April 2023 = 8 Completed Facility Visits
OCO Staff: Heather Bates, Tianna Carin-Wardlaw, Kristine Dibble, Elisabeth Kingsbury, Zak Kinneman, Caitlin Robertson, and E.V. Webb OCO Action: OCO Quarterly Stakeholder Meeting OCO Staff: Zak Kinneman and Rebecca Glosser OCO Action: In preparation for the 2nd Quarterly Stakeholder's meeting, OCO staff toured TRU and visited with individuals in Unit A. OCO Staff: David Skattebo and E.V. Webb OCO Action: OCO Staff: Kristine Dibble and Caitlin Robertson OCO Action: OCO staff went through the new body scanner at the public entrance, observed the dry cells, and visited the incarcerated individuals in the living units. OCO Staff: Tianna Cain-Wardlaw, Zachary Kinneman, and Stella Spracklin OCO Action: The OCO staff visited with incarcerated individuals in the living units, interacted with the dog program, and toured the facility. Highlights of the tour were the law library, the chapel, and the property room. OCO Staff: Zachary Kinneman OCO Action: In direct response to concerns raised by incarcerated individuals about conditions in the kitchen, the OCO toured the facility kitchens and observed operations. OCO staff met with workers during the walk-through without DOC staff present, then met separately with DOC staff. The OCO staff observed a clean and orderly kitchen with no obvious signs of mold, as reported. OCO Staff: Zachary Kinneman OCO Action: OCO staff member attended an in-person meeting of the Local Family Council. OCO Staff: Zachary Kinneman OCO Action: OCO staff met with DOC staff and with residents of the Therapeutic Community in Gold Unit. OCO staff provided information about the OCO and the DOC's resolution program on-site to the residents. The OCO confirmed with the residents that facility issues with heating/cooling were resolved. Before leaving, the OCO staff visited with the facility's new miniature horses in their stalls.
First Quarter 2023 (Jan - March) = 18 Completed Facility Visits
OCO Staff: Zachary Kinneman OCO Action: OCO staff attended the monthly Tier Representative Meeting, met with incarcerated individuals in the living units, and met with DOC staff. OCO Staff: Elisabeth Kingsbury, Zachary Kinneman, and Caitlin Robertson OCO Action: OCO staff completed informal wellness checks with incarcerated individuals living in the SOU units, including the COA (close observation areas). OCO staff met with DOC staff and toured WSRU including the infirmary and visited with facility leadership at TRU and SOU. OCO Staff: Zachary Kinneman OCO Action: OCO staff attended the monthly Tier Representative Meeting for MSU (the camp), met with incarcerated individuals in the living units, and met with DOC staff. OCO Staff: Zachary Kinneman OCO Action: OCO staff met with DOC staff and incarcerated individuals in the living units. OCO Staff: Caitlin Robertson, PhD OCO Action: The OCO Director made an unannounced visit to ascertain the current conditions of specific residential level of care cells and to check on the welfare of a particular patient. After visiting the treatment unit with the Captain, she met with the Superintendent and Associate Superintendent. OCO Staff: Zachary Kinneman OCO Action: OCO staff met with staff and incarcerated individuals in the living units. OCO Staff visited with incarcerated individuals in various day rooms, provided self-advocacy information, and answered questions about the scope and limitations of the OCO work. OCO Staff: Zachary Kinneman OCO Action: OCO staff met with two incarcerated individuals with open complaints with the OCO. In addition to providing self-advocacy information to the incarcerated, OCO staff served as a witness to a planned medical transport for one of the patients.
OCO Staff: Zak Kinneman, Caitlin Robertson, & Angee Schrader OCO Action: On a Saturday, the OCO met with DOC staff working in the Close Observation Area (COA) and discussed unit processes and procedures. Information gathered will be used by the OCO during an unexpected fatality review committee meeting. The OCO also visited with specific individuals in the IMU as part of our ongoing case investigation work. OCO Staff: Angee Schrader & Zak Kinneman OCO Action: The OCO met with the leadership team at AHCC and attended the Tier Rep Meetings in Main and the MSU. The OCO toured C4 and N Units and addressed concerns and immediate issues onsite with DOC staff. Additionally, while at AHCC, the OCO learned that the facility was out of carbon copy resolution forms and was using a copied version. After the OCO's visit, the facility placed an order of 2,000 carbon copy resolution forms. OCO Staff: Zak Kinneman OCO Action: The OCO met with the new Associate Superintendent and toured the minimum-security camp. During the tour, the OCO met with individuals in several living units and addressed concerns and immediate issues onsite with DOC staff. OCO Staff: Zak Kinneman OCO Action: The OCO visited with specific individuals in Baker, Adams, and Rainier Units (BAR Units) and later met with members of the WSP leadership team. OCO Staff: Caitlin Robertson OCO Action: The OCO Director met with the leadership team at MCC-TRU/WSR/MSU to tour the Twin Rivers Unit and the Minimum Security Unit to identify areas of needed improvement for the health and safety of the people living and working in the units. The 4th purpose of the OCO is to identify system issues and responses for the governor and the legislature to act upon. This OCO visit is part of our ongoing work to help advocate for improved living conditions and updated physical buildings in which people in our state's prisons live and work. OCO Staff: Caitlin Robertson OCO Action: The OCO Director toured the Nisqually Corrections Center, a contracted facility in which people under the jurisdiction of the DOC (often called "violators") may be housed. OCO Staff: Zak Kinneman OCO Action: OCO staff met with DOC staff, toured the camp's kitchen facility, and viewed renovations underway in the Olympic Living Unit. After receiving multiple complaints about a rodent infestation in the kitchen, OCO staff found the kitchen and food storage areas clean, organized, and sanitary. Facility staff provided details about ongoing pest management practices and proper cleaning and sanitizing procedures.
