At Suffolk County House of Correction, (SCHC) many social service and education programs are functioning extremely well. Inmate attendance in classes is very high. Social service and education programs serve the needs of inmates during their incarceration and when they leave the institution. Courses include Adult Basic Education, English as a Second Language, General Education Diploma, Advanced Diploma, Literacy, Special Education, Vocational Education, and Computers.

CHOCs and DOCs
It is important to understand the difference between county and state inmates. State inmates are called department of correction (DOC) inmates. The state department of corrections houses inmates for extended periods of time. This enables in-depth information and complete profiles to be formed about offenders. The county house of correction, like Suffolk, keeps offenders for shorter periods. Because in-depth profiles are not always available on these shorter-term inmates, security issues are more urgent in the county houses. Protective custody units are important aspects of the county houses of correction.

What Is Protective Custody?
Protective custody is a method that segregates prisoners for various reasons to protect inmates from violence while incarcerated. Some of these reasons include:

• The inmate is a gang member and rival gangs are in general population.
• The inmate is a target for sexual predators.
• The inmate may be known to other inmates as a former policeman or other law enforcer.
• The inmate may be known as a child molester by general population members.
• There may be issues of violence between inmates from outside of the prison that could continue within general population.

Protective custody is different from punitive segregation. Punitive is for punishment; protective segregation is for inmates in need of special protection.

The Protective Custody Unit at Suffolk County provides all the education programs described above, as well as general management, drafting, art, sociology, biology, and physical science. Courses are taken very seriously in the protective custody unit. No course is taught that is superficial and does not meet the individual needs of the students.

All courses are designed to provide excellent learning opportunities for the prison population in this unit, and for the inmate when he leaves.

Classrooms in the protective custody unit consist of a main classroom, a computer room, a drafting room, a general library, and a well-stocked law library. Protective custody inmates receive letters and have access to legal services, recreation, and telephones.

Learning experiences of students in the protective custody unit have been demonstrated in a variety of ways. One student won first prize in an international art contest sponsored by the American Correctional Association, and another won third prize. In addition, student writings have been displayed in the Boston Public Library.

Social Services
Population members in the protective custody unit receive most of the social service programs to the offered general population. An HIV program coordinator provides information about the following HIV issues:

• treatment updates
• transmission modes
• prevention strategies
• counseling and testing information
• STD health care
• community-based program connections

All counselors attend the Department of Public Health's counseling and testing training. There is extensive cooperation within the SCHC between the medical department, the education department, and the social service department while the inmates are in the institution and after discharge. Protective custody inmates are included in these services. Inmates are also eligible for housing and transitional intervention services. These programs are reviewed thirty days after they leave the program.

The social service department at SCHC provides all units, including protective custody inmates, with basic case management. Caseworkers participate in classification of inmates, "good time" reports, and counseling for basic concerns and needs of the inmates. As with any population in adult basic education, inmates benefit greatly from their educational opportunities.

Dorothy Scholwin teaches at the Suffolk County House of Correction. She can be reached at 617-625-1100.