INSTITUTIONAL CORRECTION ( PRE-FINAL)
Lesson 9: Procedure in Classification, Admission and Confinement of
Inmates
SAFETY
- is a concept that includes all measures and practices taken to
preserve the life, health, and bodily integrity of individuals.
CUSTODY
- The definition of custody is the care of a person or thing,
generally under court orders.
CLASSIFICATION
- refers to assigning or to grouping of inmates according to their
respective penalty, gender, age, nationality, health, criminal
records, etc
Carpeta/inmate record/jacket
- There is what is called carpeta which is different from prison
record.
- A carpeta, or inmate record or jacket, refers to the institutional
record of an inmate which consists of his mittimus or
commitment order, the prosecutor’s information and the decision
of the trial court.
Prison Record
- On the other hand, refers to information concerning an inmate’s
personal circumstances, the offense he committed, the
sentence imposed, the criminal case numbers in the trial and
appellate courts, the date he commenced service of his
sentence , the date he was received for confinement , the place
of confinement, the date of expiration of his sentence, the
number of previous convictions, if any, and his behavior or
conduct while in prison.
ADMISSION OF INMATES
- An inmate shall be admitted in the Reception and Diagnostic
Center of a prison upon presentation of the following documents:
○ Mittimus/Commitment Order of the court;
○ Information and Court decision in the case;
○ Certificate of Detention , if any and
○ Certification that the case is not on appeal.
ADMISSION PROCESS
● After registration, the inmate shall be photographed,
fingerprinted and assigned a permanent prison number.
● inmate shall be searched thoroughly
● Confiscation of contraband
● Issuance of uniforms
RECEPTION AND DIAGNOSTIC CENTER
- There shall be a Reception and Diagnostic Center in every prison
which shall receive and classify inmates and detainees
committed to the Bureau.
- Quarantine
- Upon admission in the Reception and Diagnostic
Center, an inmate shall be placed in quarantine for at
least five (5) days.
- During quarantine he/she shall be:
- examined physically;
- oriented with prison rules; and
- interviewed by a counselor, social worker
or other program staff officers. The
interview shall be conducted in private.
- After the quarantine period, the inmate shall remain in the
Reception and Diagnostic Center for a period not exceeding
fifty-five (55) days.
- Where he/she shall undergo psychiatric,
psychological, sociological, vocational, educational
and religious and other examinations.
- The results of said examinations shall be the basis
for the inmate’s individualized treatment program.
- Thereafter, he shall be assigned to a prison facility as may be
recommended by the Chief of the Reception and Diagnostic
Center.
CLASSIFICATION BOARD
- Chairman-Superintendent
- Vice-chairman-Chief, Reception and Diagnostic Center
- Members- Medical Officer; Chief, Education Section; Chief,
Agro-Industries Section
- Secretary-Chief Overseer
CLASSIFICATION OF INMATE
Maximum Security
- highly dangerous or high security risk inmates
- those sentenced to death
- those whose minimum sentence is twenty (20) years
imprisonment
Medium Security
- Those who cannot be trusted in less-secured areas and those
whose conduct or behavior require minimum supervision.
- those whose minimum sentence is less than twenty (20) years
imprisonment
Minimum Security
- Those who can be reasonably trusted to serve their sentence
under less restricted conditions.
- Have only six months more to serve before the expiration of their
maximum sentence.
Color of uniform
- Maximum security = tangerine
- Medium security = blue
- Minimum security = brown
- Detainee = gray
RIGHTS OF AN INMATE
● to receive compensation for labor he performs;
● to be credited with time allowances for good conduct and
loyalty;
● to send and receive mail matter;
● to practice his religion or observe his faith;
● to receive authorized visitors;
● to ventilate his grievances through proper channels; and
● to receive death benefits and pecuniary aid for injuries.
PRIVILEGES OF AN INMATE
● Attend or participate in any entertainment or athletic activity
within the prison reservation;
● Read books in the library;
● Smoke cigar and cigarettes, except in prohibited places;
● Participate in civic, religious and other activities authorized by
prison authorities; and
● Receive gifts and prepared food from visitors subject to
inspection.
PRISON LABOR
- A finally convicted able-bodied inmate may be required to work
at least eight (8) hours a day, except on Sundays and legal
holidays, in and about the prison.
