Classification Committees/128G chrono

Question 1

(1) Each classification committee’s documentation shall include, but not be limited to the following:

As well as.

Initial classification Review
Transfer Review

Answer 1

1. (A) The reason or purpose for the committee hearing.
2. (B) The action taken.
3. (C) The specific reasons for the action including the information
   upon which the decision was based.
4. (D) The incarcerated person’s stated preferred action, the reasons for
   the preference, and their agreement or disagreement with the
   committee action.
5. (E) If applicable, the use of any reasonable accommodation to ensure
   effective communication.
6. (F) If during the committee discussion, a member of the committee
   disagrees with a decision or the basis for a decision reached by the
   committee, they may provide language to the recorder to document
   their opinion for inclusion in the automated Classification Committee
   Chrono (05/19).
7. (G) The reason(s) for the omission of any of the classification
   procedural safeguards identified in subsection 3375(f).
8. (H) If an in absentia hearing is held, reason(s) for the incarcerated
   person being absent. (3 reasons an IP can be not be present from a committee, When an inmate refuses to appear before the committee, the IP is physically incapable, determined to be mentally incompetent, or the purpose is to improve the IP’s conditions in which they could go absentia).
9. (I) The name, title, and signature of the committee’s chairperson.
10. (J) The names and titles of staff who participated in the decision.
11. (K) The name, title, and signature of the committee’s recorder.
12. (L) The date of the action.

What is to be included in an initial classification committee?

1. (A) Date of birth or age on the date of committee.
2. (B) Term status (first, second, etc.)
3. (C) County(ies) of commitment.
4. (D) Commitment offense(s) (include parole revocation offense(s)
   resulting in good cause/probable cause findings if a parole violator.)
5. (E) Length of sentence.
6. (F) When the incarcerated person was received by the Department
   for the current incarceration.
7. (G) County of last legal residence.
8. (H) Escape related conviction(s).
9. (I) Current or potential hold(s).
10. (J) Arson related arrest(s) or conviction(s).
11. (K) Sex-related arrest(s) or conviction(s) by date.
12. (L) The current placement score, security level, and custody
    designation.
13. (M) The reason(s) the incarcerated person was transferred to the
    current location.
14. (N) Current eligibility status for special programs such as camp,
    minimum support facility, or community correctional facility. If not
    eligible, the reason for each shall be noted.
15. (O) Current assignments (including work group and privilege
    group).
16. (P) Enemy or STG concerns.
17. (Q) The existence of, and committee review of, confidential
    information.
18. (R) Any medical/psychiatric/disability concerns, including
    tuberculosis tracking code and date of the most current documentation.
19. (S) Any other pertinent case information and/or casework follow-up needed

Transfer review:

1. (A) The incarcerated person’s requested transfer preference(s) and
   stated reason(s) for preferring that location.
2. (B) The institution to which the committee recommends transfer
   with an alternate recommendation, if different from those requested by
   the incarcerated person, and the specific reasons for both
   recommendations.
3. (C) A statement of the incarcerated person’s work group/custody upon
   transfer based on adverse or non-adverse transfer circumstances.
   (D) Where present, the Board of Parole Hearings (BPH) No Later
   Than (NLT) date and/or next scheduled BPH hearing date.

Ultimately, the classification process is a score system to properly house IPs based on their, needs, interest, placement score, behavioral programming, as well as institution’s programs, security and public safety while classifying the IP at the lowest level possible.

Question 2

(2) In addition to the preceding, documentation for transfer reviews shall also include the following:

Answer 2

1. (A) The incarcerated person’s requested transfer preference(s) and
   stated reason(s) for preferring that location.
2. (B) The institution to which the committee recommends transfer
   with an alternate recommendation, if different from those requested by
   the incarcerated person, and the specific reasons for both
   recommendations.
3. (C) A statement of the incarcerated person’s work group/custody upon
   transfer based on adverse or non-adverse transfer circumstances.
   (D) Where present, the Board of Parole Hearings (BPH) No Later
   Than (NLT) date and/or next scheduled BPH hearing date.

