Smoke Free prisons

[wonderwoman]

By the end of this year most Ontario Provincial Prisons will be smoke free. Are most prisons in the US smoke free and what if any inmate challenges to this have there been? Also, what is your opinion on Smoke Free prisons?

[JKT]

Our Jail went smoke-free about 2 years ago. At first, there was the usual withdrawal from nicotine (for the Inmates, the Officers started taking a LOT of breaks outside) http://www.officer.com/ubb/smile.gif

Overall, it has been a good thing: everything stays cleaner, and doesn't smell QUITE as bad. http://www.officer.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

BTW, cigarettes are worth about $5each in most Jails/Prisons here.

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Optimistic pessimist: Hope for the best, but expect the worst.

Jack

[wonderwoman]

Thanks Jack.... how is your prison administrative structure set up? I am trying to understand your title and how that relates. In Ontario they are a whole different Ministry. Superintendents run the Provincial Jails with Deputy Superintendents to support. Then they have Operational Managers and then Correctional Officers. Plus alot of specialized positions in between, like security manager, staffing services, etceteras.. (its all public information)

[JKT]

The Department is set up thusly:
Sheriff-Elected to a four-year term. Chief Law Enforcement Officer in the County. He has authority over the Chiefs of Police in the County, but very, very rarely ever excercises it. Duties are generally policital, but is responsible for everything, actions, inactions, and occurences by all personnel under him. Jurisdiction is County-Wide (same for all under him), in our case, roughly 1,000 square miles.


Chief Deputy-Appointed by the Sheriff. Essentially the administrative head of the Department (runs things for the Sheriff)

Captain of Law Enforcement Oversees the Civil, Warrants, Patrol and Criminal Investigations Divisions, each division being headed by a Lieutenant, with a Sergeant under them.

Captain of Administraion/Training Oversees the day to day running of the office staff and our Training Academy. For the office staff, there is an Administrative Assistant that is actually over the staff. For the Academy, there is a Training Sergeant to run this.

Captain of Detention Basically is responsible for Jail operations. Has an Administrative Lieutenant to run things on a day to day basis. Also has a Support Services Lieutenant that oversees the budget (pays the bills), Laundry, Library, Medical Transports, Background Investigations (for the entire Department), Work Programs, Kitchen, Inmate Mail; basically everything that doesn't fall under Shift duties. He has three Sergeants under him that take care of the daily operations.

Shift Lieutenants There are four of these that each have a Sergeant and four Corproals under them. There are approximately 28 Officers per shift.

Now what may be confusing is that all of the above personnel, except the Sheriff himself, are Deputy Sheriffs.

"Deputy Sheriff" means that all those working for the Department have all the authority and powers of the sheriff. The only exceptions are those folks that work in the Jail that are NOT Licensed Peace Officers. The are operating with the Sheriff's authority while on duty in the Jail or on Jail Business (transporting, etc.)
But, they have no powers of arrest.

As I stated in another thread, we do have a combination of Jailers and Peace Officers working in the Jail, which makes for a pertty good working situation.

If you would like a little more detailed info, email me at JKT@guardroom.com .

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Optimistic pessimist: Hope for the best, but expect the worst.

Jack

[wonderwoman]

Gee, I am glad there is no test. I'll keep your email address! http://www.officer.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

[Bill]

NJDOC is planning on banning smoking in all their institutions sometime this year. I'm hearing July 1st, but a lot of people think this is a bad time to do it. Time will tell.

BMC

[JKT]

Originally posted by wonderwoman:
Gee, I am glad there is no test. I'll keep your email address! http://www.officer.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

A little more info on my Department here: http://www.co.lubbock.tx.us/Sheriff/Sheriff.htm


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Optimistic pessimist: Hope for the best, but expect the worst.

Jack

JKT@guardroom.com

[gazza]

for your info ww in victoria aus our ptisons have been smoke free for a couple of years its a joke crims are allowed to smoke in the yards but not in the cells this is near on impossible to police the officers go out in the yards for a puff the ban on smoking is in all govt controlled buildings but it does not work in a lot of them in the prisons it is laughable we the officers said if they were to be honest about no smoking then the crims would not be able to buy smokes on their weekly spend [no smoking no selling smokes]then there is the chance the crims will revert back to the tea bag and toilet paper trick nosmoking in prisons does it work maybe one day it will here not as yet http://www.officer.com/ubb/smile.gif

[JKT]

When it was decided to go smoke-free here, they first took tobacco off of the commissary inventory. Then set a date about two months away when it would be a policy violation for inmates to possess tobacco. It worked pretty well, except for a few "smart" ones that hoarded some cigs. But they were eventually caught.

We do have a minor problem with inmates trying to smuggle tobacco in, but it's not too bad.

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Optimistic pessimist: Hope for the best, but expect the worst.

Jack

JKT@guardroom.com

[wonderwoman]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by gazza:
[B]for your info ww in victoria aus our ptisons have been smoke free for a couple of years

Do you find a lot of contraband tobacco verses drugs?

[wonderwoman]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by JKT:
We do have a minor problem with inmates trying to smuggle tobacco in, but it's not too bad.

Better tobacco then drugs eh!

[JKT]

Originally posted by wonderwoman:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by JKT:
We do have a minor problem with inmates trying to smuggle tobacco in, but it's not too bad.

Better tobacco then drugs eh!

They try that, too, but our intelligence (read-snitches) network usually tips us off pretty quick. And a certain Belgian Malinois (sp) really like to tour the jail periodically http://www.officer.com/ubb/biggrin.gif He loves drugs (finding them anyway). We do use him on occasion whether or not we suspect something got in. Keeps the inmates on their toes!


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Optimistic pessimist: Hope for the best, but expect the worst.

Jack

JKT@guardroom.com

[Darkwulfe]

Our Facility went smoke free a few years ago. Contraband wise, tobacco is definatly a popular commodity. A package of ciggerettes can get upwards of $500 between inmates from what I hear. It is definatly found back in the blocks more often then any other drug.

As for affect on officers... it seems as though just about everyone has switched to chewing tobacco, including the women.

I was not around during the switch to smoke free, but overall it had to be a good thing. Prisons and Jails are so stuffy already with poor air circulation. Having them filled with ciggerette smoke too has to be awfull.

[Don]

I wasn't working the jail either when they made the switch. I imagine it was pretty rough on everyone at first.

I did spend my last year before retirement back in the jail again. Never did find any smokes in that time. Found some dope of course in the shake downs, but no tobacco!

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**Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape.**
6P1 (retired)

[tcsd1236]

I was working in the jail 10 years ago when it went smoke free. What a rough ride there, for a while!

[Rita]

Our jail went smoke free for "regular inmates" several years ago. It made things alot easier on the commissary clerk. The "trusties" still have smoking privilidges but only at scheduled times. It is a great work insentive for them.