WA DOC keeps several types of unilateral digital behavioral logs documenting staff observations of prisoners and prisoners’ visitors, most of whom are unaware that these records are made. The majority of records are entered by correctional officers, the majority of whom receive little to no training in the penological and broader societal objectives served or undermined by various types of records. Outside of a handful of known cases and informal anecdotes, it is unclear how such records may be affecting prisoners’ and their visitors’ access to pro-social activities, visitation, jobs, and programming. Prisoners and their visitors have the right to public disclose the records WA DOC keeps on them from the WA DOC Public Records Unit at docpublicdisclosureunit@doc1.wa.gov. Prisoners may also request partial logs of their Behavorial Observation Entries from their counselors. Complete (but redacted) Behavioral Observation Entries can be requested from the WA DOC Public Records Units. See here for help wording a public records request.
Behavior Observation Entries (BOEs) – DOC 300.010 governs the behavioral observations made on both prisoners and those in community corrections.
CePrisons – WA DOC visiting staff keep a digital log of anything they wish to note about prisoners’ visitors in each visitor’s CePrisons file. Currently, WA DOC policies provide no formal process for visitors to challenge the veracity of information recorded in their CePrisons files. Informal processes for doing so may be possible within WA DOC. A superintendent could be contacted, as could WA DOC headquarters staff.
Washington Corrections Watch 