’WPCM D6¾|,Œ&Ē™4 G_bĘœĖ™žL’˜­Ö‡?é-7„D²Z°[Ļ{¤yĶ¢š5‹*„3ėi!Ā&‡$„ī/©œkO+ŁeŸ.oUņbĶ‹©Iµ’dŽöC3ķæŽZ”zĄ»»G{!Åa9w¾Ÿ‚c}įp÷|ŁņōÓVļO#J†TąņŠģŽł٦ G4Ź«w9}Ɖ°¶“ )X<Ä»I+ĀĒe·¾ „HיEm‰ų“>ó†ÜX³­¹eä2¬YCĪÓ`ĖZµ±>J3ÄöjO#!f•Ļ® €ŗtlÅ …ųąm9ŁćaŠDßæ|~×FCw¶5U+žpS]Q÷z’KH†cøKÜ]nPux“ęšŖÖĢŁaPó芳Eģ4Ė?„øSbAŪdĄ*øgnf—‰“:BǦ{'xÅĻb%JuĪŪ+U¬?ŻĶ9~ŌYŸ‡cĘˆnŽ?Ÿ¤¹=gšvOómC#Ų6rš-±z^$/Ī+x“Ūźńó)ۊ²'”f=šH-hm‚ fŚÜ0k,łL^Jj~’ūÆ=6®īWÉ“,­HÓZį>ė9ė' ͦč•[å¾PF+¼ž„[l¤éU­Ķ»Ć=ˆq¼\Æ8“eq¢’Ś #ÉØUNq %æ 0:ÅN’^ w 4%4 m6˜HP Color LaserJet 1600œ¤œ¼¼œœ¤0(ÖĆ9 Z‹6Times New Roman RegularX(üœ$””ŌUSUS.,Ōl¼6  ąY5ź:i¢×+003|x’U‹’ĄĄĄŻ ƒüœ!ŻŌUSUS.,ŌŻ  ŻŌ_ŌŌ_ŌINDYŌ_Ō€STAR€NEWSPAPER€ĢMay€25,€2007Š œģ Š€ĢĢSTAFF€LACKED€EXPERIENCE,€REPORT€SAYSŠ `° ŠTransfers€of€Arizona€inmates€halted€until€problems€are€addressedŠ L œ ŠĢPost€Event€Analysis€of€the€New€Castle€Correctional€Facility€Disturbance€Š $ t Š€ĢBy€Mary€Beth€Schneider€and€Theodore€KimŠ ü L  Šmary.beth.schneider@indystar.comŠ č 8  Š€€€€€€€€€€€€Š Ō$  ŠNo€additional€Arizona€inmates€will€be€transferred€to€Indiana€until€conditions€that€contributed€toŠ Ą  Šan€April€24€riot€at€the€New€Castle€Correctional€Facility€are€resolved,€officials€in€both€states€saidŠ ¬ü  ŠThursday.Š ˜č  Š€ĢWHAT€CAUSED€THE€RIOT?Š pĄ ŠĢThe€"primary€cause"€of€the€riot,€according€to€prison€officials,€rests€with€the€offenders.€OtherŠ H˜ Šfactors€included:Š 4„ ŠĢšš€Offender€idleness.€Recreation€schedules€were€shorter€than€the€Arizona€offenders€wereŠ  \ Šaccustomed€to.Š ųH ŠĢšš€A€breakdown€in€communication,€including€prisoner€complaints€that€weren't€adequatelyŠ Š  Šaddressed.Š ¼  ŠĢšš€Too€many€unseasoned€staff€on€duty€and€a€lack€of€veteran€staff€in€key€positions.Š ”ä ŠĢšš€The€rushed€transfer€of€Arizona€prisoners€to€Indiana.Š l¼ ŠĢšš€Failure€to€inform€Arizona€inmates€about€stricter€confinement€rules€in€Indiana.Š D!” ŠĢšš€Failure€to€impose€consistent€sanctions€in€cases€of€prisoner€misbehavior.Š #l! ŠĢšš€Security€doors€and€windows€that€were€too€weak€or€inadequately€designed€to€contain€offendersŠ ō$D # Što€their€housing€units.Š ą%0!$ ŠĢWHAT'S€BEING€DONE?Š ø'#& ŠĢšš€Schedules€have€been€adjusted€so€Indiana€and€Arizona€inmates€eat€and€have€recreation€at€theŠ )ą$( Šsame€times.Š |*Ģ%) ŠĢšš€Programs,€including€those€for€education€and€substance€abuse,€are€better€coordinated€to€giveŠ T,¤'+ Šinmates€more€to€do.Š @-(, Їšš€The€New€Castle€facility€is€mirroring€Arizona€procedures€as€much€as€possible€to€make€themŠ ° Šfamiliar€to€offenders.Š œģ ŠĢšš€Video€visits€between€Arizona€inmates€and€their€families€have€begun,€and€no€Arizona€visitor€isŠ tÄ Šturned€away€as€long€as€he€or€she€is€on€an€inmate's€visitation€list.Š `° ŠĢšš€The€staff€needs€more€experience€before€new€Arizona€inmates€are€transferred,€so€any€futureŠ 8 ˆ Štransfers€will€take€place€over€a€longer€time€period.