Meet GreenPrisons at the South Carolina Criminal Justice Conference

GreenPrisons will be exhibiting at this year's South Carolina Criminal Justice Conference November 17-20 at beautiful Myrtle Beach.  I you're going to be at the conference be sure to come by the booth and say hello.  For everyone who does and mentions seeing this blog there will be a special gift while they last.  Our workshop is at 8 AM on Monday, and we will be talking about the financial and programmatic advantages of sustainable practices in corrections.  We hope to see you there!!!

The Construction Management Institute Looks at Sustainability

GreenPrisons had the opportunity to attend the most recent Construction Management Institute (CMI) October 14-16, in Colorado Springs.  This gathering of facility managers from around the country proved to be not only informative but a great chance to network.  The program was chock full of informative workshops and all were well attended.

GreenPrisons was joined in our presentation by Charlie Slavik and Don Crawmer of Solar America Solutions.  Together we discussed the financial advantages of solar energy using UV rays to heat hot water.  Specific examples were provided from their instalation at the Wabash Valley Correctional Institution which has produced a 52% savings in the facility's cost to heat hot water since last January based on numbers collected by Indiana Department of Correction staff.

There was also significant interest in the green cleaning solotions provided by CorrectPac.  Those institutions involved in accreditation were particularly interested in the assistance CorrectPac provides to support documentation in meeting the "Green Standard".

This was a very useful conference and we will be back next year when they meet in Indianapolis, IN.  Watch the GreenPrisons home page for dates and the opportunity to register for this national event

Talking Trash

On a dreary August day, the Wallkill Correctional Facility of New York State looms large against the overcast sky. Approximately 80 miles north of Manhattan, Wallkill is a medium security, 500-bed men’s facility that opened in 1932. Designed by renowned architect Alfred Hopkins, the building’s gothic structure is impressive. The main building, surrounded by razor wire, sits on acres of corn and soybean fields and is adjacent to a maximum-security facility that backs into a horse farm for retired thoroughbreds. Inmates from Wallkill tend the horses as part of their offender workforce programs.

Though known for the manufacturing of eyeglasses, the Wallkill facility boasts a robust recycling program that functions as one of eight regional Hub Recycling Centers throughout the state corrections system. The program was started in 2011 in order to comply with Executive Order No. 4 which was issued by Governor Andrew Cuomo. This Executive Order established a State Green Procurement and Agency Sustainability Program, and directed state agencies, public authorities, and public benefit corporations to “green” procurements and implement sustainability initiatives.

The New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS), Division of Industries or "Corcraft", runs the recycling program. Over the last three fiscal years, the statewide program has processed over 39 thousand tons of recycled materials which resulted in approximately $5 million in cost diversion for waste hauling and tipping fees by diverting the waste from landfills. The sale of recycled materials on the open market during that time generated $1.6 million dollars in revenue, which was returned to Corcraft’s “enterprise account” to specifically support the continuation and growth of recycling throughout the New York DOCCS.

Inmates are employed in the daily recycling of paper, cardboard, metals, and textiles. They run machines that shred paper or crush plastics, tin, and aluminum, compress them into bales, catalog and document the materials and tonnage, and drive forklifts to move the bales to a storage warehouse before they are sold and shipped. On par with other offender workforce programs, the inmates are paid .26 - .45 cents an hour for their work. The enterprise account pays for this salary as well as necessary equipment and other correctional personnel. 

Recycling Work(s)

Wallkill’s Superintendent Tim Laffin’s experience and authority is understated, but demonstrated as an inmate rushes to tuck in his shirt when he sees the Superintendent approach. Mr. Laffin has successfully imbedded recycling into the culture of the Wallkill facility. Every inmate plays a role and has a personal responsibility to separate their waste into compostable and recyclable materials. Inmates may be cited for failure to separate waste, though the citation is rarely necessary. One of the highlights of the program for Mr. Laffin is the real-world training that the recycling program provides offenders. “We used to have a dairy operation on the farm, but when you teach an inmate to milk a cow and then send him back to Brooklyn, there’s not a lot of opportunity for employment.” Inmates who work in the recycling facility gain experience with transferrable skills such as driving a forklift, working in a warehouse, and operating other machinery. One inmate who was to be released in the near future indicated that he had a construction job lined up on the outside and had been able to leverage his experience in the recycling program for that position.