OCO Staff: Angee Schrader, Caitlin Robertson, Heather Bates, and Zak Kinneman OCO Action: On a Saturday, OCO staff members conducted cell front meetings with incarcerated individuals in the Intensive Management Unit and with residents of the G Unit in the dayrooms. OCO Staff: Zak Kinneman OCO Action: The OCO did an unannounced visit and conducted cell front visits and opened new cases with individuals in the IMU. OCO Staff: Zak Kinneman OCO Action: OCO Staff: Zak Kinneman OCO Action: OCO Staff: The Whole Team! OCO Action: The entire OCO staff traveled to Washington Corrections Center in Shelton, Washington, to conduct our first quarterly meeting for stakeholders in a DOC facility for men. Attending the meeting were Tier Representatives from the residential units Cedar and Evergreen, leaders of cultural and community groups at WCC, members of the WCC executive leadership team, a member of the Reentry Division leadership team, and representatives from the DOC Engagement & Outreach Team. OCO staff reviewed the 4th Quarter 2022 results via a PowerPoint presentation that will be available later on the OCO website. Presenters discussed case resolutions and outcomes; reviewed case intake issues by facility; hotline utilization; and provided insight for the stakeholders into the OCO case intake, investigation, and resolution process. Stakeholders directly asked OCO staff, WCC leadership, and HQ staff questions and received answers following. OCO Staff: Caitlin Robertson OCO Action: The OCO Director met with WCC staff and people living at WCC to discuss preparations for the following day's public quarterly meeting. After prep meeting, met with the IMU CUS to discuss an unexpected fatality that occurred the day before in that unit.
June - December 2022 = 49 completed facility visits
OCO Staff: Sara Appleton & Stella Spracklin OCO Action: OCO Staff: Chase Rapach & E.V. Webb OCO Action: OCO staff met with incarcerated individuals as part of an ongoing series of visits in preparation for our January Public Meeting. On this visit, OCO staff met at cell fronts in every pod of the IMU. Every individual who desired to speak with OCO staff had the opportunity to voice their concerns and those who needed it were provided with review request forms and/or self-advocacy information. Population concerns brought to our attention include: the issuing of property in the IMU, recreation time in the lower R's, Out of State transfer timelines, and the Securus tablet program. OCO staff checked the phones in the gym for access to the OCO Hotline. Individual concerns received were entered into our case management system and assigned to an OCO staff member to review for next steps. OCO staff also mediated a conversation between a DOC Health Services Manager and an incarcerated patient regarding health services and housing concerns. OCO Staff: Zak Kinneman & Chase Rapach OCO Action: OCO staff met with incarcerated individuals as part of an ongoing series of visits in preparation for our January Public Meeting. On this visit, the OCO staff met with residents in the Cedar living unit. We provided an open forum for questions, complaints, and requests for assistance in all the dayrooms of the living unit. The concerns brought to the OCO attention were mainly about issues with the newly installed phone system, classification concerns, a lack of recreational access, limited programming opportunities, and language translation issues. All concerns were entered into our case management system and assigned to an OCO staff member to review for next steps. OCO Staff: Zak Kinneman & Chase Rapach OCO Action: OCO staff met with incarcerated individuals as part of an ongoing series of visits in preparation for our January Public Meeting. Today's meeting was held in the dayrooms of Evergreen and we met exclusively with the incarcerated people. Topics of concern were post COVID visiting issues, custody and classification issues, and individual health care needs. All concerns were entered into our case management system and assigned to an OCO staff member to review for next steps.
Staff: Zak Kinneman & Caitlin Robertson
OCO in Action: OCO staff met with cultural/community group leaders and tier representatives to listen and speak directly with incarcerated people and to prepare for our January Public Meeting. After the group meeting, OCO staff visited the Intensive Management Unit (restrictive housing).
