State prisons follow businesses by going 'lean'

str8luvlea said on November 28, 2011 at 10:52 PM

First, my husband is in prison and is sentenced to 87 months. We have 6 kids between us. I have two from a previous marriage, we have one 5 month old together, he has one from a previous relationship as well as two step kids from that relationship. His ex and I are friends and work together to raise our kids. We are a normal family outside of him being in prison. My husband and I pay a fee for his doctors appointments, the state takes 75% of what I put on his books, we pay a fee for him to have his TV (no not a regular monthly cable bill though). Our babies and I visit weekly, there are vending machines with airport type prices in the visit room, but usually we also share his lunch and dinner from the prison. The food is basic, but has very little nutritional value and is not a healthy meal. I want to say so much more but I only have 1000 characters. Feel free to respond with questions or your points of view.

jazzup said on November 2, 2011 at 12:49 PM

They are already lean...they got slave labor which is a big boom also releasing the sex offenders into the community is just a huge saving.....now if they would just let the first time offenders out who have not commited any violent crimes that would be a real help...I want a Gvenor who is going to be tough on crime!

1beachperson said on November 2, 2011 at 11:12 AM

Let's do away with Cable service, TV's in their cells, no on-line access to prisoner's, no college education, 3 healthy meals a day, but don't give them anything more than our working poor can get - health services, food, etc. If they want more, let their families pay for it, or let them work for it.

chuckstr76 said on November 2, 2011 at 10:06 AM

As in Asia, let the family and friends of the inmates provide food and clothing for them. Then take away the TV's, Nintendo games, and make them work for a change.

bazwest said on November 2, 2011 at 8:06 AM

baby steps I guess, right? They need to hire some experts from the private sector to come in and analyse every aspect of the state prison system.

unhappy said on November 2, 2011 at 7:08 AM

Sen Hargrove (Hoquiam) and Sen. Carrol (Lakewood) want to close prisons and end Parole and Probation, letting violent and sexual offenders go free with no one tracking them because of costs.......Have they taken a pay cut like the rest of the state employees?????????????????????????????

unhappy said on November 2, 2011 at 6:22 AM

Maybe you shuld just let them all go free and get rid of parole and probation too.....thats what the Gov. and Leg. have proposed for this session..... Dont worry that billions are wasted with no accountability by DSHS and those EBT cards........ Let all the convicts go free to rob, rape and destroy........

realitychk said on November 2, 2011 at 1:48 AM

One step at a time. meals first. OK. Now paperwork reduction. Level out manager pay relative to worker pay. Processes...what can be improved? If the workers are involved it can work. How best to manage this audience? Must have processes to manage people because people are at the heart of this "business". One core problem is how to get rid of the lawyers. But that is societal problem to provide lawyers for every possible reason. A key issue is to reduce non-value added expenditures: paying for education that extends beyond job related such as tech school. Ask prisoners to provide suggestions for what is best but cut cable TV, delivered pizza, law school, other non-value-added items. Let the inmates figure out how to grow their own food, find reductions in their costs to add back in extras such as cable/movies/other perks they get in prison. I'd bet they can prioritize via voting and involvement what is important and ads value to a non-producing situation. Good for all including budget.

iowaboy said on November 1, 2011 at 11:16 PM

Amazing that they didn't think of it sooner.

intrepid1 said on November 1, 2011 at 10:34 PM

Prior to lean, there were process and quality improvement initiatives in place... going lean is trendy, so that's what they're doing. Other State agencies and universities have been moving this direction as well... unfortunately, implementation is a "one size fits all" approach with prior efforts and techniques (some of which worked well) getting tossed for the new lean approach... uncritically, too. Contrary to some of the comments here, State employees work hard to try to make operations more efficient... but management is hierarchical and top-down control is the norm which is totally contrary to the vast majority any process and quality improvement process.

slappywag said on November 1, 2011 at 9:52 PM

The only way this state could EVER gain some respect is to follow the same plan that Maricopa County, Arizona's Sheriff Joe Arpaio put in place. Put them in tents. In the desert. Inmates deserve nothing more. Ever.

oopsicrpdmypants said on November 1, 2011 at 8:36 PM

The state can go a step further by installing pig troughs...

1observer said on November 1, 2011 at 7:29 PM

just more hoo-haw from above; when I see all the employees taking "short" checks, and actually putting in 5-6 hours of work, I will believe it then. the political grind just keeps on keeping on.....

msbetty said on November 1, 2011 at 7:10 PM

This is nothing but well-timed spin from the good ole' boys at DOC. Lean? They know nothing of the concept. Just ask any corrections officer how much paperwork and red tape they have to go through JUST to get something fixed. Lean, in its purest form, means looking for waste and getting rid of it -- complexity, wait time, excess inventory -- all are considered waste in a lean environment. Lean means that managers don't sit in their offices -- they go to the Gemba, which means going to where the work is actually done. DOC brass occasionally visit facilities -- they blow through in their suits, but do they spend any significant time with line staff? Lean is NOT top-down management. Lean also means using minds over money -- but DOC just hired new superintendents in Monroe, and now we hear DOC management in Olympia are up for pay increases (do keep in mind that the rank and file just took a 3% pay CUT and have not seen any kind of COLA since about 2005). Lean? BS.

graysharborguy said on November 1, 2011 at 6:48 PM

Oatmeal for break fast, One boloney sanwich for lunch, one package of top rammen for dinner. that should save billions!

freedomfrank said on November 1, 2011 at 5:57 PM

This is all we have been asking for,, the government to quit viewing our money as a never ending pot they can stick their fat fingers into whenever they desire something.

Jake-518 said on November 1, 2011 at 5:42 PM

I'm surprised that that state hasn't been doing this before. Well, at least they're finally catching on to this concept.

andyblue555 said on November 1, 2011 at 5:39 PM

That's it? Is there anything more to the story I am missing?