Pinckneyville Correctional Center - DuQuoin Boot Camp

Pinckneyville Correctional Center, a Level 2 facility, opened in October 1998. The facility is comprised of 19 buildings totaling 434,000 square feet contained on 148 acres of land. There are six housing units, five of which are X-design. The R5 housing unit, with a capacity of 218 inmates, is designed for single-celled segregation placement. An additional 30 cells in receiving segregation gives Pinckneyville the largest Segregation Unit for a Level 2 facility in the state. Pinckneyville Correctional Center has an annual operating budget of $32,775,300 with 430 full-time state employees and an additional 60 contractual staff employed by School District 428, Rend Lake College and Health Professionals Limited.

Highlights

During FY 2003, one significant accomplishment at Pinckneyville Correctional Center was the opening of a new employee dining room, providing staff members with a safer, less stressful atmosphere in which to enjoy their meal break. The staff dining room was moved from its former location, which was conjoined with the inmate dining room, to a new area in an adjacent building. The reduced noise levels, more relaxed atmosphere and increased safety level have proven to be a benefit to staff. An employee commissary was also brought on line offering an array of beverage, snack and luncheon items at a minimal cost. An outdoor break area was designated between the gatehouse and administration building for staff to use as weather permits.

Another accomplishment driven by the intent to better staff services was the relocation of the training room to a larger area. The new area not only provides better accommodations for the storage of training materials and associated documentation, but it also is a more conducive environment for staff to absorb the material being presented.

Employees also were afforded the opportunity to bring family members into the facility for tours during Correctional Officer Week. During the tour, employees and their family members were given a demonstration by the facility's Tactical Unit. Staff was grateful for the opportunity to share its work experience with family members.

Reducing Recidivism

With regard to recidivism rates, studies continue to reflect that inmates who receive college certificates while incarcerated return to the correctional system at a much lower rate than those who did not participate in a program. Pinckneyville Correctional Center's vocational program has ranked number two in the state for FY 2003 from enrollments to completers with a 55 percent completion rate. The computer technology program is ranked first in the state for FY 2002 and for enrollments to completers with a 56 percent completion rate for FY 2003. The commercial custodial tied for second in the state with an 87 percent completion rate, and construction occupations tied for second with a 56 percent completion rate. These numbers are particularly impressive when noted that those institutions ranking higher are much lower security level facilities and have lower enrollment numbers.

Pinckneyville Correctional Center's completion and graduation rate for the GED program is the highest in the state, with 103 inmates passing the test in FY 2003. In addition to the focus placed on increasing TABE test levels, an introduction to life skills is also at the forefront of the educational program. The curricula focuses on parenting, job skills, job interviewing, keeping a job and consumer education. The life skills referral coordinator assists students with applications and resume completion, which is a benefit to former inmates as they attempt to re-enter the workforce.

Security Initiatives

Security initiatives implemented this fiscal year include the rescheduling of dayroom hours. This change allowed for the reduction in the number of inmates out of their cells for dayroom time during evening hours. Another preventive measure was the securing of tables to the floor in the dayrooms. Additional razor ribbon was installed in key areas, and observation stations for security staff were constructed on the yard. Due to the large number of inmates using the gym and attending school at given times, a security grill gate was erected in the multi-purpose building separating the gym from the classrooms to keep any incident-affected areas contained.

Fiscal Responsibility and Budgetary Compliance

As a means to ensure fiscal responsibility and budgetary compliance, the business administrator prepares a weekly spending report detailing all expenditures and outstanding orders by detail object code. This report is distributed to department heads as a means to control spending in their respective areas. Weekly meetings are held between the business administrator, dietary manager and plant maintenance engineer, which are historically high spending areas, as another means to maintain the facility within its budgetary limits. Policy has been put into effect requiring every purchase request, regardless of dollar amount, to be approved by the business administrator and the warden prior to processing.

Indicator Reports

As reflected in monthly indicator reports, the facility's GED program has shown a tremendous improvement in the number of inmates completing and graduating from the program. This improvement is accredited in part to the screening process put in place at the onset of the program, allowing instructors to place students in classes with others who have similar educational backgrounds. The classes benefit from the interaction and the ability to cover the material at a like speed. Additionally, the overall number of inmate grievances filed has been reduced drastically, almost 40 percent over the previous fiscal year. Counseling staff as well as staff from every department are required to respond to inmate concerns in a timely manner and remain attentive to their issues. Correspondingly, the total number of major disciplinary reports written was reduced by 16 percent from last fiscal year as well as a 6 percent reduction in disciplinary transfers.

New Technology and Automated Enhancements

One of the most significant enhancements to the facility during FY 2003 was the installation of a Baxter Revolving Tray Oven. This research and maintenance project was approved due to the need to replace obsolete ovens, which had significant downtime and were difficult to repair. The new oven is capable of cooking 36 pans at one time. Each shelf can be timed separately and preprogrammed in advance. The installation of this oven assists the Dietary Department immensely by cutting cooking time in half. Another significant technological enhancement was the conversion and upgrade of the inmate phone system. Consolidated Phone Systems and Eventide Recording System installed an upgrade to their software and hardware allowing Intel staff greater flexibility with regard to reviewing inmate phone traffic.

Conclusion

Pinckneyville Correctional Center continues to maintain a high degree of safety and security through strict inmate movement practices and staff accountability. The administration takes pride in its staff members who continually achieve the high standard set for overall safety and sanitation of their work areas. The dedication of the employees is evident throughout the facility.