Staff: Zak Kinneman
OCO in Action: OCO staff went to MCCCW to investigate complaints about a lack of heat in one of the living units. The OCO staff toured the living unit, spoke with many residents, spoke with the plant manager and staff, and saw the temporary heating equipment brought in by the DOC being used in the facility. We verified that the interior temperatures are being monitored and logged daily and that MCCCW residents are receiving extra clothing and blankets if needed.
Staff: Zak Kinneman
OCO in Action: OCO staff followed-up in person on specific complaints for people living in Twin Rivers Unit.
Staff: Zak Kinneman
OCO in Action: OCO staff followed-up in person on specific complaints and general concerns related to the wildfire evacuation.
Staff: Caitlin Robertson
OCO in Action: OCO staff toured the health services building, met with WCC Health Services Leadership, and spoke with many patients in the waiting areas.
Staff: Caitlin Robertson
OCO in Action: OCO staff observed the day-one DOC receiving process (people coming in from county jails; being processed through initial intake: physical and mental health and PREA; and receiving shoes, clothing, and minimum hygiene supplies). OCO staff also had conversations with many people housed in R4 and observed unit operations.
Staff: Zak Kinneman and Chase Rapach
OCO in Action: OCO staff met cell-front with most people housed in IMU. Conversations were mostly about duration of time in segregation/isolation (many with 100+ days) and the AMEND project. We also spoke about health concerns and COVID quarantine/isolation. OCO staff did some intake of complaints and provided self-advocacy on-site.
Staff: Chase Rapach
OCO in Action: On-site investigative casework, including explanation of how we do our casework..
Staff: EV Webb, Chase Rapach, Zachary Kinneman
Purpose: The first of two-facility wide planned visits with Health Care team
Outcome: Team conducted interviews in required full PPE with individuals in quarantined G unit.
Staff: Zachary Kinneman
Purpose: Checked in with individuals evacuated from Larch Corrections Center and transferred to Washington Corrections Center IMU.
Outcome: Cell front visits with individuals in IMU. Concerns about placement in R units at WCC, personal property accessibility and obtaining medications left behind at LCC.
OCO Staff: Zachary Kinneman
Purpose: Interview individuals evacuated from Larch Correctional Center to Cedar Creek as result of Nakia Creek Fire in Clark County. Contact CCCC /Larch staff about evacuation issues.
Outcome: Incarcerated individuals shared concerns about EFV’s scheduled at Larch for coming weeks, potential losses of personal property and needs for clothing.
OCO Staff: Carolina Landa
Purpose: OCO visited the facility to participate in an informal mediation with an incarcerated person and the CPM.
Outcome: Incarcerated person was able to negotiate wanted outcome for themselves.
OCO Staff: Zachary Kinneman
Purpose: Tour facility and meet with staff and individuals in the Reentry Center
Outcome: Facility is undergoing an extensive renovation project to exterior walls and systems. Two resident wings are closeud during the construction project limited the total number of residents.
OCO Staff: Zachary Kinneman, Carolina Landa, and Caitlin Robertson
Purpose: Tour MCCCW and meet with incarcerated individuals.
Outcome: OCO Director and two staff members met with individuals in all units about ongoing concerns and current OCO cases. The OCO staff met with Supt. Miller and discussed facility trends and specific problems that DOC could immediately address.
OCO Staff: Zachary Kinneman
Purpose: OCO visited the facility in response to numerous concerns raised by incarcerated individuals about Covid restrictions and practices via the OCO Hotline.
Outcome: Met with incarcerated individuals at WCC in their living units and provided information and assistance where appropriate.
OCO Staff: Zachary Kinneman
Purpose: OCO visit was part of a DOC sponsored series of visits to facilities with members of the state legislature and their staff.
Outcome: Toured facilities, met with incarcerated individuals in their workplaces, and attended presentation by Assistant Secretary for the Women's Prison Divsion, Jeannie Darneille, regarding the capital needs of the facility.
September 12 Facility Visits
WCCW: September 30th
MCC-MSU: September 28th
WCCW: September 25th
WSP: September 22nd
CBCC: September 21st
CRCC: September 21st
OCC: September 21st
CCCC: September 15th
WCCW: September 13th
MCC-MSU & MCC-TRU: September 7th
WCCW: September 7th
WCCW: September 1st
AUGUST: 7 Facility Visits
SCCC: August 31st
SCCC: August 30th
Brownstone: August 24th
AHCC: August 23rd
McNeil Island: August 9th
SCCC: August 4th
WSP: August 4th
JULY: 2 Facility Visits
MCC-TRU: July 19th
SCCC: July 12th
JUNE: 8 Facility Visits
WCC: June 21st
MCC-SOU: June 15th
WSP: June 10th
CBCC: June 9th
CRCC: June 9th
AHCC: June 8th
OCC: June 8th
MCC-SOU: June 3rd