Question 3

(3) When the incarcerated person is treated under the Mental Health
Services Delivery System (MHSDS) and is at the Enhanced Outpatient
Program (EOP) or the Mental Health Crisis Bed (MHCB) level of care,
regardless of the incarcerated person’s housing, a mental health
clinician is required as a committee member at all hearings. When the
incarcerated person is in restricted housing and treated under the
MHSDS at any level of care, a mental health clinician is required as a
committee member at all hearings. Documentation shall include, but
not be limited to the following:

Answer 3

1. (A) The incarcerated person’s current medical/psychiatric status/level
   of care.
2. (B) MHSDS treatment needs.
3. (C) The incarcerated person’s ability to understand and participate in
   the classification hearing.

Question 4

(4) In all hearings when the incarcerated person is treated under the MHSDS and is housed in restricted housing, documentation shall include the requirements indicated in subsection 3375(g)(3) as well as
the following:

Answer 4

1. (A) A clinical assessment of the incarcerated person’s likelihood of
   decompensation if retained in restricted housing.
2. (B) A summary of the clinical information provided by the mental
   health clinician when an actively decompensating mentally ill
   incarcerated person is recommended for transfer to a mental health
   program by the mental health clinician and the decision of the
   committee is to retain the incarcerated person in restricted housing.

Question 5

(5) Documentation from each institution’s initial classification reviews shall include the following case factors:

Answer 5

1. (A) Date of birth or age on the date of committee.
2. (B) Term status (first, second, etc.)
3. (C) County(ies) of commitment.
4. (D) Commitment offense(s) (include parole revocation offense(s)
   resulting in good cause/probable cause findings if a parole violator.)
5. (E) Length of sentence.
6. (F) When the incarcerated person was received by the Department
   for the current incarceration.
7. (G) County of last legal residence.
8. (H) Escape related conviction(s).
9. (I) Current or potential hold(s).
10. (J) Arson related arrest(s) or conviction(s).
11. (K) Sex-related arrest(s) or conviction(s) by date.
12. (L) The current placement score, security level, and custody
    designation.
13. (M) The reason(s) the incarcerated person was transferred to the
    current location.
14. (N) Current eligibility status for special programs such as camp,
    minimum support facility, or community correctional facility. If not
    eligible, the reason for each shall be noted.
15. (O) Current assignments (including work group and privilege
    group).
16. (P) Enemy or STG concerns.
17. (Q) The existence of, and committee review of, confidential
    information.
18. (R) Any medical/psychiatric/disability concerns, including
    tuberculosis tracking code and date of the most current documentation.
19. (S) Any other pertinent case information and/or casework follow-up needed

Question 6

The reason or purpose for the committee hearing
and what does the committee take into consideration?

Answer 6

THE ACTION
1. The committees action taken and specifically why
2. The IP’s Preferred action and the reason for their preference.
3. The IP’s AGREEMENT or DISAGREEMENT with the committee action (this will be documented in detail stating exactly what they stated.)
4. Document any effective communication needed.
5. We will document the reason(s) for the omission of any of the classification procedural safeguards identified in subsection 3375(f). (Example: if an inmate goes in absentia, document the reasons why.)

Ultimately, the classification process is a score system to properly house IPs based on their, needs, interest, placement score, behavioral programming, as well as institution’s programs, security and public safety while classifying the IP at the lowest level possible.

The reason or purpose for the committee hearing per memo.
➢ The action taken, the specific reasons for the action including the information upon which the decision was based.
➢ The incarcerated person’s stated preferred action, the reasons for the preference, and their agreement or disagreement with the committee action. If an incarcerated person disagrees with a hearing, it is not enough to just use the dropdown, noting they do not agree. Document exactly what the incarcerated person disagrees with in the Inmate Comments section of the chrono.
➢ If applicable, document the use of any reasonable accommodation to ensure effective communication.
NOTE: Effective Communication is no longer required to be documented within the body of the chrono, if you have entered the required information within SOMS Effective Communication for the incarcerated person.
➢ The reason(s) for the omission of any of the classification procedural safeguards identified in subsection 3375(f).
➢ If an in-absentia hearing is held, reason(s) for the incarcerated person being absent.