SOP_NUMBER: 209.05 TITLE: Stripped Cells and Temporary Confiscation of Personal Property REFERENCE_CODE: IIB08-0005 DIVISION: Facilities TOPIC_AREA: 209 Policy-Facilities Control/Discipline/Segregation EFFECTIVE_DATE: 2015-04-30 WORD_COUNT: 1476 POWERDMS_URL: https://public.powerdms.com/GADOC/documents/105939 URL: https://gps.press/sop-data/209.05/ SUMMARY: This policy establishes procedures for placing inmates and probationers in stripped cells and temporarily confiscating personal property. Stripped cells are only to be used in emergency situations when an individual poses a risk of harm to themselves or others, or when they destroy property, never as punishment. Placement requires written authorization from the Warden or Superintendent and must include close observation, with maximum initial confinement of 8 hours and continued confinement requiring medical authorization renewed daily. KEY_TOPICS: stripped cells, cell stripping, personal property confiscation, inmate safety, self-harm prevention, emergency confinement, segregation, administrative segregation, observation requirements, hardened cells, closed front cells, cooling off period, least restrictive means, mental health evaluation, medical authorization ATTACHMENTS: 1. Stripped Cell/Restraint Authorization Form URL: https://gps.press/sop-data/209.05-att-1/ ======================================================================== FULL TEXT: ======================================================================== |GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Standard Operating Procedures|Col2|Col3| |---|---|---| |**`Functional Area: `**
`Facilities Operations`|**`Reference Number: `**
`IIB08-0005`
`(209.05)`|**`Revises`**
**`Previous`**
**`Effective Date:`**
`2/01/10`| |**`Subject:`**
`Stripped Cells and`
`Temporary Confiscation of`
`Personal Property`||| |**`Authority:`**
`Bryson/Jacobs`|**`Effective Date:`**
`04/30/15`|`Page`**`1`**` of`
**5 **| ``` I. POLICY: A. Under the Rules of the Board of Corrections an inmate/probationer shall not be placed in a cell naked nor shall his clothing, mattress, or bedding be removed unless, in the judgement of the Warden or Superintendent, facility/center physician, or the Mental Health Director, the inmate/probationer is classified as violent, or likely to become so, or might commit mutilation or bodily harm to himself or others. In such cases the inmate/probationer shall be placed under close observation [GDC Rule 125-3-2-.10 (b)]. B. An inmate/probationer will be placed in a stripped cell only in an emergency, for example, if it is determined that he or she may use the contents of his or her cell, including personal items to harm himself or herself or staff or threaten the health or safety of others who are proximally confined, or if he destroys valuable state property and placement in a stripped cell is the least restrictive means of controlling that behavior. Stripped cells will never be used as punishment under any circumstances. Confinement to a stripped cell is intended primarily as a “cooling off” period. The degree to which a cell is stripped must be commensurate with the behavior involved (for example, the hardened cells would normally be used for an inmate/probationer who destroys cell fixtures). The temporary confiscation of personal property outlined in VI.C. of this procedure does not constitute a stripped cell. II. APPLICABILITY: All State/County facilities/centers and ALL centers. ``` |Functional Area:
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`(209.05)`| ``` III. RELATED DIRECTIVES: ``` ``` A. GDC Rules: 125-3-2-.09 and 125-3-2-.10. B. GDC-SOPs: IIB06-0002, IIB09-0001 and VH67-0001. C. ACA Standards: 3-4183, 3-4253, 3-4250, 3-4251, 3-4254, 3 4255 and 3-4362. IV. DEFINITIONS: A. Stripped Cell – A stripped cell is any cell from which the staff have removed any one of the following items (This does not include the temporary confiscation of personal property under Section VI.C. of this procedure: ) 1. A serviceable bed. 2. A fire retardant mattress. 3. Hot and Cold running water. 4. Proper bedding, i.e., one pillow, one pillow case, one blanket (seasonal), two sheets. 5. A working toilet. B. Hardened Cell – At certain MH/MR units some cells may contain toilets made destruction proof. The toilet shall be flushable from the outside. The shelf may also serve as a bed by the provision of a mattress, or there may be a separate destruction proof bed. There need not be a lavatory in these cells. A light fixture may be placed outside the cells to provide maximum lighting reasonably possible under the circumstances. This could also be designed as a closed front cell. In facilities/centers where hardened cells are not available, MH/MR staff may remove certain contents from the cell deemed dangerous to inmates/probationers or staff. C. Closed Front Cell – Closed front cells are cells with a closed front covering used to protect staff against an inmate/probationer throwing feces, urine, water or such acts as spitting at another person. ``` |Functional Area:
