# Ombudsman for Corrections *A Minnesota state oversight office for correctional facilities.* The Ombudsman for Corrections is a [[Minnesota]] state office whose holder is an oversight officer for the state's correctional facilities.[^1] In 1983 the office, under John Poupart, reported on an incident of September 11, 1983 at [[Stillwater prison]].[^1] The report recorded findings on staff training, on the share of racial minorities among inmates and staff, and on racial epithets in staff-only work areas.[^1] The report was submitted on October 14, 1983, and recommended an investigation into racial disparity in Minnesota's criminal justice system.[^1] The project's at-issue record sets this finding beside the facility's present closure. That record describes the closure as being for structural decay rather than for the 1983 finding, but it cites no primary source for the closure. ## Who John Poupart was Minnesota Ombudsman for Corrections in 1983. He wrote the report on the September 11, 1983 incident at Stillwater.[^1] ## What The report examined the training program for new correctional counselors at Stillwater. It records that five of the program's 240 total training hours were devoted to human and race relations.[^1] The report also documents racial epithets in work areas restricted to staff.[^1] ## When The incident at Stillwater took place on September 11, 1983, and the hall was secured at 11:03 p.m.[^1] The Ombudsman submitted the report on October 14, 1983.[^1] ## Where The findings concern Stillwater prison in Minnesota.[^1] The report records that four inmates were transferred from Stillwater to Oak Park Heights the day after the incident.[^1] ## Why The report recommended an investigation into racial disparity in Minnesota's criminal justice system.[^1] ## How The report records that 15 tear-gas canisters and 8 grenades were used during the incident.[^1] ## How many The report records racial minorities as 34% of the Stillwater population, against 4% of Minnesota's general population. Minority staff made up 6% of the staff.[^1] It records that 20 inmates were placed in segregation.[^1] The report gives the race of those moved, which is the basis for naming it here. It records that four Black inmates were transferred to Oak Park Heights the day after the incident. It also records that fifteen White and five Black inmates were placed in Stillwater segregation several days later.[^1] ## In the at-issue record The at-issue item puts the 1983 Ombudsman finding next to the later closure of the Stillwater facility. The 1983 report documented the following:[^1] - five hours of training on human and race relations; - a minority population of 34% against 4% statewide; - minority staff at 6%; - racial epithets in staff-only areas; - a recommendation to investigate racial disparity in the state's criminal justice system. The at-issue item says the facility is being closed for structural decay, not for that finding. The record cites no primary source for the closure and does not establish the reasons for the closure decision. ## Notes [^1]: Minnesota Ombudsman for Corrections (John Poupart), *Report on the September 11, 1983 Stillwater incident* (submitted October 14, 1983). It establishes the incident and its use of force, the segregation and transfer counts, the training hours, the population and staff figures, the racial epithets, and the recommendation for investigation. Full text is held by the Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. https://www.lrl.mn.gov/docs/pre2003/other/840005.pdf