Bob Kennedy, Assistant Commissioner of Correctional Industries and Accreditation for the DOCCS is one of the creative forces behind the recycling program. Kennedy is a dynamic leader whose vision of recycling as an income-driven industry is key to the program’s success. According to the National Correctional Industries Association:

Correctional Industries are the work programs in correctional facilities that provide real world work experience to inmates, teaching them transferable job skills and work ethic to help them prepare for post-release reentry and employment. They are the only self-funded reentry support program in corrections – no appropriated funds are required for their operation since they rely on revolving funds from the income generated by the sale of the products and services they produce through the program.

Kennedy says, “The recycling program fits the Industries model due to the revenue generation, and providing job skills to inmates who have met educational and other programming needs while incarcerated.” 

Challenges

At the Wallkill facility, the recycling program is housed in buildings “outside the fence,” meaning that

the inmates who work on recycling, though they are still on the grounds of the correctional facility, are literally beyond the barbed wire security fence in an unsecured area. This limits the number of inmates who are eligible to work there. Each individual worker must have a High School Equivalency diploma or be enrolled in a High School Equivalency Program and must meet specific security requirements before being considered as a potential employee.

The recyclable materials themselves are another source of concern. Tim Bender, Assistant Director of Industries Resource Recovery who oversees the statewide recycling program laments the loss of the market for recycled mattresses. “They stopped taking them because they were overwhelmed,” he says of the facility that had been purchasing the collected mattresses. “We have to ship them to Arizona now, and that’s not cost effective.” They are in the process of identifying a new buyer for this lucrative material. Additionally, he says that the markets for some types of plastics and cardboard have fallen off because China is no longer buying them in previous quantities. Corcraft consistently bids out the sale of the recycled materials, searching for the highest market value, which is key to the program’s continuation.

What’s next?

When asked to predict the future of recyclables and where he is putting his money, Mr. Bender says, “Cardboard, paper, and plastics are the meat and potatoes. I don’t see that changing anytime soon. For corrections, a lot of the food vendors are moving away from tin and metal packaging because of the safety issues and are starting to use plastic pouches. The challenge with those is that they are hard to clean, but they are a safer option.” No materials can be recycled if they are soiled, so as part of the process, inmates wash and dry all plastics and metals before they are added to the recycling waste. This creates an opportunity for correctional facilities to drive the market by encouraging vendors to create packaging that is safe, but also recyclable.

Though recycling in correctional facilities is not news, New York’s DOCCS has figured out how to make the program income-driven while offering a practical workforce training option for offenders. The program not only removes trash from landfills, but also saves taxpayers millions of dollars each year. Having the program run by Corcraft puts it in the hands of administrators whose directive is to run a successful business. In this case, success is defined by the program paying for itself, and reaching Governor Cuomo’s goal to reduce 50% (by weight) of waste generated across all government departments. When asked if they have been able to achieve that goal, Mr. Bender grins and says, “Not yet. But we’re getting there.” With last year’s total recycled tonnage at more than 13,000 tons, even if that’s not quite 50%, it’s an accomplishment many state correctional systems would be happy to report. [GP]

Watch a narrated slide show of our visit to Wallkill on the GreenPrisons.org Youtube page.

NAAWS Conference Shares Focus on Sustainability

We just returned from another very successful conference of the North American Association of Wardens and Superintendents (NAAWS).  This year's conference was another great success hosted by the Ohio Warden and Superintendents Association (OWASA).  With over 200 institution CEO's and 30+ exhibitors participating, it was the perfect venue for learning about new products and networking.

