Prison Terms and What They Mean

Prison Facility Jargon That Start With "O"

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

Offender: Any individual under the supervision of the criminal justice system to include community correction clients, parolees, correctional clients, probationers, interstate compact individuals, or other type of individual sentenced

Offender DNA Testing: Refers to any offender who qualifies for a biological sample to be taken for DNA testing.

Offender Function: A meeting, conference, or other assembly which is held for a specific group of offenders to promote achievement and hosted by an identified presenter or group approved by the administrative head.

Offender Grievance: A written complaint by an offender filed on his/her own behalf regarding a policy, condition, or an incident pertaining to the offender's confinement.

Offender Identification Tag: Often a computer-generated label placed on offender clothing which lists, at a minimum, the offender's governing sentence mittimus last name, first name, and middle initial, DOC registry number, and date of issue.

Offender Labor Program: A program operated at a non-state owned prison facility as a business or for profit utilizing in whole or in part labor of offenders.

Offender Personal Property: All items of approved property belonging to, and acquired by, an offender.

Offender Record: Criminal justice records specific to a given offender.

Offender Resistance: The physical or nonphysical force used by an offender against another offender or against a DOC employee, contract worker, or volunteer who is attempting to gain compliance.

Offender's Representative: A DOC employee or contract worker, who may be a lay person, not involved in the case that can assist the offender in the presentation of his/her argument. An individual who can understand and interpret the offender's rights and the hearing proceedings and have some understanding of the psychiatric diagnosis and the issues that a case may present.

Official Action: An arrest; indictment, charging by information; disposition; pre-trial and post-trial release from custody; judicial determination of mental or physical condition; decision to grant, order, or terminate probation, parole, or participation in correctional or rehabilitative programs; and any decision to formally discipline, reclassify, or relocate any person under DOC sentence.

Official Record: All forms, documentary or physical evidence, witness testimony and/or statements, to include the panel's rationale for the decision and recordings of the review.

Oleoresin Capsicum (OC): An organic agent derived from the cayenne pepper plant. It is classified as an inflammatory that attacks the mucus membranes and may be decontaminated, under normal conditions, by the use of large amounts of cold water and fresh air.

Operational Capacity: Design capacity plus expanded and emergency capacity.

Orientation: Formal classes, in oral, audio/visual or written format, which provide information regarding programs, general information, rules, and regulations.