Prison Inmate Slang

Prison Glossary of Terms That Start With "A"

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Abel Assessment for Sexual Interest (Abel Screen): An assessment instrument that gives an objective measurement of deviant sexual interests.

Able-bodied offender: An individual in the custody of the DOC who is cleared medically and is physically able to participate in a work program unless otherwise specified by medical.

Absconder: A parolee who has changed his/her place of residence without prior notification and approval of his/her community parole officer, has failed to report as directed, and whose whereabouts are unknown.

Absent Without Leave (AWOL): A temporary movement status to which an offender may be assigned prior to discovery of the offender's presence or custody status.

Academic Education: Adult Basic Education (ABE Level 1, ABE Level 2), Pre-General Educational Development (Pre-GED), General Educational Development (GED), and English as a Second Language (ESL) classes provided to upgrade an offender's basic skills.

Academic|Career and Technical Education Curriculum Committee(s): A committee of teachers from an area of instruction formed by the associate director of Educational Services to meet at least once every three years to review, choose, and implement curriculum for DOC-wide use.

Academy Student Training Plan: The academy's student training plan is reviewed and approved by an advisory training committee composed of the academy's director and representatives from the agency's central office and operational units.

Academy Trainers:Specially qualified and credentialed DOC employees assigned full-time to the Training Academy who are primarily responsible for basic, advanced, and specialized training program areas delivered or sponsored by the Training Academy and other DOC training-related activities. The qualified individuals coordinating the staff development and student training programs have specialized training for those positions. Full-time training personnel possess at least a GED or high school diploma and have completed a 40-hours training-for-trainers course and must, at a minimum, have a combination of college education, training, or experience that total at least five years.

Accommodation: A reasonable arrangement of job duties or work area design to allow for a disability or adjustments which enable qualified applicants with disabilities to access the job application, testing process, and employment opportunities without creating undue hardship for the DOC or compromising the essential functions of the position.

Accreditation Audit: An examination of agency|facility records and operations to check their compliance with American Correctional Association standards. This audit is conducted by persons|committees assigned by the American Correctional Association. This audit results in a recommendation to the Commission on Accreditation for Corrections for the approval|disapproval of awarding accredited status or other actions as deemed appropriate.

Accreditation Coordinator: A person designated by the administrative head to coordinate all accreditation and re-accreditation activities within the agency/facility.

Accreditation Handbook: A handbook developed and maintained by the DOC accreditation administrator to provide specific guidelines for the accreditation process.

Accreditation Unit:Administers and directs the accreditation program for the State DOC. This includes development of goals and objectives to successfully accomplish the mission of the Department, provide liaison functions with departments and agencies within and outside the state and on a national basis, develop, and evaluate policy and procedure to ensure compliance to standards, codes and regulations, develop guidelines and provide interpretation/clarification to implement and direct the DOC-wide accreditation effort.

Accredited Institutions: An accredited rating of "Regional" or "National."

Achievement Pay: Any amount of pay that may be awarded to recognize a DOC employee's level of performance. Awards may be base and/or non-base building.

Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS): Criteria for an AIDS diagnosis in adults and adolescents include CD4+ T-cell count at or below 200 cells per micro-liter in the presence of HIV infection. This disease has no independent symptoms. Diagnosis is based on the presence of "opportunistic infections" or unusual cancers and an absence of any other possible explanation for the underlying lack of immunity.

Act of Sabotage: Damage intentionally created or attempted by an offender that results in a serious threat to the security, health, or safety of the public, DOC employees, contract workers, volunteers, or offenders.

Activation: The process of acquiring air time for a specific cellular telephone with assigned electronic serial number (ESN) and vendor provided cellular telephone number.

Activities of Daily Living (ADL): The acts of completing personal hygiene, toileting, showering, bathing, and transferring between wheelchair and bed or toilet.

ADA Inmate Coordinator (AIC): That person identified having responsibility for ensuring that disabled offenders are properly identified and accommodated.

Adjusted State and DOC Dates: Service dates that are adjusted due to breaks in service of more than 90 days or any period of unpaid leave amounting to 173 or more hours Dates are adjusted one month forward for every 173 hours used.

Administer: To deliver to the offender a dose of medication.

Administrative Head: The chief executive officer for a facility, center, division, office, or unit within the DOC organization

Administrative Lien and Attachment: Order issued by the State Child Support Enforcement Agency in order to withhold funds from the inmate bank account of a state prisoner for child support.

Administrative Positions: Positions located within the facility which are identified and selected by the appropriate administrative head.

Administrative Regulation: A document used to provide specific or general guidelines for DOC policies

Administrative Review: A review of the offender's history concerning sexually violent and/or abusive behavior which results in a determination regarding treatment recommendations and classification status.

Administrative Review Panel: A panel consisting of two correctional officers at the rank of CO III or above and one member from Mental Health.

Administrative Segregation: The most restrictive custody level imposed upon an offender. This custody level will be utilized only after a specific classification hearing has determined this custody level is required.

