Happy Memorial Day

 

Remember the Fallen

Jelly Roll visits the Hennepin County Jail

Musician Jelly Roll visited the Hennepin County jail while he was in town the other day.

Photo's from the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office Facebook page.

CO Union opposes Stillwater closing

 

Stillwater Prison Closing!

The Minnesota Department of Corrections has announced they are closing Stillwater Prison. They cite economic, health and safety reasons.

They do not intend to build a new prison but to spread the inmates to the State's other 9 facilities. They also expect to reduce staff, however it should be pointed out that there is already a severe shortage of Corrections Officers in Minnesota and overcrowding in most prisons and jails.

Short staffing is already a major safety issue for staff and inmates.

As a retired Detention Deputy from Hennepin County I remember a time that the State had an overcrowding situation and dumped inmates near the end of their sentences into County Jails. This created a logistical nightmare of keeping convicted inmates separated from pre-trial inmates and the angry State inmates who didn't have the programs they were accustomed to in prison. The State also paid a very low daily rate to the County to house their inmates pushing the cost onto the County taxpayers.

Let's hope the State doesn't do that again, but I doubt they thought that far ahead.

Full Story KSTP

Judge STRIPS NYC of Control Over Rikers Island

 Gateway Pundit is reporting : Judge STRIPS NYC of Control Over Rikers Island.

A federal judge has stripped the city of control over its notorious Rikers Island jail complex, citing “unprecedented” levels of violence, systemic mismanagement, and a blatant disregard for court orders.

In a scathing 77-page ruling released Tuesday, Chief U.S. District Judge Laura Taylor Swain officially stripped New York City and its Department of Correction (DOC) of full control over Rikers Island, citing a decade of failure to protect inmates from “grave and immediate” harm, including unconstitutional levels of violence, abuse, and systemic mismanagement.

The ruling, issued in the landmark Nunez v. City of New York case, appoints an independent “Nunez Remediation Manager” to take control over key safety and use-of-force functions at Rikers.

FULL STORY

3 Virginia State CO's stabbed by MS 13

 3 Virginia State CO's were stabbed by 6 inmates.

The Gateway Pundit is reporting:

“The attack occurred at approximately 9:45 am on Friday, May 2. Five of the six inmates involved in the attack are confirmed MS-13 gang members from El Salvador, who were in this country illegally. Each have been convicted of violet crimes including aggravated murder, first and second degree murder, and rape. The other inmate involved in the attack is a confirmed members of the Sureno 13 gang and from the United States, serving a sentence for second degree murder,” a statement from Virginia Department of Corrections Director Chad Dotson said.

Five officers were transported for outside medical treatment. Three officers, including two who were injured responding to the attack, suffered minor injuries. Two officers admitted to the hospital are in stable condition.

“Five of the individuals responsible for this senseless attack should never have been in this country in the first place,” VADOC Director Chad Dotson stated in the release.

FULL STORY

National Correctional Officer week

This year National Correctional Officer week begins May 4th. First proclaimed by President Ronald Reagan May 4, 1987.

Proclamation 5649 -- National Correctional Officers Week, 1987

May 4, 1987

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

No group of Americans has a more difficult or less publicly visible job than the brave men and women who work in our correctional facilities. Correctional officers who work in jails and prisons are currently responsible for the safety, containment, and control of more than 600,000 prisoners. Correctional officers must protect inmates from violence from fellow prisoners, while encouraging them to develop skills and attitudes that can help them become productive members of society after their release.

The general public should fully appreciate correctional officials' capable handling of the physical and emotional demands made upon them daily. Their profession requires careful and constant vigilance, and the threat of violence is always present. At the same time, these dedicated employees try to improve the living conditions of those who are being confined.

It is appropriate that we honor the correctional officers in all our institutions, at all levels of government, for their invaluable contributions to our society.

The Congress, by Public Law 99 - 611, has designated the week beginning May 3, 1987, as ``National Correctional Officers Week'' and authorized and requested the President to issue a proclamation in observance of this event.

Now, Therefore, I, Ronald Reagan, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim the week beginning May 3, 1987, as National Correctional Officers Week. I call upon all Americans to observe this week with appropriate activities and ceremonies.

In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this fourth day of May, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and eighty-seven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and eleventh.

Ronald Reagan

[Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 11:42 a.m., May 5, 1987]

Note: The proclamation was released by the Office of the Press Secretary on May 5.

Date

05/04/1987

Hennepin County Detention Deputy back to work after serious assault

Hennepin County Detention Deputy back to work after serious assault.

Fox 9 Full story and video:

Short staffing leads to early inmate release

 The Times Union is reporting: 

ALBANY — New York is going to begin letting inmates out of understaffed state prisons if they are within 110 days of their release date and have a residence where they can live that has been verified by parole officers.

State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision Daniel F. Martuscello III issued a memo Monday to all state prison superintendents directing them to create spreadsheets of the inmates who qualify for early release, which will include factors such as whether they have active warrants or are participating in drug treatment programs.