GreenPrisons friends Solar America Solutions, Strayer Lighting and Energy Systems Group were just a few of the exhibitors focused on sustainability. Their presence at this very important conference really continued the sustainability momentum and gave wardens and superintendents the chance to learn the latest in each of these new areas of technology.

This would be a great time to suggest a topic for the next GreenPrisons webinar or to purchase an ad with a link to your latest promotion.  Contact tommy @GreenPrisons.org for more information.

The following article is provided by guest blogger Bill Sturgeon.  A correctional practitioner with decades of experience, Bill's primary focus has traditionally been security.  In today's blog he shares his observations of our recent Sustainability Symposium

Sustainability and Greening Correctional Facilities  

By

Wm. Bill Sturgeon

 This past Fall I attended the 2^nd Annual “Sustainability and Greening Symposium” in Indianapolis, Indiana.  I found the Symposium to be a marvelous experience. For the first time in many years, I felt as though I was with a group of professionals who were truly working to identify more efficient ways to operate correctional facilities in the twenty-first century.

 
Without question, correctional facilities are an enormous drain on any community’s resources, from electricity to sewerage processing. The time has come for corrections to develop more efficient methods to operate its institutions.

At this Symposium there were the obvious areas that affect every correctional institution:

1.      Lighting

2.      Water

3.      Sewerage

4.      Trash

5.      Fuel for heating

6.   Reassignment of staff

 Yet, there were others present who looked at more efficient ways of serving meals on recyclable trays, there-by cutting back on the dishwashers’ use of clean water, soap and wastewater treatment. Also featured were cleaning materials that did not have any harsh chemicals in them, yet were as effective as their predecessors. As an “old” security guy, I found these new cleaning compounds very interesting, because they have eliminated dangerous chemicals from the secure perimeter.

Of course, for all of these new “Sustainability and Greening” initiatives, there will have to be cost analyses done to ascertain what type savings there will be. As I was thinking about writing this article, I wanted to stress the idea that “Sustainability and Greening” are not restricted to just “hard” evidence that is easily gathered. Rather, “Sustainability and Greening” is a “way of life”.  

I believe that correctional institutions who are pursuing the “Sustainability and Greening” initiative should look at them holistically rather than specifically. While it is true that by installing new perimeter lights an institution could save a significant amount of money, an institution could also save money by recycling materials, using water saving shower heads, and using recyclable trays for two of three meals per day.

 As I stated above, “Sustainability and Greening” is a “way of life”. Getting the staff, at every level, involved in the process will help the process move along more expeditiously and the staff can come up with great suggestions.

As a security guy, I have come to the realization that not all “Sustainability and Greening” initiatives are appropriate for every security level. This said, security should not be used as an excuse for not moving forward with “Sustainability and Greening” efforts. The criminal justice community has to find more efficient ways of conducting day-to-day operations.

GreenPrisons is at the Sustainable Prisons Project

GreenPrisons has had the opportunity to participate in the second national gathering of the Sustainable Prison Project (SPP). SPP, funded in part by the National Science Foundation (NSF, is part of a national movement to bring science into correctional facilities. The project focuses on all areas of sustainability but particularly those that promote the recovery of endangered species. From butterflies to spotted frogs this project has provided offender jobs, education and benefitted the larger communities. Check out their website for more information.

Greetings From ACA

ACA kicks off its 142nd Congress of Corrections today in Mile High Denver CO. There is lots of buzz about sustainability and about GreenPrisons. Our first official activity is this afternoon at 1:30 when the Clean and Green committee convenes. If you're at the conference be sure to come by room 301 of the Convention Center. We've already met a number of folks new to corrections eager to learn more about what correctional agencies are doing to promote sustainability. They will have ample opportunity during more than six workshops examining the topic from any number of angles. Yesterday Superintendent Keith Butts of the Pendleton Correctional Facility in IN and I visited the headquarters of Community Power Corporation to learn more about their garbage gasification project. Currently they have a version designed to meet the Department of Defense's commissary needs to dispose of food and cellulose waste in areas with high tipping fees and/or high utilities cost. They will be doing a feasibility study to determine its applicability in corrections. You will learn the results of that study here on GreenPrisons.org and at our Symposium in October in Indianapolis. More tomorrow from the exhibit floor at ACA

