COAD: Agreement placed on institution is a huge factor in the lack of control

Delaware's Department of Corrections confirms a correctional officer was assaulted February 7, 2017 at James T. Vaughn Correctional Center,  the same prison where a deadly riot broke out. 

A DOC spokesperson tells 47 ABC an officer was struck in the face by an unruly inmate.

It appears that inmate threatened to kill officers and the correctional officer was hit while officers were trying to secure him.

The Correctional Officers Association of Delaware says that an agreement placed on the institution is a huge factor in the lack of control within the facilities.

This agreement, led by Community Legal Aid Society, Inc., places mental health advocates between the inmates and the officers.

We're told this is a problem because inmates do not obey the officers, but rather the mental health advocates.

This agreement stems from a complaint by Community Legal Aid, which accused the prison of failing to address serious mental health needs of inmates.

Community Legal Aid sued the then-commissioner of the Delaware Department of Corrections and the agreement is in effect until June 1, 2021.