Hotline is a publication of the Minnesota

Department of Corrections. It contains correctional news, upcoming

events, position openings, and other

items of interest to a correctional audience.

For news releases, click here.

MCF-Moose Lake recognized Restorative Justice Week in a variety of ways. The mother of a murder victim talked with offenders about the impact of crime, and the director of Minnesotans for Safe Driving discussed safety on the roads. Offenders also performed a skit, The Parable of a Cave, about a man who attempts to break free of negative patterns. Restorative justice engages victims, offenders and the community in repairing some of the harm caused by crime.

Harley W. Nelson, deputy commissioner of the Department of Corrections' (DOC) community services division, has announced his retirement effective January 6, 2009. Nelson began his corrections career in 1968 as a correctional officer at the Lino Lakes Diagnostic & Reception Center for Juveniles – now the MCF-Lino Lakes. In 1969, he was appointed a DOC corrections agent but was drafted in 1970 and served at Ft. Riley, Kansas, in the correctional training facility. He returned to Minnesota in 1971 as a corrections agent. In 1978, Nelson was appointed director of Tri-County Community Corrections, and in 1981 he assumed the same position in Washington County. He was named assistant corrections director in Ramsey County in 1987 where he served until his 2003 appointment as DOC deputy commissioner.

    Chris Bray has been appointed to succeed Nelson as deputy commissioner of community services. She currently serves as DOC juvenile services director. Bray’s 35 years of corrections experience, of which 21 were in management, include extensive experience in field services operations, court services, research, evidence-based principles and practices, programming, community partnerships, outcome evaluation, and mental health initiatives. Bray is also a licensed psychologist with a Ph.D. in evaluation studies and a B.A. in social welfare from the University of Minnesota as well as a Master’s Degree in counseling psychology from St. Thomas University. Her appointment is effective January 7, 2009.

The Minnesota Department of Corrections and the Minnesota Department of Public Safety have teamed with local law enforcement agencies to create a deck of cold case playing cards. Each week, FOX 9 News at five o'clock and MyFOX9.com will feature one cold case from the cold case playing cards deck. The cards highlight 52 unsolved homicide, missing person, and unidentified remains cases. To see this week's case, click here. To see all of the cases, click here.

The Minnesota Corrections Association (MCA) Fall Institute was held in Duluth October 29-31. This year, MCA celebrated its 75-year anniversary. The three-day training event also recognized individuals and programs for their contributions to Minnesota corrections. Several Department of Corrections' staff won awards: Faribault Warden Connie Roehrich Corrections Person of the Year; Special Investigator Joyce Knowlton Professional Achievement Award; and MINNCOR Industries EMPLOY Program President's Award. For more pictures, click here. For a full list of award recipients, click here.

     The Association has also published a timeline of crime, corrections, and MCA, which is available on MCA's website.

In October, the Institution/Community Work Crew (ICWC) from the Minnesota Correctional Facility-Red Wing completed work on a universal playground in Red Wing. Universal playgrounds are designed to be accessible to all children, including those with disabilities. The project was a community effort with donated materials and labor from the city and residents. It is now the state’s largest outdoor playground.

     ICWC puts carefully selected, minimum-security inmates to work in the community under supervision. To learn more about the program, click here.

In September, a mock-hostage training was held at the Anoka Regional Treatment Center for Department of Corrections’ staff. Participants included the department’s Special Operations Response Teams, Special Operations Groups, Marksmen/Observers Teams, Crisis Negotiator Teams, associate wardens and others. Approximately 140 staff participated in the day-long scenario.

The Minnesota Correctional Facility-Faribault has begun destruction of Redwood building. The demolition is part of a three-phase expansion/renovation plan designed to increase staff safety and address the expanding prison population.

Commissioner Joan Fabian has appointed Tracy Beltz to serve as warden of the Minnesota Correctional Facility-Shakopee, effective October 1, 2008. She succeeds Warden Rick Hillengass, who is retiring. For details, click here.

Warden Patt Adair of the Minnesota Correctional Facility-St. Cloud has received the 2008 Athena Award from the Women's Fund of the Central Minnesota Community Foundation. The award recognizes local women leaders who demonstrate excellence, creativity and initiative in their business or profession, and who inspire others to achieve excellence in their personal and professional lives. Adair began her corrections career in 1977 at the women’s prison in Shakopee. She has served as warden at Willow River/Moose Lake and was appointed warden at St. Cloud in 1995.

A handbook is now available to help counties, courts and correctional/criminal justice agencies evaluate which of the three different community supervision delivery systems may work best for them and how best to implement a change in their system, if they should choose. This comprehensive guide, The Delivery Systems Change Process, originated through a partnership between the Minnesota Department of Corrections and Scott County with participation from Minnesota’s three correctional delivery systems.