REGISTRATION FOR 2023 IS OPEN: 30 APRIL - 3 MAY 2023
Workshops/Workshop Schedule
Info/Sign Up
The Mock Prison Riot offers various workshops free of charge each year. Although there is a $50 non-refundable registration fee for every attendee, there is no additional cost to participate in workshops, unless otherwise noted on the schedule.
Topics change from year to year, depending on industry trends; however, we do strive to offer a core curriculum of classes designed to apply to the widest range of our attendees.
Some of the classes we regularly offer include - but are not limited to - chemical and impact munitions, Pepperball, and defensive tactics, just to name a few. We also have offered seminars on new and emerging technologies, hostage negotiations, tactical medical, and effective teaching methods for trainers - again, just to name a few.
We will post classes to this web site as they are scheduled, so that you will have a solid idea of our offerings in advance of your arrival. For a listing of current workshops and lectures, please scroll down.
How to Sign Up
Workshop sign up is conducted on site and in person, one day ahead of time. For example, if you see a class 
that you want to take on Tuesday, you must be on site to sign up at our designated workshop sign up area on Monday. If you see a class that you want to take on Wednesday, you must be on site and sign up on Tuesday. Many people ask why we require in-person sign up. It has been our experience over two decades, that requiring in-person sign up greatly reduces the amount of no-shows and results in extremely accurate class lists for instructors (this is extremely important for classes resulting in certifications and whereby supplies such as smoke, bangs, and projectiles are being shipped to our facility in advance). We recommend arriving early for sign up, as classes - especially those that result in certification - tend to fill up quickly. Please make sure you pay close attention to our schedules. Some classes/lectures do not have attendance limits and do not require on-site sign up. Also, we occasionally will accommodate an instructor who requests advance sign-up, especially if supplies for the class are costly and/or difficult to ship or if there are specific safety concerns or pre-requisites. These classes will be clearly identified with any special instructions. Please read the schedule carefully.
Please check this page often for changes and remember the following:
- Enrollment for most workshops and lectures is conducted onsite. The schedule indicates if advance pre-enrollment or on-site enrollment is required. Please pay close attention to what each offering specifies.
- If the class is NOT designated as pre-enrollment or on-site enrollment, it is filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Just show up to the designated location for the class/lecture. Most Sunday and Monday classes fit this description.
- Onsite pre-registration is mandatory for most Tuesday and Wednesday classes, as these are a lot of our certification classes. These signups are held the day prior to the workshop/lecture. For example, if you want to take a class on Tuesday, you must sign up for it on Monday. If you want to take a class on Wednesday, you must be on site to sign up on Tuesday.
- Sign ups for these type of classes are on a first-come, first-served basis. The registration staff or any Mock Prison Riot staff member can direct you to the locations where workshop sign-ups are held.
Many people ask why we conduct workshop and lecture sign ups this way. After more than 20 years, it has been our experience that onsite class registration greatly reduces the number of no-shows. This is especially important for our certification workshop instructors who have to issue certificates and provide thousands of dollars’ worth of supplies. Again, please pay close attention to each offering. They are clearly marked.
Schedule - MOST RECENT UPDATE: 9 March 2023 ... MORE TO COME
2023 Mock Prison Riot Workshops
SUNDAY: 30 April 2023
Title: When Brains Go Wrong (Lauren Lathem, LPC, CCTP and Meredith Smith, PhD, CCHP, PSIMED)
Date: Sunday 30 April 2023
Time: 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm
Location: Classroom 7
Certification: No
Charges: There is no additional charge. It is included in the $50 registration fee.
Sign Up: No sign up. First come, first served until seats are full
Description: Have you ever noticed an offender who is always on edge, scanning the room or acting like a danger lurks around every corner? Have you ever seen an offender get asked an innocent question but react as if their lives were being threatened? Have you seen offenders in and out of jails or prisons over and over, unable to stop the cycle of abuse, drugs, or criminal behavior? The intersection of trauma, substance use, and criminal behavior can result in baffling and destructive behavior and keep a person in an unending cycle of incarceration. This presentation will help you understand the impact of trauma on the brain’s neurological and unconscious responses to environmental triggers and how this relates to criminal behavior. We will discuss the developmental role of childhood trauma in developing substance use problems, criminal behavior, and pathological personality traits. Using a trauma informed lens, this presentation will discuss the experiences of people within our criminal justice system and discuss how a trauma informed approach can be utilized to help promote security and rehabilitation.
Intended Audience: Leadership and corrections officers; anyone who works with offenders or criminal justice involved community members
Limit: 50
Title: Working With the Difficult Inmate (Erika Fenstermarcher and Hannah Elias, PSIMED)
Date: Sunday 30 April 2023
Time: 3 pm to 4 pm
Location: Classroom 7
Certification: No
Charges: There is no additional charge. It is included in the $50 registration fee
Sign Up: No sign up. First come, first served until seats are full
Description: Working in corrections means working with inmates who have personality disorders or have developed disruptive and difficult personalities. Resistance, aggression, manipulation are all tools an inmate may use to try to get what they need or get out of unwanted situations. These tools are rarely effective in the long run and can create an unsafe environment for the staff, the facility, the community, and the inmate. This presentation will discuss personality disorders and what personality disorders are common in corrections. During the presentation techniques for communication and managing these inmates will be reviewed. Using techniques and communication skills with a better understanding of personality disorders can help officers and staff working with these difficult inmates achieve better compliance and behavior management, resulting in safer and more productive interactions with inmates.