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`(209.05)`| ``` D. MH/MR Probationers (from SOP VG67-0001) – Those inmates/probationers who have been evaluated by a Department of Corrections professional mental health staff member, licensed psychologist or psychiatrist who has determined that the inmate/probationer is either mentally ill and/or mentally retarded and requires treatment or habilitation services, or inmates/probationers with identified psychological problems as determined by counseling staff and/or mental health professionals and/or MH/MR professionals at all state or county facilities/centers, transitional centers or community corrections facilities. V. ATTACHMENTS: Attachment 1 - Stripped Cell/Restraint Authorization Form VI. PROCEDURE: A. Non-Mental Health inmate/Probationer 1. Placement in a stripped cell shall be made only upon approval of the Warden or Superintendent or his or her designee. This approval shall be documented in writing using the “Stripped Cell/Restraint Authorization” attachment 1 of this SOP. Such documentation shall include steps taken to resolve the problem, the reasons for placement in a stripped cell and the degree to which the cell should be stripped. 2. Any inmate/probationer assigned to a stripped cell must be observed by security staff, as a minimum, at least every 15 minutes unless otherwise specified. Such observation shall be documented, indicating the date, time, and behavior and shall be signed by the staff member making the observation. This documentation shall be on the standard isolation or segregation check sheet (Attachment 3 of SOP IIB09 0001, Administrative Segregation/Protective Custody). Observation of the inmate/probationer will continue until the inmate/probationer is released from the stripped cell. ``` |Functional Area:
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`(209.05)`| ``` 3. Confinement to a stripped cell is intended only as a “cooling off” period and shall ordinarily be for no more than eight (8) hours. Continued confinement beyond the initial eight (8) hour period shall require the following: a. Written authorization by the senior medical employee present in the prison after at least telephonic approval by a physician or physician’s assistant. b. Written authorization for continued confinement in a striped cell shall be renewed daily by a physician or senior medical staff. c. In addition, continued confinement in a stripped cell shall also require the daily written authorization of the Warden or Superintendent or his or her designee. 4. If confinement to the stripped cell is continued for 72 hours, the senior medical employee will be required to provide a written report reflecting the inmate’s/probationer’s mental and physical stability. If, as result of the senior medical employee’s evaluation, it is determined that the inmate/probationer presents an MH/MR problem, he or she will be managed in accordance with SOPs VG67 0001, Time out, Seclusion, and Physical Restraints. The report will contain: a. Review of health record. b. Significant medical history. c. Current medication and vital signs. d. Current medical problems. B. Mental Health Inmates/Probationers: 1. Facilities/Centers with an MH/MR staff: The MH/MR team is responsible for evaluating the unauthorized actions of an inmate/probationer prior to or in ``` |Functional Area:
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`(209.05)`| ``` support of security intervention. Upon notification, MH/MR will make the determination if such activity is MH/MR precipitated. If this is the case, MH/MR will assume responsibility for managing the situation. In those cases where no such determination is made, MH/MR may advise security of options available (within the area of MH/MR’s expertise). 2. Facilities/Centers without an MH/MR staff: The senior medical employee is responsible for evaluating the unauthorized actions of an inmate/probationer in support of security intervention. They will determine by telephonic contact with the nearest GDC facility/center which has an MH/MR staff, if such activity may be MH/MR precipitated, and if this is substantiated the inmate/probationer will be transferred to an appropriate facility/center for full MH/MR evaluation. 3. If the inmate’s/probationer’s actions resulting in stripped cell placement are of an MH/MR nature, then proper procedures will be initiated in accordance with SOP VG67-0001, “Time Out, Seclusion and Physical Restraints”. C. Temporary Confiscation of Personal Property: When any property is used in such a manner as to constitute an abuse of property, then that property, and any other property likely to be abused similarly may be removed at the discretion of the officer in charge. Consultation with medical and MH/MR staff shall be done when inmate/probationer is MH/MR, if MH/MR inmate/probationer consultation with MH/MR staff is appropriate. 1. The officer removing the property will follow the process outlined in SOP IIB06-0002 for storing inmate/probationer property. 2. At the end of the shift in which the property was taken a report shall be forwarded to the Warden or Superintendent indicating the property taken, the reasons therefore and the status of the property in ``` |Functional Area:
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`(209.05)`| ``` question. If the property is kept over 72 hours the Warden or Superintendent shall make a further indication on this report the reasons for the continued holding of property. 3. Temporary confiscation of property under the terms of this paragraph shall not be construed as being the equivalent of the use of a stripped cell. ```