Š $ t ŠĢšš€Each€shift€will€be€supervised€by€someone€with€the€rank€of€lieutenant€or€higher.Š ü L  ŠĢšš€Stronger€doors,€windows,€security€bars€and€fire-retardant€mattresses€are€being€installed,€alongŠ Ō$  Šwith€more€cameras€to€monitor€inmates.Š Ą  ŠĢSource:€Indiana€Department€of€Correction€Analysis€of€the€New€Castle€Correctional€FacilityŠ ˜č  ŠDisturbance€on€April€24,€2007€Š „Ō  Š€€Š pĄ ŠThose€problems€include:€an€inexperienced€staff€at€the€privately€run€prison;€inadequate€orientationŠ \¬ Šof€inmates€who€lost€privileges,€such€as€smoking€and€use€of€personal€TVs,€that€they€enjoyed€inŠ H˜ ŠArizona;€and€a€schedule€that€forced€Arizona€inmates€to€eat€and€have€recreation€at€odd€hours,€suchŠ 4„ Šas€midnight€basketball€games.Š  p ŠĢThe€findings€were€in€a€report€released€Thursday€by€the€Indiana€Department€of€Correction.Š ųH ŠJ.€David€Donahue,€commissioner€of€the€department,€said€he€accepts€responsibility€for€the€hurriedŠ ä4 Šspeed€of€the€transfer€of€inmates€from€Arizona,€which€doesn't€have€room€to€house€all€its€prisoners,Š Š  Što€New€Castle,€a€facility€that€had€sat€more€than€half-empty.Š ¼  ŠĢThe€agreement€between€Arizona€and€Indiana€was€concluded€March€9.€Three€days€later,€inmatesŠ ”ä Šbegan€arriving.€By€April€17,€630€Arizona€inmates€had€been€transferred€to€New€Castle.€Some€staffŠ €Š Šhad€less€than€two€months'€experience,€the€report€notes,€with€a€large€number€having€less€than€aŠ l¼ Šyear€of€experience.Š X Ø ŠĢ"The€speed€by€which€I€allowed€inmates€to€come€in,€I€take€responsibility€for€that,"€Donahue€said.Š 0"€  Š"Looking€back€on€that,€that€was€a€decision€I€should€have€reflected€on,"€he€said.€"We€could€haveŠ #l! Šdone€better,€and€I€could€have€done€better."Š $X" ŠĢThe€state's€contract€calls€for€1,260€inmates€from€Arizona€to€be€sent€to€New€Castle.€Donahue€saidŠ ą%0!$ ŠIndiana€"wants€to€make€sure€that€we€meet€(Arizona's€need€for€prison€space)€if€we€can,€and€we'reŠ Ģ&"% Šprepared€to€do€that.Š ø'#& ŠĢ"But€I€am€not€advocating€that€we're€going€to€be€bringing€additional€offenders€in€tomorrow€or€anyŠ )ą$( Štime€in€the€immediate€future€until€all€of€the€(report)€recommendations"€have€been€addressed,€heŠ |*Ģ%) Šsaid.Š h+ø&* ŠĢKatie€Decker,€a€spokeswoman€for€the€Arizona€Department€of€Corrections,€said€Arizona€wouldŠ @-(, Šnot€send€any€more€inmates€to€Indiana€until€the€"issues€that€are€addressed€in€the€report€areŠ ° Šresolved."Š œģ ŠĢAfter€those€conditions€are€met,€Arizona€"will€evaluate€how€to€proceed,"€she€said.Š tÄ ŠĢDecker€said€Arizona€took€part€in€the€investigation,€but€corrections€officials€there€generated€theirŠ L œ Šown€report€and€version€of€events.€Decker€said€that€report€would€not€be€made€public.Š 8 ˆ ŠĢ"This€is€Indiana's€version€of€the€report,"€she€said.