Water Webinar Scheduled for Wednesday

Join GreenPrisons on Wednesday, June 11 at 11 AM EST for our free webinar on Effective Water Management in the Correctional Setting. Learn more about controlling water flow, waterless urinals, and rainwater management for some of America's foremost. Register at www.GreenPrisons.org

ACA Hosts SIX Sustainability Workshops at this Year's Summer Congress

ACA is going"Green" at this summer's Congress with SIX workshops on sustainability topics. From a facilitated workshop on sustainable projects around the country to saving $1000 per inmate these are sessions you won't want to miss. Don't forget to come to the conference in time to attend the "Clean and Green" committee at the Convention Center on Saturday at 1:30. Check the program for the room number. We will be making new proposals for the committee to submit to President Epps when his term begins in January. And remember vendors are always welcome to join us. Once again GreenPrisons will pair up with the North American Association of Warden's and Superintendents (NAAWS) for a place to meet and greet. Come by the NAAWS suite in the Hyatt Regency starting Saturday night to meet the largest group of senior decision makers in corrections. If you are not familiar with NAAWS you can learn more at www.corrections.com/NAAWS. If you're not a member consider joining. More next time on our growing program for the 2nd National Symposium on Sustainability in Corrections. Watch www.GreenPrisons.org for more information on the Symposium.

GreenPrisons at Ohio Wardens and Superintendents Conference

GreenPrisons was invited to present the advantages of sustainability to the Ohio Wardens and Superintendents Association (OWSA)Conference in Berlin, Ohio May 17. With over 100+ wardens and superintendents from the adult and juvenile systems from around Ohio and many of their administrators an informative discussion was held including numerous projects ongoing in the Buckeye state. In his opening remarks Director Gary Mohr talked to the group about the importance of developing new management strategies whose results can be measured. Sustainable initiatives by their nature are measureable whether in dollars saved, pounds recycled, inmates trained or electical loads reduced. As part of their training intiatives the warden's association has assigned a team of wardens to monitor the savings generated over the next six months from the sustainable efforts and report back to the Director. GreenPrisons will work with the wardens committee to make sure they are regularly informed of new products and practices. The program also included presentations by Commissioner Chris Epps of Mississippi and Warden Burl Cain of Angola.

GreenPrisons Salutes Correctional Workers Week

As Correctional Workers week comes to an end, and I reflect back on the last 40 years and my career in corrections I am reminded of the many exceptional people I've met along the way. From my peers and friends that I went through training with to those first few nights on the job not really having a clue about what to do and the Supervisors who always seemed to walk through the door just when I needed them most. My time in corrections has been challenging, a little bit scary and yet the most fulfilling I could imagine. Today's correctional workers have an equally daunting task if not more so. They have the advantage of being better trained, and better equipped but the challenges of working with incarcerated individuals can be as difficult today as it was back then. Technology in some ways has made. The job easier but at perhaps the expense of inhibiting interpersonal skills. We can never forget that the job is about people, those we confine, those we protect. And those we stand next to, to get the job done. This isn't a very "green" message this week but I would argue it is all about "sustaining" the profession and the people who work in it. Be safe, take care of yourself, thank your family for their support,and take care of each other

NAAWS Kicks Off With Great Crowd

Hello from the North American Association of Wardens and Superintendents (NAAWS) Annual Training Conference in Springfield, MO. Conference coordinator Pat Keohane has put together a great training event that kicked off with a great reception in the exhibit hall. Tomorrrow's feature speaker will be General Mark Inch, Commander of the Military Police Corps.

