1.
General
A volunteer is not considered a state employee and may
not be used instead of a classified position. The services of volunteers may
supplement, but never replace, any service, activity, or function of employees
of the Mississippi Department of Corrections.
2.
Administration of Correctional
Agencies (Central Office)
:
Written policy
provides for securing citizen involvement in agency programs, including service
as advisors, interpreters, and similar direct service roles [2
-CO-1G-01].
The Commissioner or designee will ensure procedures are
established for securing citizen involvement in agency programs, including
services as advisors, interpreters, and similar direct service roles.
3.
Adult Probation and
Parole Field Services:
Written policy, procedure, and practice
provide for securing volunteer citizen involvement in the programs, including
roles as
advisers, interpreters between the program and the
public, in direct service roles, and in cooperation endeavors with offenders
under supervision [PP 3-3117].
A Volunteer Services Coordinator, appointed by the
Director of Treatment and Programs, is responsible for coordinating a citizen
involvement and volunteer services program for the benefit of offenders. MDOC
Treatment Programs, Departments, Community Work Centers, and Field Services as
well as each Regional Jail and Private Prison, will appoint a staff member
responsible for recruiting, screening and assisting volunteer applicants to
their area.
4.
Adult Probation and Parole Field Services:
Written policy,
procedure, and practice for volunteer citizen involvement includes a system for
selecting, training, deciding on the term of service, terminating service, and
defining tasks, responsibilities and authority of volunteers [PP
3-3118].
The Commissioner or designee will ensure that there is a
system for selecting, training, deciding on the term of service, terminating
service, defining task, and the responsibilities and authority of
volunteers.
5. Citizens
seeking to offer volunteer services once or for a special event, will be
considered guests of the facility, not subject to all requirements of becoming
a regularly scheduled (weekly, monthly) volunteer involved directly with the
offender population.
A. Such a request will be
proposed at least two (2) weeks in advance with the guest completing the
Volunteer/Contract Services/Guest Background Form which will be submitted for
review.
B. Guests will be listed on
a memorandum which identifies any concerns reported such as felony
conviction/charges, previous correctional employment or kinship to an offender
for review and approval by the facility administrator.
C. Approved guests will receive brief
instructions by staff responsible for the program in which they will be given
guidance concerning possible consequences of inappropriate interaction with
offenders during the event and sign a Release Volunteer Form.
D. Both the Volunteer/Contract Services/Guest
Background Form and the Release Volunteer Form will be maintained on file by
the staff personnel responsible for the program.
E. All such guests will be 21 years of age
with any exception being considered by the facility administrator and approved
by the respective Deputy Commissioner.
F. Guests seeking to provide a service on a
regularly scheduled basis will submit proper documentation to become a
volunteer and receive the Volunteer Orientation for Certification.
6.
Adult Probation and
Parole Field Services:
The field agency administration or the
parent agency provides protection against liability or tort claims in the form
of insurance, signed
waivers, or other legal provisions valid in
the jurisdiction in which the volunteer program is located [PP 3-3124].
The Commissioner or designee will require all volunteers
to sign a Release of All Claims Form that identifies that all volunteers will
release the Mississippi Department of Corrections from any and all liability
for any injury or damage that the volunteer may suffer whether accidentally or
willfully caused by the actions or any persons on the premises that the
volunteer visits.
7.
Function of Volunteers
8.
Administration of Correctional
Agencies (Central Office): Written agency policy governs the
recruitment, selection, orientation, training, and supervision of volunteers
[2-CO-1G-04].
9.
Adult Correctional Institutions:
The screening and
selection of volunteers allows for recruitment from all cultural and
socioeconomic parts of the community [4-4116].
10.
Adult Community Residential
Services:
The screening and selection of volunteers allows for
recruitment from all cultural and socioeconomic parts of the community
[4-ACRS-7F-08].
11.
Adult Probation and Parole Field Services:
Written
policy procedure, and practice call for the recruitment of volunteers from all
cultural and socioeconomic segments of the community [PP 3-3120].
The use of volunteers permit increased personal contact
for the offenders, broadens community resources for the institution/facility,
and increases public awareness of the correctional system.