The memo was released a day after nearly 50 correction officers at Mid-State Correctional Facility in Oneida County briefly refused to go into the facility due to low staffing and what they viewed as a dangerous situation. A person briefed on the matter said the prison was operating during the Sunday morning job action with fewer than a dozen correction officers and a small number of National Guard members. The officers reported to their work areas around 9:30 a.m. after roughly two hours.

FULL STORY

More Detention News

Striking New York Corrections Officers can be hired by other agencies.

UTICA, N.Y. — Correctional officers who participated in and were terminated by participating in strikes at New York State Correctional Facilities may be employed by county agencies starting April 10.

That's the date an executive order by Governor Kathy Hochul is scheduled to expire.

Oneida County took legal action against the Governor and New York state over her executive order 47.3, which instated the ban. The state clarified that the order was temporary, and as of April 10, any local government is now permitted to hire any terminated correction officer.

FULL STORY

INMATE DEATH IN ANOKA COUNTY JAIL UNDER INVESTIGATION

FULL STORY

Rochester Nurse had an affair with a Federal Prisoner in Rochester MN

• A prison nurse at the Federal Medical Center (FMC) in Rochester was indicted for abusive sexual contact with an inmate and making false statements to federal law enforcement.

FULL STORY- Fox 9

Hennepin County Detention Deputy Assaulted

 

A Hennepin County Detention Deputy was assaulted by inmate Dellione Pierre Robison. According to the news article (Source Alpha News) The Detention Deputy suffered a concussion and a broken nose.

Robison has been charged (probable cause) with Fourth Degree Assault. Given Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarity's penchant to downgrade charges we hope this sticks. This is a line of duty injury.

Judge Orders Bureau of Prisons to Return Transgender Inmates to Women’s Facilities!

Gateway Pundit is reporting,  Judge Orders Bureau of Prisons to Return Transgender Inmates to Women’s Facilities!

This reverses President Trumps executive order and places women in danger!

FULL STORY

From the article:

One significant case occurred at Logan Correctional Center in central Illinois on June 18, 2019, where a female inmate, referred to as Jane Doe, alleged she was raped by Janiah Monroe, a transgender inmate with male genitalia.

Doe claimed prison officials conducted a “sham investigation,” classifying the assault as consensual to avoid violating the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA), and she faced punishment for reporting it.

In 2022, another case at Rikers Island involved a lawsuit claiming a man posing as a transgender woman raped a female prisoner, with allegations that jail staff ignored warnings about the individual’s true gender identity.

Tremaine Carroll, a transgender inmate, was charged with raping multiple female inmates in 2024. Carroll had been transferred to the women’s facility under California’s Transgender Respect, Agency, and Dignity Act, which allows inmates to be housed based on their gender identity. Following the allegations, Carroll was moved back to a men’s prison.

When will real women be important again?

New York fires 2,000 striking correctional officers

 New York officials fired more than 2,000 prison guards on Monday for not returning to work after a weekslong strike.

Enough correctional officers had returned to work for the state to declare an end to the wildcat strike, a labor action that violated a state law prohibiting strikes by most public employees.

"After 22 days of an illegal strike, the governor and I are happy to report it is now ended," Corrections Commissioner Daniel Martuscello said during a virtual press briefing.

The state and the guards’ union, the New York State Correctional Officers & Police Benevolent Association, reached a new deal to end the strike over the weekend, but it was contingent on at least 85% of staff returning to work by Monday morning. While the 85% goal was not met, Martuscello said the state would honor some of the agreement's provisions, including on overtime work.

FULL STORY Fox News

Union accuses NY prison system of illegal actions

 ELMIRA, N.Y. (WETM) – The union (NYSCOPBA-New York State Correctional Officers & Police Benevolent Association) representing striking Correction Officers at the Elmira Correctional Facility and other prisons around the state of New York sent a message to its members on Friday, accusing the State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) and New York Governor Kathy Hochul’s office of unethical and illegal conduct surrounding negotiations with union members

FULL STORY MYTWINTIERS.COM

NY to begin firing striking Corrections Officers

 Spectrum News 1 is reporting "New York begins terminating striking Corrections Officers, cancelling their health insurance"

FULL STORY

Bill to ban males from Shokopee womens prison

There's finally a Bill to ban incarcerating men in the Shakopee women's prison. It's hard to believe this is even a question. 

The Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA), a Federal Law would seem to already have this covered. Not to mention common sense, which seems to be lacking in Minnesota theses days.

Let's hope this bill passes!

Full Story Alpha News

Yet another NY prison takeover by inmates!

WWNYTV 7 News is reporting that the  Riverview Correctional Facility had inmates take over dormitories in that facility during an overnight shift. 

FULL STORY

Follow up to NY prison uprising and more news

There's been more developments since the NY prison uprising we last wrote about.

Many of the NY Corrections Officers have gone on a wildcat strike.

