Ex-inmates surveyed in Shelby prison audit

HELENA — A majority of 118 former inmates surveyed at the Crossroads Correctional Center in Shelby give the privately run prison low marks for staffing, quality of food, health services and housing unit temperatures in an audit to be reviewed by a state legislative committee.

However, the Legislative Audit Division report said the contractor generally met its requirements, but recommended there were some areas in which the Department of Corrections should improve oversight.

DOC Director Mike Batista concurred with the findings, but added his department has good oversight, will build more comprehensive reporting and implement other corrective actions.

Legislative Audit staff said the review, which is to be reviewed Friday by the Legislative Audit Committee, was sparked by several members of the 2011 state Legislature and audit assessment work determined a performance audit was not necessary. The issue resurfaced during the 2015 session and the Legislative Audit Committee prioritized a review. It said it made several unannounced visits to the facility while doing the report.

Crossroads, operated by Tennessee-based CCA, houses about 600 state prisoners and 100 federal inmates, the report noted. The contractor is paid $64.73 per inmate per day in fiscal year 2017.

The survey was sent to 382 former inmates and 118 responded, which auditors noted was a 31 percent response rate.

The state did so because of allegations of abuse or poor conditions and wanted the audit to be based on credible information. To avoid bias, it said it surveyed former inmates and promised to keep names confidential.

The prison got several high marks in the former inmate survey for giving inmates access to their attorneys, providing hot meals, availability to participate in religious programs, access to exercise and feeling safe from being sexually assaulted.

The audit noted there were 80-90 inmates for every security post. The Crossroads contract calls for 176 staff, with 15 of those for management and support, 58 for security operations, 61 for unit management. The remainder are for maintenance, programs and health services.

The report notes the ratio level at Crossroads was comparable to Montana State Prison.

However, the audit states that staffing issues could go undetected by the DOC and recommended it come up with ways to make sure the staffing levels are met. About 60 percent felt there was not enough staff or felt safe about being assaulted by other inmates.

It also recommended comparing health care facilities at Crossroads with other public corrections facilities. And it noted CCC did not always meet the contract requirement for primary care within five days. They noted that was sometimes due to high volumes or health needs.

In the survey, 63 percent of the ex-inmates said they could not get health care when needed, 77 percent were not satisfied with the quality of health care.

The audit staff found the food at Crossroads as “palatable for consumption and is served to inmates under sanitary conditions.” However, 68 percent of the former inmates surveyed disagreed.

However it found the department’s dietician did not review nutritional content on a regular basis, in violation of DOC policy. While the food service contractor had its own dietician, the department should take a more active role and have an independent dietician do a review.

Some meals were found to be high in carbohydrates, not adequate dietary fiber and low in vitamin D and potassium but high in sodium.

In terms of temperatures at the prison, the staff tries to maintain an average of no less than 69 degrees in the winter and 74 in the summer.

Some of the cells fell below 69, but were not uncomfortable, staff said.

In the survey, 69 percent of the former inmates said there were problems with temperatures.

More online

To read the audit, go to: http://bit.ly/2gH4Z5K