€"But€we€believe€the€underlying€factors€haveŠ  ` Šbeen€addressed."Š ü L  ŠĢCosts€for€repairing€the€facility€--€including€better€doors€and€getting€nonflammable€mattresses€--Š Ō$  Šwill€be€paid€by€The€GEO€Group,€the€Florida-based€firm€the€state€hired€in€September€2005€toŠ Ą  Šmanage€the€prison,€Donahue€said.Š ¬ü  ŠĢWhether€anyone€will€be€fired€or€demoted€for€the€problems€that€led€to€the€two-hour€riot€remains€toŠ „Ō  Šbe€seen.Š pĄ ŠĢ"I€just€got€this€report€yesterday€(Wednesday),"€Donahue€said.€"I'll€be€assessing€this€and,€where€weŠ H˜ Šsee€that€there's€accountability,€we€obviously€hold€not€only€staff€accountable,€we'll€hold€offendersŠ 4„ Šaccountable."Š  p ŠĢHe€said€the€Indiana€State€Police€delivered€information€to€the€Henry€County€prosecutorŠ ųH ŠWednesday€that€could€lead€to€charges€against€26€inmates,€25€of€whom€are€from€Arizona.Š ä4 ŠCraig€Hanks,€the€warden€of€the€prison€and€an€employee€of€The€GEO€Group,€said€he€expects€toŠ Š  Šremain€in€charge.Š ¼  ŠĢ"That's€my€plan,"€he€said.Š ”ä ŠĢProblems€with€the€transfer€were€apparent€almost€immediately.€On€the€day€before€the€riot,€AprilŠ l¼ Š23,€Arizona€officials€had€halted€additional€transfer€of€inmates,€citing€inadequate€andŠ X Ø Šinexperienced€staff.Š D!” ŠĢAt€12:40€p.m.€the€next€day,€the€riot€began€after€30€to€40€Arizona€inmates€wearing€white€T-shirtsŠ #l! Šignored€staff€orders€to€return€to€their€cells€and€don€their€green€smocks.Š $X" ŠĢThat€clothing€issue€had€been€simmering€for€days,€the€report€says.€But€on€that€day,€the€disputeŠ ą%0!$ Šerupted€into€a€riot,€with€doors€and€windows€smashed,€mattresses€set€on€fire€and€at€least€twoŠ Ģ&"% Šcorrection€officers€beaten.€Twenty-seven€prisoners€also€required€medical€treatment,€with€none€ofŠ ø'#& Šthe€injuries€or€ailments€serious.Š ¤(ō#' ŠĢDonahue€and€Hanks€said€they€were€aware€of€transition€problems,€including€schedules€that€hadŠ |*Ģ%) ŠArizona€and€Indiana€inmates€having€recreation€and€eating€at€different€times€and€frustration€overŠ h+ø&* Šrules€that€hadn't€existed€in€Arizona,€such€as€a€ban€on€pornography,€personal€TVs€and€smoking.Š T,¤'+ ŠBut€neither€official€anticipated€the€blow-up.Š @-(, Š"I€was€briefed€literally€the€day€before€the€event,"€Donahue€said.€"Did€I€think€it€was€going€to€riseŠ ° Što€the€level€of€this€type€of€event?€Absolutely€not."Š œģ ŠĢFamily€members€of€inmates,€though,€said€the€riot€was€exactly€what€they€had€feared,€even€beforeŠ tÄ Šthe€transfer€of€the€Arizona€inmates.Š `° ŠĢChristian€J.€Losch,€an€Elkhart€anesthesiologist€whose€mentally€ill€son€has€served€part€of€a€murderŠ 8 ˆ Šsentence€at€New€Castle,€said€he€wasn't€surprised€by€the€findings€in€the€report,€or€that€a€riot€brokeŠ $ t Šout.