How Does Indiana DOC Classify and Place a First Time Inmate?

Eligibility for a specific facility like Crossroads is not something anyone on the outside can determine in advance, and it is not something the court decides either. Facility designation is entirely the responsibility of the Indiana Department of Corrections, and they make that call based on a classification assessment after sentencing.

The classification process weighs several factors simultaneously. Criminal history is one of the most significant, and the fact that this is his first incarceration works in his favor. The level of the felonies matters too. Indiana's felony levels run from Level 1 being the most serious down to Level 6. Level 3, 4, and 5 felonies cover a broad range, and the nature of the underlying offenses matters as much as the level designation. Whether violence was involved, whether a weapon was present, whether anyone was injured, and the dollar value of any financial crime are all weighted in the scoring.

Crossroads of America Reception Diagnostic Center in Indianapolis is where newly sentenced Indiana DOC inmates often go first for classification and assessment before being designated to a permanent facility. It functions as a diagnostic and intake center, so there is a reasonable chance he passes through there as part of the process regardless of where he ultimately lands permanently.

The classification score that comes out of that assessment determines the security level of his permanent placement. A first-time offender with nonviolent felonies typically scores low enough to qualify for a medium or lower security facility. The best thing he can do between now and sentencing is keep his record in the county jail completely clean, because institutional behavior is also factored into the classification equation.