A report on the hostage incident at the James Vaughn Correctional Institution near Smyrna that led to the death of correctional officer Steven Floyd found lapses in procedures and communications at the prison.
Other factors included staff fatigue, obsolete or non-existent surveillance and communications equipment and a lack of information on inmate gangs.
Since the late January incident, a new warden has been named at the prison.
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“During interviews with Delaware Department of Correction’s leadership, staff, stakeholders, and inmates, it became clear that there is no unifying sense of purpose or approach to the management of the JTVCC. Line officers were most concerned with only trying to get through the day safely so that they could get home at the end of their shift. Not one officer could provide a consistent response when asked what was expected of them as an employee of the DOC. Supervisors also described inconsistency in how they supervised staff at the JTVCC, as well as inconsistency throughout the organization,” the report stated.
The report continued, “ Inmates expressed frustration with the shifting interpretations of rules and policies, as well as enforcement of those rules and policies by some staff. Nearly everyone with whom the Independent Review Team spoke complained about poor communication regarding policies, operational changes, and day-to-day issues. These patterns of operation and management have led to a sense of chaos where ‘getting through the day’ becomes the norm rather than actually achieving a purpose. In this environment, most everyone—administrators, supervisors, and line staff—end up ‘doing their own thing’ rather than following a clear and unified plan or strategy.
The report also pointed to “the accumulation of small errors, omissions, and oversights such as errors in classification calculations, failures to follow procedures, and/or mistakes made by fatigued and inexperienced staff were among the failures identified. These failures were exacerbated by perceived injustices, grievances, overcrowded and/or poorly maintained facilities, a lack of programing and work opportunities, inappropriate staff-inmate interactions, and the inconsistent application of policies and procedures by corrections staff.”
The report also noted a lack of information on gang members within the prison, lack up updated training opportunities for correctional officers, confusion in setting up command centers to manage the Vaughn incident, and a total absence of cameras in the unit where the incident took place.
Efforts are already under way to update such equipment and the panel recommended that work continues.
Heading the panel were retired judge William L. Chapman, Jr and Charles M. Oberly, III, former United States Attorney for Delaware.
Gov. John Carney, who ordered the commission, issued the following:
“I’d like to thank Judge Chapman and former U.S. Attorney Oberly. The review team has worked hard to examine the conditions that may have contributed to the February 1 incident, and to recommend changes that will help us improve security inside James T. Vaughn Correctional Center, and across Delaware’s correctional system. I am continuing to review the recommendations. But as I have said since February, we will take this report seriously. It will not collect dust on a shelf. We are committed to taking appropriate action that will enhance safety and security for Delaware’s correctional officers and inmates at Vaughn and at all of Delaware’s correctional facilities. We owe that to Lieutenant Floyd and all the victims of the February 1 incident.”
Carney continued, “I am continuing to review the recommendations. But as I have said since February, we will take this report seriously. It will not collect dust on a shelf. We are committed to taking appropriate action that will enhance safety and security for Delaware’s correctional officers and inmates at Vaughn and at all of Delaware’s correctional facilities. We owe that to Lieutenant Floyd and all the victims of the February 1 incident.”
