USP Hazelton

[This is not an official site of the US Bureau of Prisons, nor for USP Hazelton - if you wish to visit their site please go to: http://www.bop.gov/locations/institutions/haz/index.jsp ]

Background:

Senator Byrd, West Virginia, began the plan for bringing a Federal Bureau of Prisons' facility to Preston County, West Virginia, in 1996. In 1997 and 1998, the Bureau of Prisons completed a site survey and the Bruceton Mills, West Virginia, site was selected. The site consists of 960 acres of wooded land overlooking the Appalachian Mountain Range.

The United States Penitentiary (USP) - Hazelton consists of three facilities; a high security institution housing male inmates, camp that houses minimum security male inmates, and a secure unit (SFF) that houses female inmates.

paws4prisons_TM began program operation at the SFF [Secure Female Facility], USP Hazelton on May 8, 2007, approximately five months after the facility opened.

The Secure Female Facility (SFF) - Hazelton is a 512-bed low security federal prison for women, located in Preston County West Virginia. This new facility is making great strides to balance safety and security with dynamic programs which allow the inmates to holistically heal past issues, learn effective strategies for living a vibrant law-abiding life, and successfully reintegrate in their communities to reduce recidivism factors. The Staff recognizes and nurtures the potential of every individual, empowering them to make choices which will enhance the quality of their lives and those they touch. The facility provides a holistic approach to programming, allowing inmates varied opportunities to improve all aspects of their lives, while simultaneously creating an environment which is conducive to inmates giving back to the community.

The Staff at the SFF are excited about collaborating with paws4prisons_TM. Warden Joe Driver is particularly pleased that the dogs will be trained to work with developmentally disabled children or become service dogs for disabled veterans returning from the war. Warden Driver commented, "This is a great opportunity for inmates to contribute to society, provide a program to learn valuable job skills, and enjoy the benefits of pet therapy. Most of our inmates are mothers. We want them to not only improve their parenting skills, but also be able to successfully provide for their families and to be positive role models for their children. The Bureau of Justice Statistics reported that 70% of children who have a parent in prison will also spend time in prison. We are providing our inmates with programs to help prepare them to be successful when they are released so they can break the cycle of crime."

Susan Folk, the Unit Manager and Administrator for the facility, could not be more pleased with the collaborative partnership which has formed between paws4prisons_TM and the SFF, stating, "Everyone involved has a common goal of helping the inmates to grow and improve their lives. A woman sentenced to this facility begins preparing for release on the first day of her confinement. We want to empower our inmates to make positive choices and learn skills which will help them to be successful when they go home. paws4prisons_TM understands the importance of establishing a multi-faceted program which will have maximum impact."

This dynamic partnership will provide many aspects beyond the actual dog training. paws4prisons_TM is working closely with the counselors and education staff at the SFF to continually expand the possibilities for the program.

Inmates will be able to learn a number of job skills, including public relations, marketing, web page design, inventory management and control, and warehousing. There will also be numerous activities for volunteerism to help support the program through the paws4prisons_TM Program. This will be a tremendous opportunity for inmates to get involved in a worthwhile effort and increase their employment skills.

[Note: The following information is excepted from the USP- Hazelton, Volunteer Orientation Training Handbook, dated: January 2006, and is provided as general background information for those unfamiliar with the US Bureau of Prisons.]

Bureau of Prisons: An Overview

The Federal Bureau of Prisons was established in 1930 under the Three Prisons Act. This Act directed the development of an integrated system of prisons, within the Department of Justice, to provide custody and programs based on the varied needs of offenders. Additionally, the integrated system was tasked to provide more progressive and humane care for Federal inmates, professionalize the prison service, and ensure consistent and centralized administration of the 11 Federal prisons in operation at the time.

Today, the Bureau consists of approximately 114 institutions, 6 regional offices, a Central Office (headquarters), 2 staff training centers, and 28 community corrections offices. The regional offices and Central Office provide administrative oversight and support to Bureau facilities and community corrections offices. Community corrections offices oversee community corrections centers and home confinement programs.

The Bureau is responsible for the custody and care of approximately 185,000 Federal offenders. Approximately 85 percent of these inmates are confined in Bureau-operated correctional facilities or detention centers. The remainder are confined through agreements with state and local governments or through contracts with privately-operated community corrections centers, detention centers, prisons, and juvenile facilities. This variation is necessary due to the diverse offenses and backgrounds of the inmates received from the courts.

The Bureau protects public safety by ensuring that Federal offenders serve their sentences of imprisonment in facilities that are safe, humane, cost-efficient, and appropriately secure. The Bureau helps reduce the potential for future criminal activity by encouraging inmates to participate in a range of programs that have been proven to reduce recidivism. The Bureau's approximately 35,000 employees ensure the security of Federal prisons, provide inmates with needed programs and services, and model mainstream values.

Although Bureau institutions may differ in their organization, most have a similar structure. A Warden or Superintendent functions as the Chief Executive Officer and is assisted by Associate Wardens and Executive Assistants who each have designated areas of responsibility. In each institution, there are various departments based on specific functions and each is supervised by a department head. For example, all medical services positions make up a department supervised by a health services administrator. Other departments include unit management, food services, safety, correctional services, facility operations, employee services, financial management, education, recreation, psychology services, and chaplaincy services.

Inmates are confined at a particular institution based on a designation process designed to best utilize Bureau resources. One goal is to place each inmate in the lowest security setting while still maintaining public safety, and in a facility that is as close as possible to his/her home. The different types of facilities range from minimum to high security institutions designed to house an ever-increasing inmate population. These facilities include Federal Prison Camps, Federal Correctional Institutions, United States Penitentiaries, Federal Correctional Complexes, Metropolitan Correctional and Detention Centers, Federal Medical Centers, Federal Detention and Deportation Centers, and contract community corrections centers.

Bureau Of Prisons Mission Statement

The Federal Bureau of Prisons protects society by confining offenders in the controlled environments of prisons and community-based facilities that are safe, humane, cost-efficient, and appropriately secure, and that provide work and other self-improvement opportunities to assist offenders in becoming law-abiding citizens.

If you would like to learn more, visit the Bureau of Prisons website at www.bop.gov.