Finding suitable citizen volunteers is an opportunity to
be shared by each employee. The screening and selection of volunteers allows
for recruitment from all cultural and socioeconomic parts of the
community.
12.
Eligibility
A. Any
person of good character, at least twenty-one (21) years of age, and
sufficiently mature to handle the responsibilities involved may be eligible to
become a volunteer. No individual is entitled to be selected as a
volunteer.
B. Employees of MDOC may
offer volunteer service in corrections but will not be approved or certified to
service as volunteers within the facility of their employment due to potential
role conflicts.
C. Immediate
relatives and close friends of offenders will not be allowed to serve as
volunteers within the same facility or programs unit where the offenders are
housed or supervised.
D. While the
conviction of a felony will not directly interfere with the eligibility of a
volunteer applicant, careful consideration will be given during the application
procedures and possible placement to guarantee compliance with the agency
mission, security for each facility housing MDOC offenders, public safety, and
the success of volunteer services.
E. Ex-offenders (felons) making application
to serve as a certified volunteer in a facility housing state offenders must be
free of all charges/convictions for a period of five (5) years.
F. Along with other application documents,
each applicant will provide a written summary statement of all
charges/convictions and resolution of each to the facility volunteer
coordinator who will forward the information to the facility administrator for
review.
G. The facility
administrator will forward the request with any recommendation to the
respective Deputy Commissioner for approval or denial.
H. Ex-offenders seeking to provide a
one-time service will be addressed to the respective Deputy
Commissioner by the facility administrator in the form of a memo providing
proper summary documentation and stating the occasion and purpose for the
proposed activity. This will also require approval/denial from the appropriate
Deputy Commissioner.
I. Notice will
be given to the facility administrator, MDOC Director of Treatment &
Programs, and Volunteer Programs State Coordinator regarding each decision in
order to maintain a file of ex-offenders approved for volunteer
services.
13.
Application and Processing
Prospective volunteers will be required to complete an
application for volunteer service that is designed to gather pertinent
information regarding the applicant. This process applies to all Mississippi
Department of Corrections employees, contract workers, volunteers, and
consultants as well.
All questions must be answered fully or the prospective
volunteer may not be approved.
14.
Adult Correctional
Institutions: Written policy specifies that volunteers may
perform professional services only when they are certified or licensed to do so
[4-4118].
15.
Adult
Probation and Parole Field Services:
Written policy, procedure,
and practice specifies that volunteers may perform professional services only
when certified or licensed to do so [PP 3-3121].
16.
Adult Community Residential
Services:
Volunteers may perform professional services only when
they are certified or licensed to do so. [4-ACRS-7B-03].
Volunteers offering a professional service for pastoral,
vocational, or other benefit will provide specific evidence or proper
credentials that they are qualified to perform these services at the time of
application.
This information will be kept in the volunteers
file.
17.
Administration of Correctional Agencies (Central Office):
Written policy, procedure, and practice require a criminal background
check on all volunteers who have direct, unsupervised contact with
inmates/juveniles/residents [2-CO-1G-05].
A. The Corrections Investigation Division
through the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) will process all MDOC
volunteer applicants at the institutions and Community Work Centers for a
criminal record check.
B. Private
Prison and County Regional Jail Facility Wardens will also ensure that
volunteers, contract workers, consultants, and employees in their facilities
are processed through NCIC and have completed the Volunteer/Contract Services
Submission Form.
C. Falsification
of information will be grounds for denial of participation in the volunteer
services program.
D. Note:
Employees, contract workers, volunteers, and consultants will submit a
Volunteer/Contract Services Form at the institution/facility where services are
provided. The information obtained will be logged into Offendertrak and
subjected to its validity.
18.
Program
Coordination
19.
Administration of Correctional Agencies (Central Office):
Written policy, procedure, and practice provide that a senior staff
member is responsible for coordinating the agency volunteer service program
[2-CO-1G-02].
20.
Adult Correctional Institutions: Written policy and
procedure specify who is responsible for operating a citizen involvement and
volunteer service program, and their lines of authority, responsibility, and
accountability [4-4115, Revised 2008 Standards Supplement].
The Religious Programs Director, appointed by the State
Treatment and Programs Director to the role of Volunteer Services Coordinator,
will be responsible for coordinating citizen involvement and volunteer services
programs for offenders.