GOOD CONDUCT TIME ALLOWANCE
- Article 97 of RPC amended by Section 3 of RA 10592 (Allowance
for Good Conduct)
- Director may grant a GCTA to an inmate who displays good
behavior and who has no record of breach of discipline or
violation of prison rules and regulations.
- 2 years =20 days every month
- 3 - 5 years = 23 days every month
- 6 to 10 years = 25 days every month
- 11 and successive years = 30 days every month
- *As any time during the period of imprisonment he
shall be allowed another deduction of 15 days for
each month of study, teaching or mentoring service
time rendered.
INMATE COMMUNICATION
- An inmate shall have the right to communicate or correspond
with persons and organizations and to send and receive letters,
packages, books, periodicals and other materials that can be
lawfully sent by mail.
Mail Censorship
- All letters sent or received by an inmate, as well as magazines,
books, periodicals, and all reading matters, shall be subject to
censorship to prevent the entry of contraband and the entry or
exit of information that may adversely affect the security of the
prison.
Collection and Delivery of Mail
- The mail officer shall collect and deliver mail matters on a daily
basis, Monday through Friday.
- An inmate shall be advised to claim his letter if he fails to get it
within twenty-four (24) hours after it is received in prison.
INSTITUTIONAL CORRECTION ( PRE-FINAL)
Use of Telephone
- All offenders who demonstrate good behavior shall earn one
telephone call to an authorized individual every ninety (90) days.
- The telephone call shall be monitored and shall have a duration
not exceeding five (5) minutes.
Visiting Rights
- An inmate shall have the right to be visited by his family and
reputable friends.
- They may be visited from Sundays to Thursdays from 9:00 am to
3:00 pm. There shall be no visits on Fridays and Saturdays.
- Visitors shall not be allowed to stay overnight in prison.
Conjugal Visit
- An inmate may enjoy conjugal visits from his spouse in prisons
where there are facilities therefore under such conditions as
may be prescribed by the Director.
Pregnant CIW
- An infant born while the mother is serving sentence in the CIW
may be allowed to stay with the mother for a period not
exceeding one (1) year.
MARRIAGE OF INMATES AND DETAINEES
Marriage of Inmates and Detainees
- An inmate or detainee who wants to get married shall submit a
written request therefore with the Superintendent.
- It will not be approved, when the proposed marriage presents a
threat to the security or good order of the prison.
Eligibility to Marry
- inmate or detainee is eligible to marry if he/she is mentally
competent; and
- the intended spouse has verified, in writing, an intention to
marry the inmate or detainee.
MARRIAGE EXPENSES
- All expenses of the marriage, e.g., marriage license, shall be paid
by:
○ the inmate or detainee,
○ the intended spouse,
○ the family of the inmate or detainee,
○ or other appropriate source approved by the
Superintendent.
- The marriage ceremony of an inmate or detainee shall be
solemnized in prison.
- The marriage ceremony shall be also performed by a chaplain of
the Bureau, if it is requested.
- The Superintendent shall require that a marriage ceremony at
the prison be a private ceremony conducted without media
publicity.
DISCIPLINE AND PUNISHMENT OF INMATES
- Every breach of discipline shall be reported to proper prison
authorities.
- The erring inmate shall be given due process before he is
punished.
Violation
- Participating in sexual acts
- Openly or publicly displaying photographs, pictures, drawings of
persons engaged in sexual acts, actual, masturbation, exhibitions of
the genitals;
- Giving gifts, selling or engaging in barter with prison personnel;
- Maligning any religious belief or group;
- Rendering personal services to or requiring personal services from
fellow inmate;
- Gambling;
- Exchanging his uniform with another inmate or wearing a uniform
other than those officially issued to him;
- Using profane, vulgar or obscene language or making loud or unusual
noise of any kind;
- Loitering in the prison compound;
- Giving a gift to fellow inmates or to the prison administration in
general;
- Controlling the activities of other inmates except in organizations or
groups recognized by prison authorities;
- Tattooing himself or allowing himself to be tattooed on any part of his
body.
- Engaging in any private work for the benefit of a prison officer or
employee;
- Threatening, orally or in writing, the life of any employee or prison
official;
- Disobeying legal orders of prison authorities promptly and
courteously;
- Possessing any communication device like cellular telephone,
pager or radio transceiver;
- Constructing, renovating or repairing, with personal funds, a
prison building or structure;
- Making frivolous complaints
Imposable punishment
- Caution or reprimand;
- Cancellation of recreation, education, entertainment and visiting
privileges;
- Deprivation of GCTA for a specific period;
- Change of security status to the next higher category e.g., from
medium to maximum.
