NCJ Number
130904
Journal
Federal Prisons Journal Volume: 2 Issue: 2 Dated: (Spring 1991) Pages: 19-22
Date Published
1991
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This article reviews the concept and the current status of community relations boards within the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), based on a 1990 survey of all BOP chief executive officers (CEO's).
Abstract
A community relations board (CRB) was first formed in the early 1980's to provide for formal interaction between community representatives and prison officials at the newly opened Federal Correctional Institution in Otisville, N.Y. The CRB was designed to act as a conduit for an information flow from the community to the institution and from the institution to the community. As of 1990, the survey indicated that of the 64 institutions surveyed, 50 (78 percent) had a CRB. Although the survey showed no apparent trend as to types of agenda items discussed at a given CRB meeting, the institutions involved in major mission changes or construction and expansion projects were consistent in presenting this information to the CRB's. Among the other agenda items discussed were local child-care initiatives, drug-related offenses, emergency preparedness, recruitment, open houses, drug testing, overcrowding, medical care, strategic planning, social events, local procurement, newspaper articles, local utility problems, sites for new Federal prisons, hazardous waste disposal, fire protection, and escape prevention. The CEO's have generally positive views of the CRB's operations.