Administrative Supervisor: The DOC employee assigned to a position over one or more others whose responsibility is to do performance planning, reviewing, and evaluating; also known as the rater.

Administrative Warrant: A warrant signed by the executive director of the Department of Corrections and authorized by the state for the sole purpose of returning an offender to custody when there is probable cause to believe that the offender has escaped.

Admission: The date the inmate was received from the sentencing county.

Admission Review Committee: A committee chaired by the health services administrator, or designee, and comprised of multi-disciplinary members to include, but not limited to: the warden, or designee and the case manager supervisor.

Adult Basic Education (ABE): A program that instructs reading, language and mathematics and is offered at two levels: ABE Level 1 (Introductory studies) and ABE Level 2 (Beginning studies).

Adult Parole, Community Corrections, and the Youthful Offender System Auditor: A person at the level of a community parole supervisor, or designee, who audits a community parole officer's case file.

Adult Parole, Community Corrections, and Youthful Offender System "Hold/Release" Form: The form that authorizes a local jail to hold or release an offender and provides specific offender information.

Adult Parole, Community Corrections, and Youthful Offender System DOC Employee Council: The council comprised of elected representatives from Adult Parole, Community Corrections, and Youthful Offender System.

Adult Substance Use Survey: A self-report assessment instrument designed to provide an 18 domain profile of characteristics related to offenders' substance abuse history.

Adulteration:A sample has been "adulterated" when it contains substances not present normally or at normal physiologic concentrations in urine such as nitrite, chromate, bleach, acids or bases, aromatic substances, and surfactants (soaps or detergents).

Advanced Medical Directive: A set of instructions written and agreed to by an offender concerning the use of life-sustaining medical procedures in the event of a critical medical situation.

Advanced Training: Training by specially skilled and certified instructors in topic areas requiring specific knowledge and skills and/or a higher level of knowledge and skills than provided in other training program areas.

Advisory Committee: A representative group composed of individuals whose experience and abilities represent a cross-section of a CTE area. Committee members assist CTE educators in establishing, operating, providing expertise pertaining to technological change, and evaluating programs which serve the offender population.

Agency: The unit of a governing authority that has direct responsibility for the operation of a corrections program, including the implementation of policy as set by the governing authority.

Agents of an Attorney: Persons approved to visit an offender for purposes of interviewing, retrieving/delivering legal papers on behalf of an attorney. Agents may include para-legals, attorney's investigators, and law students

Air Quality: A measure of air flow, either filtered mechanical air or outside air, or a mixture of outside and re-circulated air, provided in cells/rooms, officer stations, and dining areas.

Also Known As (AKA): An alias, or a true name which is not the offender's commitment name.

Alternate Wash: The use of a dye-free, perfume-free, detergent or a verified effective programmed wash formula to process laundry for offenders with a clinically documented allergic condition

Alternative Meal Service: A nutritionally adequate alternative meal program consisting of eight ounces of one percent milk in carton, a special meat/protein loaf entree, and water

Alternative Testing Method: A testing method determined by the facility drug screen coordinator, or designee, after the offender has been unable to provide a sample including, but not limited to additional time, or any other method of testing approved by the Inmate Drug Reduction Program (IDRP)

Ambulatory Restraint: The use of mechanical devices which limit movement of extremities without preventing the patient from moving about in an area. The mechanical devices may consist of metal or cloth restraints such as "grip" restraint system.

American Correctional Association (ACA): A national accrediting body for corrections, defining standards for prison operations and clinical care for offenders.

American Correctional Association (ACA) and Commission on Accreditation for Corrections (CAC): Nonprofit organizations that administer the only national accreditation program for all components of adult corrections.

Americans with Disabilities Act: 42 USC section 12101et seq. as signed into law on July 26, 1990. Also referred to as the "ADA."

Anecdotal Working Files:Records maintained by appointing authorities at the workplace and records kept by a facility as per agency policy.

Annual Case Review: A report that summarizes the progress and performance of the offender for the past year, which includes the offender=s performance in treatment, supervision, employment, and any technical or law violations.

Annual Health Care Assessment Fee: A fee for health care services paid by each offender currently residing within a correctional facility, once per fiscal year, regardless of the health care status of the offender.

Annualization: The process of determining a full year's on-going costs by taking previous partial-year funded amounts and calculating the costs for 12 months.

Anti-Tamper Mitt: Cloth device which encloses the offender's wrists and hands that are being held together with wrist restraints. The mitt is secured in place and prevents the offender from accessing the key opening during transport.

Appeal: A process whereby a DOC employee can have a final grievance decision reviewed by a higher authority.

Applicable Standards: When the agency/facility signs the contract with ACA to conduct an accreditation audit, the standards which are applicable at that time are the standards for which the agency/facility will be required to demonstrate compliance. If supplemental standards are published after the contract is signed, the agency/facility is not required to demonstrate compliance with any additions or revisions to those which were in existence when the contract was signed.

Applicant: Any individual who applies for full-time, part-time, temporary, contract, student intern, or voluntary employment with the DOC.

