or counselors from YCC, or need to utilize the YCC school, plans can be quickly put in place. Youth don’t need to “fail” and have their community placement revoked in order to receive the support they need. PATH SFC parents and PATH social workers participate in training at YCC, so all of the adults involved in the case use the same behavioral management

approaches, and “speak the same language” with the youth. Thus far, 8 youth who would otherwise be long term YCC placements are reaping the benefits of placement into this innovative public/private effort. Furthermore, this renewed focus on working with treatment foster care as a preferred placement option for DJS youth has led to a doubling of the number of DJS youth placed in regular treatment foster care PATH beds compared to a year ago. Data and outcomes measures will be presented as they become available.