Auditor Finds Security and Safety Failings at Michigan’s Macomb Correctional Facility

by David M. Reutter

A performance audit by the Michigan office of the Auditor General found that officials at the Macomb Correctional Facility (MCF) were only “moderately effective” in complying with security and safety procedures. The auditor’s findings concerned control of weapons and tools, cell searches, counts, and radio checks.

Opened in 1993, MCF has a capacity of 1,416 male prisoners. As of April 30, 2013, it held 1.371 prisoners. The prison employs 298 full-time employees and operates on an annual budget of $32.5 million.

The first finding of the Audit cited a failure to “maintain proper control over weapons stored in [MCF’s] arsenal.” That failure included “one rifle not being identified on the master weapons inventory,” which could compromise safety by its loss or misplacement not being detected and recovered in a timely manner.

It was also found that 8 of the 14 other rifles in the arsenal “did not agree with serial numbers recorded on the master weapons inventory.” Also, MCF “did not independently verify the master weapons inventory record on an annual basis.”

Next, the Auditor found MCF failed to perform 198 of the required 360 cell searches from Dec. 6, 2012 through Dec. 10, 2012 and Jan. 14, 2013, through Jan. 18, 2013. Guards are required to perform, by policy, at least three randomly selected searches per shift and document them in a log.

The third finding concerned tool control. MCF accounted for 5,350 tools in 26 tool storage areas. The Auditor found tools were not properly etched in 4 areas, there were two areas that did not inventory all tools, and the building trade area failed to designate critical or dangerous tools were in that area when such tools were in fact present there.

Prisoner counts were cited in the fourth finding. While MCF said it conducts an informal count at the beginning of each shift, the Auditor found there was no documentation for 13 of the 36 required counts for one housing unit and two separate weekly audit periods.

Finally, the Auditor found MCF failed to conduct and document its required radio checks. Such checks must occur hourly during daylight hours and every half hour during darkness. MCF, the Auditor found, failed to conduct 240 of the 300 required radio checks of three weekly audit periods.

MCF agreed with the Auditor’s funding and said it has acted to comply with the Auditor’s recommendations. The Auditor also found several positive practices at MCF.

It found MCF allows volunteers to assist prisoners in operating a program to produce large numbers of quilts, teddy bears, and knitted clothing for donation to numerous social service and nonprofit agencies for children in need. The horticulture program produced over 12,000 pounds of vegetables it donated to a food pantry and MCF’s Culinary Arts Program and MCF’s Food Service Program.

There was also a 47% reduction in the number of critical incidents at MCF from calendar year 2011 to calendar year 2012. Incidents were further lowered for the first three months of 2013.

The Performance Audit of the Macomb Correctional Facility is available on PLN’s website.

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