The Use and Effectiveness of Safety Equipment in Correctional Equipment in Correctional Facilities Across the United States

In partnership with the Association of State Correctional Administrators, CNA collaborated with seven facilities to gather information about officer injuries, use of safety equipment, and policies and procedures related to safety and safety equipment. Using robust qualitative analysis, we derived themes and findings from interviews, incident review panels, and observations of facility operations.

WHY AND HOW WE DID IT

Correctional officers work in dangerous environments that increase their risk of injury. Over the past several decades, new equipment and devices intended to improve correctional officer safety have become increasingly prevalent. But little is known about the specific equipment used in different facilities, the effectiveness of new technology, or the perceptions of safety equipment among the orrectional officers. This report builds on a 2010 GAO report which surveyed the Federal Bureau of Prisons and correctional departments in 14 states.

WE SET OUT TO

Describe what safety equipment modalities are currently used in a sample of state-level adult correctional institutions in the United States.

1. Highlight the rationale for using these modalities.
2. Describe the policy attributes and training associated with these modalities.
3. Lay groundwork for future work regarding the effectiveness of the modalities currently used.

OVERALL FINDINGS

Based on the research we conducted, enhancing correctional officer safety is a matter of training, attitude, purchase and maintenance of personal safety equipment, as well as the purchase and maintenance of other safety equipment (e.g., surveillance systems, radio systems, and detection systems).