GreenPrisons will be well represented as we co-present with the Indiana Department of Correction. If you aren't here with us be sure and check back with GreenPrisons.org to see the powerpoint presentation.

More from the conference tomorrow.

April Webinar Delivers Strategies to Generate More Revenue from Recycling and Advantages of Green Cleaning

Join GreenPrisons on Wednesday, April 11 at 11 AM EST for our next webinar in our Sustainability in Corrections series. This month we focus on materials management and specifically on ways to maximize the revenue generated from recycling efforts and the fundamentals of cleaning with green chemicals and why they are so well suited for the corrections environment.

Clayton Campbell of PABS Management will discuss strategies for increasing your revenue from recycling and reducing cartage fees by managing the institution waste stream more effectively.

Burt Klein of PortionPac chemicals will explain the fundamental advantages of cleaning with green chemicals. PortionPac has a history of working with corrections since 1985 and has been a major supporter of the accreditation process as well as providing training programs for offenders who use PortionPac products.

To register go to www.GreenPrisons.org and click on the webinar article.

Maryland Secretary Gary Maynard Confirmed As Keynote Speaker for Symposium

Maryland Secretary of Public Safety and Corrections to Keynote Second National Symposium on Sustainability in Corrections
Maryland Secretary of Public Safety and Corrections, Gary Maynard will be the keynote speaker at the opening luncheon for the Second National Symposium on Sustainability in Corrections. Secretary Maynard has an extensive background in correctional management including serving as a warden and regional director. He has served as Commissioner or Director in Iowa, South Carolina and Oklahoma before being selected to lead the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Corrections.
In addition to his correctional experience Mr. Maynard retired from the Oklahoma National Guard as a Brigadier General after 32 years of service. He is past President of the American Correctional Association, a Commissioner for the Commission on Accreditation of Corrections, and served on the ACA Standards Committee. He is an author, adjunct professor and a truly dedicated public servant.

A Conversation With Sarah Patterson of Lettuce Grow

I recently had the opportunity to have a long conversation with Sarah Patterson of LettuceGrow.org. This innovative program with its roots in Oregon has the potential to grow into a national movement. OK I'll quit with the puns now, because this unique approach to inmate horticulture programs has more than proven itself in the Oregon Department of Corrections.

In a nutshell it has taken the standard inmate horticulture program and turned it into a certification program with the local university agricultural extension office "Master Gardener" certification program. The Oregon program provides fresh vegetables for the institution food service operation, producing a healthier, less expensive diet.

In addition to the produce, inmates are involved in a 400 hour, nationally recognized certification program. Graduates of the program learn skills they can take back to agriculture, plant nursuries, or their own backyard garden.

You can learn more about this innovative program at www.lettucegrow.org and hear a live presentation by Sarah at this year's National Symposium on Sustainability in Corrections.

NIJ Publishes Greening Guidebook

The long awaited NIJ publication on sustainability in corrections is now available. Download your free copy at https://www.justnet.org/our_centers/COEs/PDFs/Greening-Corrections-Technology-Guidebook-final-0229.pdf

The "Greening Corrections Technology Guidebook" was authored by Paul Sheldon and Gene Atherton. You will recognize many of the topics because our current webinar series is based on Paul's "Seven Steps to Sustainability in Corrections". The guidebook contains lots of additional information on each of the seven steps with plenty of practical applications from Gene.

There is still time to register for our free webinar series. Just go to the GreenPrisons home page at www.GreenPrisons.org and sign up today. This month's topic is HVAC and space in the webinar is limited.

Registration is also now open for our fall symposium. Register before June 1
and you could be the winner of a free registration (individual registrations only).

Lighting Webinar Shines A Bright Light

Our lighting webinar last month was a big hit and received a number of positive comments in the post-webinar evaluation. With more than 30 states participating again this month it demonstrates the continued interest in hearing from practitioners in the field about what other agencies are doing to save energy and dollars.