Confinement in Disciplinary Cell
- If the above corrective measures prove to be ineffective, an
inmate may be punished by confinement in a disciplinary cell
from one (1) to two (2) months depending upon the gravity of
the offense committed.
Release from Disciplinary Cell
- The prison medical officer shall visit periodically the inmate in
the disciplinary cell and shall advice the Superintendent if the
punishment should be terminated on grounds of physical or
mental health.
Protection of inmate from institutional abuse
- An inmate shall be treated with respect and fairness by prison
employees.
- He shall be protected against the following:
- Any cruel, unusual or degrading act as a form of
disciplinary punishment;
- Corporal punishment;
- The use of physical force by correctional officers;
- Deprivation of clothing, bed and bedding, light,
ventilation, exercise, food or hygienic facilities; and
- Forced labor.
REHABILITATION AND TREATMENT OF INMATES
- It is undertaken to help an inmate to be:
○ responsible,
○ law abiding and
○ to have productive life upon release.
- Rehabilitation and treatment programs shall focus on providing
services that will encourage and enhance the inmate’s
○ self-respect,
○ self-confidence,
○ personal dignity and
○ sense of responsibility.
- Educational programs – Elementary, High-School and College
Education
- Vocational Training
- Religious Guidance- values formation
- Recreational Program-physical and sports development
Educational Program
- designed to improve the inmate’s communication and writing
skills, such as ability to read and write.
HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION
- designed for a regular high school diploma in coordination with
DepEd.
- NB: A student shall be considered completed from the program
when all credits required for a regular high school shall have
been earned and accredited.
Skills Development
- This is one or more programs of occupational education designed
to enhance chances for employment upon release.
Apprenticeship
- is a system of training a new generation with on-the-job and
often accompanying study. Apprenticeship also enables
practitioners to gain a license to practice in
a regulated profession. Most of their training is done while
working for an employer who helps the apprentices learn their
trade or profession, in exchange for their continued labor for an
agreed period after they have achieved measurable
competencies.
INSTITUTIONAL CORRECTION ( PRE-FINAL)
- is a program conducted under the direction of a supervisor who
is responsible for instructing the apprentice in all aspects of a
given occupation.
Vocational Training
- is a program to prepare an inmate for an occupation by acquiring
specific skill such as automotive mechanics, tailoring,
handicrafts and electronics
Religious Program
- Inmates have a greatest amount of freedom and opportunity to
pursue their religious belief and practices.
- It is under the direct supervision of the Superintendent or
Chaplain who must conform to general guidelines on the matter
prescribed by the Bureau.
- Rules, regulations and policies with regard to the safety of
inmates and orderly conduct of affairs of inmates shall apply to
all places of worship and religious activities and meeting in jails.
- Attendance in worship, religious activities and meetings shall be
voluntary.
- Places of worship, religious activities and meetings shall be
scheduled.
- Guidance and Counseling
- Crisis Intervention Services
- Values Formation
- Worship/Prayer
- Ritual or Ministerial Services
- Pre-release religious Services

Recreation and Sports Program

- Library Services
- Indoor Sports such as chess, table tennis, and pool
- Outdoor Sports such as basketball, volleyball, softball
- Group Entertainment in form of movies, television, videos, stage
shows, amateur, talent contest and parlor games
- One hour daily physical exercise
- *NB: all the facilities needed by the inmates during their
recreational and sports program shall be provided by the prison
management.
Work Programs
- Inmates shall have to work while serving their sentences with
corresponding compensation for their labor.
- Labor should have socio-economic redeeming value
- Precautions should be observed to protect the safety and health
of the inmates
- Daily and weekly working hours of inmates must be fixed, leaving
one rest day for recreation activities.
- Work shall be at least 8 hours a day, except Sundays and legal
holidays.
Compensation of the Inmates
- Inmates working on projects shall be paid with compensation.
- The whole or part of the compensation earned by the inmate may
be applied to payment of supplies and equipment used/ or may
be forfeited when resulting to misconduct or neglect.
- Inmates who have savings from their compensation can remit
certain amount to their relatives through assistance of prison
management.