21.
Administration of Correctional Agencies (Central Office):
Written agency policy specifies the lines of authority, responsibility,
and accountability for citizen involvement and volunteer services
[2-CO-1G-03].
22.
Adult Community Residential Services:
The lines of
authority, responsibility, and accountability are specified for the facilitys
citizen involvement and volunteer services program
[4-ACRS-7D-04].
23.
Adult Probation and Parole Field Services:
Written
policy, procedure, and practice specify the lines of authority, responsibility,
and accountability for the programs citizen involvement and volunteer services
program [PP 3-3119].
The Commissioner or designees will ensure that procedures
are established to specify the lines of authority, responsibility and
accountability for citizen involvement and volunteer services program.
Upon approval for participation in volunteer programs,
each volunteer will be informed of their program supervisor in order to
maintain agency contact, interpretation of MDOC program rules and reporting
procedures.
24. Each MDOC
Treatment Program, Department, and CWC, as well as each Regional Jail, Private
Prison and Field Service operation, will assign a staff member to be
responsible for recruiting and screening their volunteer applicants. They are
also responsible for assisting the prospective volunteer with their application
and ensuring that a NCIC check is completed.
25. Orientation will be scheduled once the
NCIC check is completed, returned and approved by the Treatment Program,
Department and Facility Heads.
26.
Administration of Correctional Agencies (Central Office):
Written policy, procedure, and practice provide that the agency reviews
and evaluates volunteer programs at least annually [2-CO-1G-10].
The Commissioner or designee will ensure that the
volunteer programs are reviewed and evaluated at least annually.
27. The Volunteer Services
Coordinator will establish appropriate volunteer orientation material, forms,
procedures and identification.
A. He will also
administer a plan of regular orientation of volunteers at MSP, CMCF, and SMCI
and provide identification cards to be used by volunteers of state facilities
when on facility grounds.
B. He is
also responsible for keeping records of attendees, dates of attendance, dates
of referral to the Treatment Program and Department Heads, where they will
provide services, and whether their volunteer status is current or
expired.
C. Community Work Center
Directors, Private Prison Wardens, and County Regional Facility Wardens will
designate staff to conduct volunteer orientation and provide supervision of
volunteers within each facility. They will receive instructions from the
Volunteer Services Coordinator on how to conduct volunteer orientation and will
provide the Volunteer Services Coordinator with a monthly report of volunteer
involvement.
28.
Adult Correctional Institutions: Written policy,
procedure, and practice provide that new or revised policies and procedures are
disseminated to designated staff and volunteers and, when appropriate, to
inmates prior to implementation [4-4014].
A. Staff members who supervise volunteers
will make available to volunteers all new and revised policies and procedures
that affect them.
B. They will also
seek suggestions from all volunteers for improving the volunteer program and
will accept and consider evaluations of individual volunteers from staff
members.
C. An annual volunteer
evaluation will be completed and forwarded to the Volunteer Services
Coordinator and the Treatment Program, Department and Facility Head.
29.
Orientation and
Training
30.
Administration of Correctional Agencies (Central Office):
Written agency policy provides that each volunteer completes an
appropriate, documented orientation and/or training program prior to assignment
[2-CO-1G-07].
31.
Adult Correctional Institutions: Written policy,
procedure, and practice provide that each volunteer completes an appropriate,
documented orientation and/or training program prior to assignment
[4-4119].
32.
Adult
Community Residential Services:
Each volunteer completes an
appropriate, documented orientation and/or training program prior to assignment
[4-ACRS-7F-09].
33.
Adult Probation and Parole Field Services:
Written
policy, procedure, and practice provide that, prior to assignment, each
volunteer completes a documented orientation and/or training program [PP
3-3122].
Approved volunteers will complete a training and
orientation seminar prior to assignment. This training and orientation will
include essential information on all rules, applicable procedures, and issues
including:
A. Confidentiality
regulations
B. Chain of
command
C. Security
regulations
D. Applicable state
statutes and the Department of Corrections policies
The training and orientation will be documented and
maintained in each volunteers file kept by assigned supervisory staff.
34.
