Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation - Operations Manual

Chapter 6 – Adult Classification

Article 5 – Classification Process

Statute authorizes the Director to maintain a continual diagnostic and prescription process involving a systematic study of each inmate’s case considerations while confined to the Department.
The goals of the inmate classification system are:
- Placement of inmates in the lowest custody level consistent with case factors and public safety.
- Place inmates according to their classification score based on objective information and criteria unless case factors or departmental requirements indicate otherwise.
- Application of the classification process uniformly for all inmates in similar situations.
- Provision for centralized control over the classification process.
- Maintenance of an ongoing classification system information data base for departmental research and evaluation.
All decisions affecting an inmate’s institutional placement, participation in programs and degree of custody shall be through the classification process.