Q&A
Delays in completing investigations within 90 days
1:18:51
·
4 min
DOC officials explain reasons for delays in completing sexual abuse investigations within the 90-day timeframe.
- The share of investigations taking over 90 days increased from 23% in 2022 to 45% in 2023
- Reasons for delays include:
- Staff leaving the department after COVID-19
- Loss of management
- Changes in the definition of PREA-reportable cases
- Implementation of fuller preliminary investigations
- DOC has implemented cross-training and redundancy measures to address staffing challenges
- There are currently 19 investigators, with job postings up for additional positions
Sandy Nurse
1:18:51
Okay.
1:18:51
I just wanna, like, note that, you know, we have young people here who are looking at how our government has run.
1:19:02
I mean, this is some basic foundational shit right now.
1:19:13
Pursuant to standards set by the board of correction, investigations of sexual abuse must be completed within 90 days of receiving a complaint.
1:19:22
In 2020 2021, all investigations were completed within that time frame.
1:19:27
However, a recent analysis by Gauthamis found that the share of investigations taking over 90 days to complete increased significantly from 23% in 2022 to 45% in 2023.
1:19:42
Can you tell us a little bit about what the delays are in achieving the 90 day mark?
1:19:48
Okay.
Ingris Martinez
1:19:52
So first, I wanna reiterate that we take every single allegation.
Sandy Nurse
1:19:56
Understood.
1:19:58
I understand that.
1:19:59
But you don't have certain data here, but I understand that.
1:20:02
Yeah.
1:20:02
So I don't need to hear that again, please.
Ingris Martinez
1:20:05
So for the pre reportable cases that are out in the public reports, the 45% increase in our delay were due to staff staff leaving our department after COVID, we also lost management, the the number of cases, the definition of what was pre reportable, not pre reportable.
1:20:37
Basically was overreporting.
1:20:40
So the overreporting of the cases led to the department reviewing the depart the policy.
1:20:48
So anything incidental to the scope of the officer's duty was now not pre reportable.
1:20:55
So that's one of the reasons for the decline in the reporting in the of pre reportables.
1:21:02
Of course.
1:21:03
We've also changed our processes We've ensured that our investigators conduct fuller preliminary investigations due to the high turnover rate of our staff.
1:21:12
It was kinda like we're passing down minimal information back and forth to the next investigator while they're still catching new cases.
1:21:21
While because we now do further investigations on the preliminary level, we make better determinations of what is reportable to the department.
1:21:32
Ensure that every single question is asked rather than resending investigators out, overusing what minimal resources and staff we have.
1:21:44
Now with the preliminary investigations being fuller, being able to make a better determination, our numbers reported out for incidents are lower.
1:21:55
So staffing staffing issues, and you How many
Lynelle Maginley-Liddie
1:21:59
Cheers.
1:22:00
Can I just just add to that?
1:22:02
1 of the one of the issues use at DOC is we would have if a staff member is out for an extended period of time, we have to make we have to make some concessions and and and put things in place to ensure that those cases are been looked at.
1:22:16
So one of the things that we did during this process is identifying if someone's out, their cases don't just languish or they don't just stay there.
1:22:24
So we've implemented a process where we have cross training, and we have redundancy where people are, you know, I will cover for you if you're out on extended leave.
1:22:33
So that's especially considering all of our staffing challenges.
1:22:37
We made sure that people were cross trained and able to do both tasks at the same time.
Sandy Nurse
1:22:42
Right.
1:22:42
And you have about think you said 19 investigators.
Lynelle Maginley-Liddie
1:22:45
19 investigators, and we're looking to onboard additional ones.
1:22:49
Job postings are up.
1:22:50
We're interviewing, trying to onboard new people.
