Duty to Protect Inmates
Category: Corrections
Gordon Graham here with Today’s Tip from Lexipol. And Today’s Tip deals with our duty to protect inmates in our custody.
We are required to protect inmates from risk of serious harm from themselves, from others, from disease and the jail itself.
The United States Constitution imposes upon us the extraordinary duty to protect people in our custody.
Our duty begins when a person is admitted to our jail and continues uninterrupted throughout their stay.
We are required to protect inmates from risk of serious harm from themselves, from others, from disease and the jail itself.
Our duty to protect is mandated and constant. It cannot be diminished because there may not be sufficient employees to man all posts or a lack of funds.
Prudent staffing policies are generally based upon court opinions that tell us that there must be adequate staff on duty at all times to protect inmates.
Protecting inmates begins with searching and properly classifying them as they enter our system. It includes constant supervision and monitoring, frequent contraband searches, addressing medical and mental health issues in a timely manner, maintaining discipline and security and adequate levels of well-trained correctional staff.
Protecting inmates is not only our mandate; it’s the right thing to do.
Remember, predictable is preventable.
And that is Today’s Tip from Lexipol. Gordon Graham signing off.
