By MIKE BILLINGTON and PATRICK JACKSON
The News Journal
04/15/2005
State Department of Correction officials said Thursday they have begun implementing security measures recommended by a special task force that reviewed the circumstances leading up to the July 12 abduction and rape of a counselor.
Inmate Scott Miller, a convicted serial rapist, grabbed Delaware Correctional Center counselor Cassandra Arnold after slipping through two security checkpoints with a homemade knife. Miller held Arnold hostage for several hours before raping her. A corrections officer shot him to death when he tried to kill Arnold.
Department of Correction spokeswoman Beth Welch said she could not be specific for security reasons about which recommendations have been implemented.
She did say that there is now closer monitoring of inmates in terms of the number of them allowed to move through the Delaware Correctional Center building where the rape occurred.
In addition, she said, officials closely track which inmates are being moved through that building at any given time.
Changes also have been made in inmate housing procedures and the inmate classification process. Finally, she said, top departmental officials are making frequent unannounced visits to facilities around the state to ensure that proper security procedures are followed.
The task force released its report and recommendations Feb. 14. Welch said Commissioner Stan Taylor and top prison officials reviewed them and assigned each recommendation to one of six categories: security and equipment, policies and procedures, training, classification, management tools and pay.
Taylor said he and his staff decided which recommendations could be put in place using existing staff, finances and resources and which would require additional funding.
Department officials also are meeting with other state agencies on boosting corrections officer pay and buying recommended equipment such as weapons and security cameras. In addition, they are meeting with the Department of Technology and Information about putting in an automated information system to track time-keeping, scheduling, overtime and training.
The majority of recommendations should be implemented by the end of the year, and all of them by April 2006, officials said.
State Rep. John C. Atkins, R-Millsboro, said Thursday he knew some changes had been made.
"I generally think the commissioner is doing a good job responding to the reports," he said.
State Sen. James T. Vaughn, D-Clayton, said he had not been briefed on department activities in the wake of the report.
Atkins and Vaughn, who head the House and Senate prison oversight committees, said they think the department's pay and benefit package must be improved to retain and attract quality personnel.
Vaughn said he would ask Taylor to tell him what measures have been taken to date.
"I can't talk about it because I haven't seen anything yet, but I'm damn sure going to get a look at what they're talking about," he said. "I have read both of the reports and can tell you that there are things they can do - like not leaving sally port doors propped open - that don't cost money and would make things a hell of a lot safer."
Contact Mike Billington at 324-2761 or mbillington@delawareonline.com.
Contact Patrick Jackson at 678-4274 or pjackson@delawareonline.com.