Administration of Correctional Agencies (Central Office):
Written agency policy provides that each volunteer agrees in writing to
abide by all agency policies, particularly those relating to confidentiality of
information and security practices [2-CO-1G-08].
35.
Adult Correctional
Institutions: Volunteers agree in writing to abide by all
facility policies, particularly those relating to the security and
confidentiality of information [4-4120].
36.
Adult Probation and Parole Field
Services:
Written policy, procedure, and practice specify that
volunteers agree in writing to abide by all agency policies, particularly those
relating to the security and confidentiality of information [PP 3-3123].
Volunteers will be required to sign a Volunteer Agreement
form acknowledging that he or she agrees to adhere to and support all MDOCs
policies and procedures.
37.
Administration of Correctional
Agencies (Central Office): Written agency policy requires that
there is a system for official registration and identification of volunteers
[2-CO-1G-06].
38.
Adult Correctional Institutions: There is an official
registration and identification system for volunteers
[4-4117].
39.
Adult
Community Residential Services:
There is an official
registration and identification system for volunteers [4-ACRS-7F-10].
Once orientation is completed, the volunteers name will
be added to an approved official registration list and an identification card
complete with photograph will be issued. The training and orientation will be
documented and maintained in each volunteers file kept by assigned supervisory
staff.
40.
Administration of Correctional Agencies (Central Office):
Written agency policy provides for volunteers to contribute suggestions
regarding the establishment of policy and procedure related to the volunteer
services program [2-CO-1G-09].
41.
Adult Correctional
Institutions:There is provision for volunteers to contribute
suggestions regarding the establishment of policy and procedure for the
volunteer services program [4-4122].
Volunteers will be evaluated annually by their program
supervisor for program effectiveness and/or training needs. At this time,
volunteers will be able to offer recommendations and suggestions to enhance the
effectiveness of the volunteer program and the establishment or revisions of
existing policies and procedures as it relates to the volunteer
programs.
42.
Volunteer Gratuities
A. While not paid for their services,
volunteers may receive certain limited considerations of nominal
expense.
B. Volunteers may only
travel in, not drive, state vehicles. The only exception will be volunteers
serving in the capacity of Volunteer Chaplains who have an assigned job
description.
C. Volunteers will not
be subject to any provision of law relating to state employment, nor are they
entitled to unemployment compensation.
43.
Use of Food in Volunteer
Programs
A. All food items
approved for entry into the facility must be commercially packaged and sealed.
Items can be purchased from grocers, bakeries, and restaurants if they meet
this criterion.
B. Food items must
be packaged for easy security examination both at the front gate and at the
unit.
C. All food items must be
consumed during the planned activity, none going into housing areas or being
left behind. The volunteer groups at the close of the activity will remove
excess food from the institution.
44.
Other
Information
A. All volunteers
entering the institution/facility must display their identification
card.
B. Volunteers are prohibited
from bringing anyone including family members or volunteers, without an
identification card.
C. All
volunteers are subject to posted or unannounced searches of their person,
equipment, and/or vehicle in accordance with state statute.
45.
Adult Correctional
Institutions: A current schedule of volunteer services is
available to all inmates and is posted in appropriate areas of the institution
[4-4121].
46. Any materials
or equipment to be used by volunteers in creating crafts or articles of
clothing (i.e., thread, needles, sewing items, or scissors) will have the prior
approval of the Superintendent, Warden, and Facility Director or designee
before being allowed into any institution or facility.
47. At no time will a volunteer be allowed to
remove any article from an institution facility.
48.
Termination
A. Volunteers may be terminated without cause
or prohibited from entering any institution or facility.
B. The Volunteer Services Coordinator will
document the reason(s) for requesting the termination of a volunteer and
forward to the Superintendent, Warden or Facility Director for a final
decision.
C. In such cases, the
volunteer involved will be advised of the termination in writing.
D. Supervisory staff will ensure that the
volunteer identification card is returned, whether the termination is voluntary
or requested. The Volunteer Services Coordinator will be immediately notified
and the identification card returned to him or designee.
E. Should a terminated volunteer appeal their
termination, an appeal may be made to the appropriate Deputy
Commissioner.
F. A terminated
volunteer at any MDOC facility will not be approved to serve in a volunteer
capacity with any other MDOC facility.