MagnaRay one of the systems presented during the webinar has announced that they will be coming to the NAAWS Conference in Springfield, MO April 15-18. You can follow this link http://www.magnaray.com/images/catalogpdf/25.pdf to see the case study they have on the Thumb Correctional institution that was mentioned during the webinar. Come by our booth at NAAWS to pick up additional materials.

Our next webinar is March 21 at 11 AM and will examine the effect new HVAC systems can have on your utility bill. We are still looking for one more agency to spotlight so if you have recently revamped your HVAC system or if you are a vendor who would like to see your products featured please contact me.

Register now to join us on March 21.

Savings and Security Through Enhanced Interior and Exterior Lighting Modifications

Be sure to join us on Wednesday, Feb. 15 at 11 AM Eastern time for our next webinar exploring various lighting options that enhance security while resulting in significant utility savings. Kevin Orme and Jim Basinger from the Indiana Department of Correction will talk about new technology employed by the Department and the performance contracting process that was used. Ed Vallad of the Michigan Department of Corrections will also present new Florescent technology.

Register for the webinar at www.GreenPrisons.org and remember it's free.

Upcoming Events

We have a busy two weeks ahead. The latest edition of the newsletter will be out this week and we are currently finalizing the detail on our next webinar, Feb 15. Be sure to register soon as slots are limited and they are filling up quickly.

As we noted in the last blog we had a busy week at ACA. We learned this week that the workshops GreenPrisons was involved in were the best attended of the conference reflecting the growing interest in sustainability by the corrections community. We have been asked to propose additional workshops for the Congress in Denver. If you would like to join us and talk about your sustainability program let me know ASAP. Our proposals are due to ACA by Feb 13.

Registration for the 2nd National Symposium on Sustainability in Corrections is now open. That means you can also propose a workshop and if it is selected you can attend the Symposium for free. If you have any questions give me a call at 859-629-6116.

If you have a program you would like featured on GreenPrisons.org be sure and send an email to info@GreenPrisons.org

ACA Recap and Upcoming Events

We just finished up a super ACA conference in Phoenix and sustainability is rapidly becoming the watchword of the profession. We had the chance to speak in three different workshops along with our friend Paul Sheldon, we also provided training to ACA auditors on the new sustainability standard, and thanks to John Rees had the opportunity to speak to the policy committee of the Association of State Correctional Administrators (ASCA).

In every presentation folks had more to share about what they were doing in their agency and were equally eager to hear what was happening in other parts of the country. There was genuine enthusiasm for what we are doing and support for the overall goals of sustainability.

We attended a workshop early on Saturday morning presented by the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) that focused on a model that can be used to assist agencies to determine what makes sense for them regarding sustainability when considering new construction or retrofit. It is a model I think that could be utilized by large and small institutions alike. We hope to have it available on GreenPrisons.org in the coming weeks to share with you.

We are indebted to a lot of individuals and companies who made our travel to ACA possible. First on the list is the North American Association of Wardens and Superintendents (NAAWS) and their leadership Art Leonardo, Gloria Hultz and Pat Keohane, and President Daryl Vannoy. They gave us space to operate out of and encouraged their membership to check out what GreenPrisons had to offer. We will be presenting at their conference in Springfield, Mo in April along with Commissioner Bruce Lemmon of Indiana and we hope you can be with us for this very special event.

CorrectPac, Solaris, I-Con, Pabs Management, Energy Systems Group and Zone 3 all, not only helped us to get there, but were ready and willing to answer questions and informally discuss their products and services. I encourage you to visit each of their websites to learn how they can not only save you money but in some instances create revenue streams as well. All of these companies have a true commitment to corrections and in addition to their products have developed training programs that can help prepare inmates for green collar jobs. We encourage you to check them out and support the companies who support GreenPrisons.

Our next webinar is only two weeks away and registrations are limited. We have almost maxed out the number we can accommodate. Register now for any of our upcoming webinars by going to www.GreenPrisons.org and clicking on the link on the home page. February’s webinar is on Lighting and Energy. Be sure to join us!