Written by The Department of Corrections (DOC) wanted to streamline the parole release process and documentation packages. They had to coordinate between correctional facilities, treatment, custody, case workers, and office staff to improve consistency in the release process across facilities. Depending on which facility they were in and who the warden was, their ability to get released could change, even under similar circumstances.
It was their first kaizen event at DOC, and the week-long commitment was a challenge, but the team was excited to improve on some of the challenges.
The kaizen event team mapped out the process, making the complicated process visual and easier to see the waste and opportunities. They brainstormed all the duplication and redundancy. One of the improvements was creating dedicated decision makers for each process step.
The number of reviews have increased, along with the timeliness of the reviews. There has been an increase in the number of parolees approved to re-enter the community (with non-violent offenses), instead of getting hung up in the process, taking more space in the facility.
You can watch the video called “DOC Community Release Process” at https://www.gembaacademy.com/guests/state-of-connecticut