Credible Investigations of Sentinel Events: Improving Staff and Inmate Safety -- Gaining Public Trust

Monday, May 22, 2023

2:00 PM – 3:30 PM

Location: 207

Presenter(s)

Susan W. McCampbell, CJM

President
Center for Innovative Public Policies, Inc.
Naples, Florida

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Additional Presenter(s)

Fred W. Meyer, MA, CJM, CCHP

Managing Director
National Commission on Correctional Health Care

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Julie Abbate

National Advocacy Director
Just Detention International

This workshop will examine how jails can better increase safety, accountability, and transparency through improved approaches to investigations of sentinel events (deaths, serious incidents). While an organization may conduct a morbidity and mortality review to examine the cause of an inmate’s death or injury, is this review deep enough to prevent future harm from a custody perspective? Are the real deficiencies identified, the core issues, and are solutions measurable? What is the follow-up to assure solutions are in place, or identify if there are tweaks needed? How can a jail communicate with the citizens they serve to transmit findings and solutions, to gain support?

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify nationally the mandates for independent reviews of in-custody sentinel events, and the interest by citizens for transparency and accountability.
2. Discuss the internal, external and political barriers to improving the review of sentinel events.
3. Outline the internal processes in a jail-setting to improve responses – policies, procedures, training, mock exercises, self-critical analysis, and application of lessons-learned – including medical, mental health, custody, programs
4. Review how to integrate stakeholders and increase transparency related to sentinel events.
5. Summarize next steps, including overcoming potential internal barriers to outreach and transparency.