Application for Administrative Warrant: Formal request (prepared by a DOC official, the Parole Board, or designee), supported by documents, which asks the governor to demand the return of a fugitive from an asylum state.

Application for Compact Services and Agreement to Return: The document produced for the offender's agreement to comply with all rules, conditions, and regulations set by the state and the sending state and to waive extradition to the state from any state in the United States.

Application for Requisition: A packet of forms and certified copies of documents from the state of Colorado and the DOC offender working file which are from the governor of the state to the governor of the asylum state to remand the offender back to their jurisdiction

Application Sponsor: A DOC employee who is responsible for processes, procedures and business rules of an application. An application sponsor may be determined at anytime during the life of the application.

Appointed Community Parole Officer for Criminal Evidence: A community parole officer, appointed by the director of Adult Parole, Community Corrections, and Youthful Offender System, or designee, as the criminal evidence custodian.

Appointing Authority: The head of each principle office or division within the Department. The authority may be delegated in accordance with the State Personnel Board Rules.

Approved Custody Classification: Whereby the institution has made custody classification recommendations and the classification department approves the action.

Approved DOC Recipes: Includes the Armed Forces Recipe file and DOC recipes approved by the registered dietitian.

Approved Laboratory: DOC approved laboratory utilizing Immunoassay (IA) methodology, gas chromatography / mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and/or liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) methodology, or any laboratory approved by the Department of Corrections.

Approved Laboratory Label: Label affixed to each sample urine container sent to a DOC approved laboratory. The label is provided by the approved laboratory.

Approved Residence: A residence occupied by an adult member, oneself, or other sponsor approved by the director of the Division of Adult Parole, Community Corrections, and Youthful Offender System, or designee.

Approved Source of Supply: Publisher, retail/wholesale dealer of mail order products for books (used books will not be accepted from any approved source of supply), magazines, hobby craft, and medical items or as otherwise determined by the administrative head.

Approved Treatment and Evaluation Facility: A facility designated or approved by the executive director of the Department of Human Services for involuntary emergency psychiatric evaluation and treatment.

Approved Treatment Provider (ATP): An individual, group, or agency who, after applying to the review board, is determined qualified to provide mental health, substance abuse treatment, sex offender treatment, or assessment, to DOC offenders in the community.

Approved Treatment Provider Coordinator: A person who functions as the coordinator for the Approved Treatment Provider Program and supports the operation of the board and its members.

Armed Duty Post/Assignment: Any post or duty assignment which requires that a firearm be inspected and maintained in that area or vehicle.

Armorer: A DOC employee who is factory certified to provide service and repair of firearms.

Arrest: To seize and hold under authority of the law.

Arrest|Hold Authorization: The Department of Corrections electronic authorization to law enforcement agencies for the arrest|detention of a parolee.

Assault|Fights:Offender vs. Offender assault, Offender vs. DOC employee, contract worker, volunteer assault, and fights.

Assessment: An intensive diagnostic component which evaluates each offender sentenced for mental health, medical, educational, career and technical education, substance abuse, violence, impulse control, and interpersonal deficits and needs.

Assisting Agency: Any agency directly contributing logistical, tactical, or service resources to any other agency. Refers to outside agencies assisting the State DOC or to the State DOC when it assists outside agencies

Asylum State: The state which apprehends the fugitive.

At-Risk Adult: Any person who is 60 years of age or older, or any person who is 18 years of age or older, and is a person with a disability.

At-Risk Juvenile: Any person who is under the age of 18 years and is a person with a disability.

Attempt: An offender commits an attempt when, with intent to commit an offense, he engages in conduct which tends to effect the commission of such offense. It is an affirmative defense to the charge of attempt that the offender voluntarily abandoned his effort to commit the offense, prior to the discovery of his active participation in the offense(s), or before it is substantially completed.

Attended Death: A death occurring in a medical or hospice facility following the diagnosis of a terminal, or complicated, medical condition by a licensed physician. The patient has been under the direct care and observation of a health care provider.

Attorney: An attorney-at-law licensed to practice in any state or federal jurisdiction who has been retained by the offender or has been appointed to represent the offender, as evidenced by a court record, court order, or by the offender's written authorization.

Attorney|Client Relationship: The confidential relationship that exists between an attorney and an offender when the attorney has agreed to provide legal services to the offender.

Authority:A person or persons authorized by virtue of their assigned positions within the DOC to make certain judgments and decisions relating to records.

Authority Having Jurisdiction:The entity having authority and responsibility for establishing minimum building and fire code standards as designated by statute, executive order, policy, or guidelines including, but not limited to, procedures, and approved codes.

Authorized Emergency Vehicle: Properly equipped vehicles, owned and operated by or for a government agency, to protect and preserve life and property, for a planned or unplanned response, in accordance with state laws regulating emergency vehicles.

Automated Offender Data: Any offender information electronically stored in a computerized database which is originated, maintained, or kept by the DOC for use in the exercise of functions required or authorized by law or administrative rule or DOC policy. Automated offender data is considered criminal justice records.

Available Balance: The balance of funds available to the offender for expenditures that is not being held as reserved or encumbered monies.