NY Post is reporting that NY Governor Hochul has filed a suit against them.

and Parole officers have been ordered to fill in at correctional facilities during the strike as well as the National Guard ordered into prisons.

Meanwhile in Hawaii

Amid workforce crisis, corrections department opts to leave some jail posts unmanned before approving overtime

More news regarding Corrections

Here's several news headlines affecting the Corrections Profession.

The good the bad and the ugly.

New York state prison placed on lockdown after inmates take over, injure three corrections officers | Fox News

Charges: Former Anoka County work release officer had sexual relationship with inmate - Bring Me The News

From FOX 9 Minneapolis - Drug-laced legal papers prompt jailhouse investigation (Hennepin County Jail)

NY Sheriff may face Federal charges for releasing an illegal alien criminal

 

Full story Law Enforcement Today.

Sheriff's and jails should pay attention. Things have hanged.

Bill to ban men from being housed with women in MN prisons

Who would ever thought such a bill would be necessary, but here we are. It's hard to believe this was allowed under the PREA.

Hoping this bill passes.

Full story Alpha News.

Some Corrections stories in the news

 Here's a couple of Corrections related headlines in the news.

Trans inmate's lawsuit challenges Trump 'two-sexes' order cutting off tax money for gender therapy - Fox News

Family suing after 59-year-old's death at Olmsted County Jail -Just The News

Which Minnesota Jails hold ICE inmates? And What's changed?

Not all jails have a contract with the Federal Government to house ICE inmates. Those Corrections Officers in those jails are going to be very busy for the foreseeable future.

ICE has agreements with the jails in Elk River in Sherburne County, Albert Lea in Freeborn County and Willmar in Kandiyohi County to use them as detention facilities for holding detainees. Full story CBS/WCCO.

People in the country illegally are housed in these facilities until they have a hearing and are released or deported. These jails actually are paid by the Feds and this offsets the the cost of running their jails for local taxpayers. (See this previous post in the Detention Home Blog about Sherburne County and Ice.)

As a retiree from the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office this is how things have changed. 

Up until the middle of the Stanek administration foreign nationals who were arrested in Hennepin County were run by ICE to see if they were here legally. If not ICE would put a hold on them and when their county charges were done or they were to be released we'd hold them overnight until ICE picked them up the next day. They'd go to an immigration hearing. Much the same as if they had a hold for a neighboring County or State. Typically they'd pick up 2-3 a day, more on Monday after a weekend. It was a daily occurrence.

Then around 2014 Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman decided Hennepin County would no longer honor those holds and we had to release them. The result was at least a dozen a week released back into the community!

The new policy was we'd notify ICE when they were going to be released. If they got there in time they would arrest them as they were leaving the release area. If not they walked free. We were not to delay their release to wait for ICE. Too many just walked.

To clarify, a person arrested with only an immigration hold was not brought into the Hennepin County Jail. The arresting agency would have to drive them to a county jail that had the contract. Only inmates arrested for a crime in Hennepin County who also had an ICE hold were held over.

IMO not honoring an ICE hold endangers public safety. Those County's not honoring these holds are endangering their citizens.

Rep. Dan Wolgamott gets condemned by Benton County Board

You may remember Rep. Dan Wolgamott as one of the authors of the bill to raid the PERA Correctional Plan.

https://x.com/MNHRCWarRoom/status/1881767613736656979?mx=2

Well the Benton County Board just condemned Rep. Dan Wolgamott for refusing to show up for work. He hasn't even shown up at the Capitol one day this session! Not even the first day to take his oath. 

And yes he's getting paid!

Full story here: https://x.com/MNHRCWarRoom/status/1881767613736656979?mx=2

Minnesota's Juvenile Correctional Problem

In 2021 Hennepin County closed the Homeschool, it's juvenile facility. Now they pay to send them out of State!

Good story from Alpha News.

Los Angeles County Jails in the midst of the fires

So how are the jails in Los Angeles county dealing with the fires?

As you know inmates don't just go home and Correctional Officers must still go to work and be responsible for the safety of the inmates.

The Appeal is covering this.

From the article

"According to an analysis by The Appeal, dozens of jails, prisons, and juvenile detention facilities across Los Angeles may be at risk. At least one facility is in an evacuation warning zone—Barry J. Nidorf Juvenile Hall, a San Fernando Valley detention center holding 96 children. The building complex sits slightly more than a mile from the Hurst Fire."

FULL STORY

Big changes for retired CO's

1. As of January 1, 2025 State and local Corrections Officers are now recognized as Public Safety Employees, the same as Police and Fire.

It's part of the Federal Secure Act 2.o.

If you retire early, before 55 there is no longer a 10% tax penalty. PERA penalties may still apply. Also if you COBRA your employer heath insurance that will now be tax deductible. See MNCORA Blog for more

There are also disability benefits too.

Michigan Office of Retirement Services

2. The Social Security Fairness Act passed and just needs the President's signature. 

Once signed those CO's in the PERA Correctional Plan who opted out of Social Security will be able to collect for the years they paid in without penalty.