Š  ` ŠĢŌ_ŌLoschŌ_Ō€said€his€son€was€most€recently€held€at€New€Castle€from€August€2006€to€February.Š č 8  ŠDuring€about€a€half-dozen€visits€to€New€Castle,€Losch€said,€he€noticed€that€the€"staff,€in€general,Š Ō$  Šseemed€to€be€inexperienced€and€very€young."Š Ą  ŠĢHe€said€a€security€door€near€the€visitors'€area€was€sometimes€inoperable,€forcing€visitors€to€take€aŠ ˜č  Šcircuitous€route€to€see€the€inmates.€The€lockers€used€by€visitors€to€stow€personal€belongingsŠ „Ō  Šoften€were€broken.Š pĄ ŠĢ"It€just€felt€like€the€place€wasn't€being€maintained,€just€with€what€you€could€see€as€a€casualŠ H˜ Šobserver,"€Losch€said.€"I€can€only€presume€that€the€problems€had€to€do€with€the€running€of€theŠ 4„ Šinstitution."Š  p ŠĢPrison€reform€advocates€have€criticized€Indiana,€Arizona€and€The€GEO€Group€for€entering€intoŠ ųH Šthe€transfer€deal.Š ä4 ŠĢ"There€needs€to€be€someone€who€throws€this€back€at€the€administration€and€the€decision-makers,Š ¼  Šbecause€that's€where€the€problem€lies,"€said€Donna€Leone€Hamm,€founder€and€executive€directorŠ Øų Šof€Middle€Ground€Prison€Reform,€a€nonprofit€inmate€advocacy€group€based€in€Arizona.Š ”ä ŠĢ"In€the€narrowest€terms,€of€course,€the€inmates€are€to€blame,"€she€said.€"But€you€have€to€treat€theŠ l¼ Šsymptoms€and€not€just€the€disease.€And€that€means€taking€a€look€at€the€administration€and€theŠ X Ø Špeople€who€negotiated€this€contract."Š D!” ŠĢKen€Ō_ŌKopczynskiŌ_Ō,€executive€director€of€the€watchdog€Private€Corrections€Institute€based€inŠ #l! ŠTallahassee,€Fla.,€said€all€of€the€forces€at€work€--€an€inexperienced€staff,€unhappy€inmates€and€aŠ $X" Šfacility€with€substandard€security€doors€and€windows€--€should€have€sent€up€red€flags.Š ō$D # ŠĢ"You've€got€inexperienced€staff€manipulated€by€the€inmates,"€Kopczynski€said.€"You've€got€aŠ Ģ&"% Šprivate€company€trying€to€turn€a€profit.€And€you've€got€inmates€from€different€places€who€areŠ ø'#& Šcomparing€themselves€(and€their€treatment€and€benefits)€to€each€other.€It€all€sounds€like€a€recipeŠ ¤(ō#' Šfor€disaster."Š )ą$( ŠĢJody€Kent,€public€policy€expert€with€the€National€Prison€Project€of€the€American€Civil€LibertiesŠ h+ø&* ŠUnion,€commended€Indiana€for€"taking€this€issue€seriously,€doing€an€investigation€andŠ T,¤'+ Šacknowledging€that€their€policies€are€flawed."Š @-(, ŠThat€said,€she€criticized€both€Indiana€and€Arizona€for€carrying€out€a€deal€that€should€not€beŠ ° Šconsidered€a€long-term€fix€for€prison€overcrowding.Š œģ ŠĢ"Upon€reflection,€these€transfers€were€done€too€hastily.€They€were€done€irresponsibly,"€she€said.Š tÄ Š"And,€as€a€result,€the€safety€of€prisoners€and€guards€were€put€at€risk."Š `° ŠĢĢCall€Star€reporter€Mary€Beth€Schneider€at€(317)€444-2772.Š $ t ŠCopyright€2007€€€All€Rights€Ō_ŌReservedŌ_ŌŠ  ` Š