Walla Walla County Corrections Department
Please apply via email with your resume and cover letter
Email application material to: jshartle@co.walla-walla.wa.us
Applications reviewed on a rolling basis until Sept. 9th
Community Fellows—students in their Junior or Senior Year—must be ELIGIBLE to work in the U.S. and ABLE to work the ENTIRE 2018-19 ACADEMIC YEAR, September-May (except for College breaks).
This position is part of 2018-19 Whitman College Community Fellow Program. Students will receive an Educational Award from Whitman College. More information about the program here!
You can also find this position on Handshake here!
Name of Organization: Walla Walla County Corrections Department (WWCCD)
Title of Fellow: Research and Policy Fellow
Proposed Hours of Work per Week/Days of Week: 6-8 hours/week; total of 160 hours at organization plus 20 hours in weekly meetings at Whitman College for academic year.
Supervisor’s Name and Contact Info John T. Shartle, Jail Warden jshartle@co.walla-walla.wa.us (509) 524-5434
Mission of organization: The Walla Walla County Corrections Department serves the Citizenry by ensuring that persons committed to custody are housed in a safe, humane, cost-efficient, and appropriately secure facility, which is prepared to address their programming needs, their access to court services, and their access to family and other support services.
Project Description: The Walla Walla County Corrections Department is seeking to attain accreditation of compliance with the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) of 2003. PREA is the first United States federal law intended to deter the sexual assault of prisoners. The bill was signed into law on September 4, 2003.
The project would entail the Fellow becoming familiar with the provisions and requirements of PREA, particularly as they pertain to a County Jail. The Fellow would conduct an assessment of jail supervision practices and PREA compliance, in light of current policy and practices, infrastructure constraints, and Washington State and Federal laws. This project has a particular complexity in that the jail was activated in 1982 and the design does not lend itself to direct supervision of wards. Rather, staff rely on an extensive camera network and regular rounds through the facility to provide supervision and oversight
Skills Required:
- Ability to conduct research related to best practices in Corrections, as well as the Prison Rape Elimination Act, specifically
- Ability to work effectively in an environment which is often frenetic.
- Ability to work well with others.
- Ability to demonstrate compassion for the citizens who become wards of the Criminal Justice System.
- Willingness to ask questions and inquire about procedures and practices.
- The successful applicant must be fully aware that working in a jail environment may expose them to situations involving persons with addictions, continuing criminality and mental illness.
Skills Gained:
- Better understanding of the many challenges of persons involved in the Criminal Justice System.
- A working knowledge of the Prison Rape Elimination Act, a landmark piece of legislation designed to protect a vulnerable population from the worst forms of victimization.
- A greater understanding of the relationship between various entities of the Criminal Justice System, e.g. law enforcement, defense counsel, prosecutors, and corrections.
- Understanding of the role of a County Corrections Department (as part of the criminal justice system) within a small community, such as Walla Walla.
- The ability to conduct research.
Responsibilities:
- Fellow will be expected to work within a schedule, developed mutually with WWCCD.
- Fellow will be expected to meet regularly, preferably weekly, to update the Jail Warden with regarding progress.
- Fellow will be expected to be flexible while working within the facility, due to the sometimes unpredictable nature of corrections work.
- Fellow will be expected to abide by all facility rules, as discussed with the Jail Warden.
- Fellow will be expected to demonstrate respect for corrections environment, and the wards being held in custody. There can be no discussion of any facility business or personal information regarding wards on any form of social media.
Expectations:
- Students must be eligible to work in the U.S. (e.g. U.S. citizen or green card holder), must be available for the entire 2018-19 academic year, must be available on 9/21 from 4-5 p.m. and must be able to attend 20 meetings (20 hours/bi-weekly meetings) focused on professional development hosted by Whitman College (facilitated by Victoria Wolff, Assistant Director for Internship Programs, SEC).
- The Fellow will be prompt and keep the Jail Warden informed if conflicts or issues arise during the course of the project.
- The Fellow will remain mindful of the potentially volatile nature of work in a corrections environment.
- The Fellow will dress in modest attire. No controversial or political slogans on clothing; No shorts are permitted
- The Fellow will keep the Jail Warden apprised of any needs they have to get their project done as proscribed.
- At the end of the project, the Fellow will present WWCCD with a viable proposal for PREA accreditation, keeping in mind existing facility design, budgets, and other real world considerations.