Colorado Prison Staff Reflect on Segregation Reforms

Over the last several years, the Colorado Department of Corrections has dramatically reduced their use of restrictive housing (sometimes called administrative segregation or solitary confinement) and reformed conditions in their highest security prisons. In this video, corrections professionals from the Colorado State Penitentiary reflect on the reforms and the impact they have had on staff and incarcerated people.
To learn more about about Vera's work to safely reduce segregation, visit www.vera.org.

[@PreppedNReady]

I spent 19 months of my five years in CSP, before reform, it was hell on earth.

[@kendrabrown6345]

I know you put this a year ago but homie I hope you stayed out and you're doing okay

[@BVonBuescher]

Stay up brotha. Hope you’re out still and doin right.

[@stacybishop5501]

It didn't work, staff and inmate assaults increased. They measured success in reducing adseg numbers...they released some violent offenders into General Population, and they wreaked havoc in some cases. I was a Lieutenant there in the early 2000s, I hardly ever had to stay late...maybe a couple of times a year, if even that. I talked to offenders every time I moved them. Most staff, not on camera, hated the reform. They just reclassified hundreds of offenders, but they didn't get the good behavior that normally goes with it...our whole prison system started to see more violent crime because of Raemisch's misguided efforts, one reason he didn't last long!

[@LB-kz6jv]

You worked there in the early 2000’s, criminal justice reforms were much different then the aims today.

[@stacybishop5501]

@@LB-kz6jv I retired in 2017, had many friends still there, assaults were still up from what it was when I was there. I left before they started the prison reform at CSP...it was relatively safe at that time.

[@cv600rr]

These reforms are pushed by people who have no idea what some of these inmates are capable of. They've all done something to earn their spot in an ad-seg housing unit.

[@user-ro7ts2wx1c]

Well its the mass of mentally ill being housed in AD SEg that is the real concern, and no they did not let shot callers and gang leaders out. And any subsequent violence reflects the failures of CSP and shows the immense damage it created. BTW, I did a nice little 91 day bid in Fremont Correctionals Hole... Just a bit over the old and repulsive 60 day isolation limit. I was able to freely walk to the shower on day 61, and then the remaining 30 days continued. 90 days straight and consecutive isolation for minor write ups and no violence whatsoever. Sick state. Sicker system.

[@thejadedkiller]

I am so glad I left working their in 2013

[@mildlydisinterested]

2003 in SCF. Unit 1 was just trying to stick with the hippy style "sit in" approach. State pay dropped from a max of $2.50 a day with no bonuses to $0.63 cents a day for everyone back in 2003. I was in SCF Unit 3, Over in B pod. It was five of us that had something to say. The rest just locked their cell doors with them on the toilet side. You four know who you are.

[@tonysarmiento4629]

I did 2yrs in CSP 96 -98

[@michaelmontoya9372]

I was ad-segged in Colorado 2011-2013 and I saw slow changes, but I was still locked down. The only things I saw change was they closed CSP2 while I was there, and they stopped cuffing us to the shower in 2012.

[@ksocrucial]

I was sent there in 2011 from from Cmrc to csp then soon to Crowley

[@mamatried8350]

I did three years in this place

[@ksocrucial]

I remember this Latino staff officer there was a fight an he came running with the rubber Gun he was shooting them thru the door an they were still fighting, 2 black guys I remember just like it was yesterday