Current through Register Vol. 51, No. 19, September 20, 2024
A. The Director and the coordinator for each institution shall develop annual volunteer goals based on institutional needs and direction from the Commissioner and warden.
B. Each registered volunteer shall have a written assignment description prepared by the coordinator.
C. The Director and the coordinators shall recruit volunteers from the various cultural and socioeconomic segments of the community.
D. Selection.
(1) A coordinator shall ensure that each volunteer applicant is screened using the following methods:
(a) Personal interview;
(b) Completion of application for volunteer service;
(c) Investigation of credentials, if credentials are germane to volunteer services; and
(d) Criminal history investigation using, at a minimum, the following sources:
(i) Maryland CCH IDENT/INDEX and rap sheet,
(ii) FBI check (transaction codes CCH and CCF),
(iii) OBSCIS II, which is a management information system for the Division of Parole and Probation,
(iv) Motor vehicle records, and
(v) Fingerprinting, followed by submission of prints to the FBI for identification, at the warden's discretion.
(2) A warden or designee may authorize a more limited screening for:
(a) A citizen participant;
(b) An employee volunteer; or
(c) A material or monetary donor.
(3) A coordinator may place a community service worker as a volunteer if the:
(a) Applicant is not under court order for drug treatment; and
(b) Warden approves the placement.
(4) A warden or designee may accept a person with a criminal record as a registered volunteer, whether previously incarcerated or on supervised parole or supervised probation, with the following stipulations:
(a) The person may not be selected for service other than as a citizen participant until 1 year has elapsed after termination of supervision by closure or abatement through any criminal justice agency;
(b) The person may not have been arrested since termination from supervision;
(c) A person who has had a condition of supervision requiring drug abuse treatment shall also provide as a reference the name of that person's most recent parole or probation agent or substance abuse treatment counselor.
(5) An employee volunteer shall sign an agreement to volunteer a specific service instead of completing an application.
(6) Acceptance or Rejection of a Volunteer.
(a) The Director shall ensure that criteria for acceptance or rejection of a volunteer candidate is consistently applied among all institutions.
(b) The application of any volunteer applicant who is rejected, along with the reason for rejection, shall be sent to the Director.
(c) The Director shall forward the information in § D(6)(b) to the Commissioner, along with a recommendation to approve or disapprove the rejection. The Director shall base the recommendation upon:
(i) Information contained in the application;
(ii) Criminal history;
(iii) Reason for rejection;
(iv) The need for service; and
(v) The applicant's status as a volunteer elsewhere in the system.
(d) The Director shall advise the warden of the Commissioner's decision.
(e) A volunteer applicant may appeal the decision, in writing, to the Commissioner within 30 days of receiving notice of rejection.
E. Volunteer Orientation.
(1) A registered volunteer shall receive an orientation which has been approved by the Director and shall sign a document stating that orientation has been received.
(2) The coordinator shall conduct the orientation which shall include, at minimum:
(a) Basic rules and regulations which affect a volunteer; and
(b) A description of institutional programming operations.
(3) The coordinator shall provide a citizen participant with an orientation approved by the Director.
F. A volunteer may provide services only after receiving orientation.
G. Volunteer Training.
(1) The staff supervisor of the volunteer shall provide special skill training as needed.
(2) The Director shall ensure supplemental training opportunities for volunteers.
H. Supervision and Monitoring of a Volunteer.
(1) A volunteer's supervisor shall:
(a) Work with the coordinator to assure adequate supervision of volunteer efforts;
(b) Complete an annual evaluation for each volunteer.
(2) A volunteer shall complete an annual placement experience evaluation.
I. The coordinator shall ensure that a volunteer receives formal and informal recognition for the volunteer's contributions.
J. The warden shall ensure that an inmate receives information about volunteer services during institutional orientation and by institutional bulletins posted throughout the institution.
K. Gifts, contributions, and donations shall be accepted and processed under procedures established by the Department of Budget and Fiscal Planning.
L. The coordinator shall maintain a file for each volunteer, to contain at least the following documents:
(1) Volunteer application;
(2) Volunteer assignment description;
(3) Acknowledgment of orientation;
(4) Evaluations;
(5) Volunteer exit form; and
(6) Program notes.
M. The Commissioner shall review major modifications to existing institutional volunteer programs and program initiatives before implementation.
N. Volunteer Access to the Institution.
(1) A volunteer shall sign a volunteer log provided by the institution upon entering and leaving the institution.
(2) Search Procedures.
(a) A volunteer is subject to established procedure.
(b) A volunteer shall sign an authorization for a frisk search. The shift supervisor may deny a volunteer access to the institution if the volunteer refuses to consent to a clothed body search.
(c) A volunteer shall sign an authorization for a strip search if the warden has reasonable suspicion that an illegal act either has been, may be, or is being committed. The shift supervisor shall deny a volunteer access to the institution if the volunteer refuses to consent to a strip search.