Intended Audience: Corrections officers; anyone who works with offenders or criminal justice involved community members
Limit: 50
MONDAY: 1 May 2023
Title: Defense Technology Less Lethal Specialty Impact Munitions Instructor Course – UNITED STATES CITIZENS ONLY
Date: Monday 1 May 2023
Time: 9 am to 5 pm
Location: Classroom 4 and Courtyard
Certification: Yes
Charges: There is no additional charge. It is included in the $50 registration fee
Sign Up: You must be on site on Sunday to sign up in person for this class.
Description: This 8 hour course provides state of the art instructor level training on the topic of less lethal impact munitions. Students will gain detailed knowledge on the selection, preparation, deployment, storage and legal ramifications of less lethal munitions. In particular, the student will gain specific information in Defense Technology less lethal products including 12ga, 37mm, and 40 mm munitions, along with the skills necessary to return to their agency and conduct in service training. Required equipment includes eye and ear protection; duty gear normally utilized when deploying distraction devices; flame/cut resistant gloves; body armor (concealable or tactical); proper footwear. Students must be sworn law enforcement/corrections or active duty military.
Intended Audience: UNITED STATES CITIZENS ONLY. Corrections officers; corrections leadership
Limit: 20
Title: When Brains Go Wrong (Lauren Lathem, LPC, CCTP and Meredith Smith, PhD, CCHP, PSIMED)
Date: Monday 1 May 2023
Time: 9 am to 10 am
Location: Classroom 7
Certification: No
Charges: There is no additional charge. It is included in the $50 registration fee.
Sign Up: No sign up. First come, first served until seats are full
Description: Have you ever noticed an offender who is always on edge, scanning the room or acting like a danger lurks around every corner? Have you ever seen an offender get asked an innocent question but react as if their lives were being threatened? Have you seen offenders in and out of jails or prisons over and over, unable to stop the cycle of abuse, drugs, or criminal behavior? The intersection of trauma, substance use, and criminal behavior can result in baffling and destructive behavior and keep a person in an unending cycle of incarceration. This presentation will help you understand the impact of trauma on the brain’s neurological and unconscious responses to environmental triggers and how this relates to criminal behavior. We will discuss the developmental role of childhood trauma in developing substance use problems, criminal behavior, and pathological personality traits. Using a trauma informed lens, this presentation will discuss the experiences of people within our criminal justice system and discuss how a trauma informed approach can be utilized to help promote security and rehabilitation.
Intended Audience: Leadership and corrections officers; anyone who works with offenders or criminal justice involved community members
Limit: 50
Title: Correctional Contraband Interdiction: Chasing Drugs, Drones and Phones (Todd Craig, Smart Communications; Assistant Director Federal Bureau of Prisons, retired)
Date: Monday 1 May 2023
Time: 10:15 am to 11:45 am
Location: Classroom 7
Certification: No
Charges: There is no additional charge. It is included in the $50 registration fee
Sign Up: No sign up. First come, first served until seats are full
Description: Seminar will expose participants to current state of the art contraband interdiction system methodologies and implementation for the correctional security environment. Focus will be on the practical tips for the officer, investigator and administrator to implement a layered defense model, which combined myriad security technologies (i.e., full body imaging scanners, sophisticated and sensitive network walkthrough metal detectors, packaging pallet X-ray scanners, ion spectrometry devices, counter-UAS systems, synthetic and opioid drug detection/digital mail scanning, and contraband cellphone interdiction technologies) that provided a common operating picture, as well as robust contraband identification and interdiction for institution internal security and criminal prosecution.
Intended Audience: Corrections officers; Correctional Investigators; Correctional Administrators anyone who works with offenders or criminal justice involved community members in the institutional setting
Title: Working With the Difficult Inmate (Erika Fenstermarcher and Hannah Elias, PSIMED)
Date: Monday 1 May 2023
Time: 11:45 am to 12:45 pm
Location: Classroom 7
Certification: No
Charges: There is no additional charge. It is included in the $50 registration fee
Sign Up: No sign up. First come, first served until seats are full
Description: Working in corrections means working with inmates who have personality disorders or have developed disruptive and difficult personalities. Resistance, aggression, manipulation are all tools an inmate may use to try to get what they need or get out of unwanted situations. These tools are rarely effective in the long run and can create an unsafe environment for the staff, the facility, the community, and the inmate. This presentation will discuss personality disorders and what personality disorders are common in corrections. During the presentation techniques for communication and managing these inmates will be reviewed. Using techniques and communication skills with a better understanding of personality disorders can help officers and staff working with these difficult inmates achieve better compliance and behavior management, resulting in safer and more productive interactions with inmates.
Intended Audience: Corrections officers; anyone who works with offenders or criminal justice involved community members
Limit: 50
Title: Fentanyl Roundtable – Moderated by Paul Simmons, Deputy Commissioner, WV Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation
Date: Monday 1 May 2023
Time: 1 pm to 2 pm
Location: Classroom 5
Certification: No
Charges: There is no additional charge. It is included in the $50 registration fee
Sign Up: No sign up. First come, first served until seats are full
Description: Come and share your experiences with fentanyl in your facilities and/or in the course of your work. How do you identify it? How do you combat it? What do you recognize as symptoms of an overdose? How can you tell when someone is under the influence of fentanyl? What are your safety protocols? How do you prevent exposure? This roundtable serves as an informal discussion whereby participants offer thoughts and suggestions on best practices and various experiences regarding fentanyl.
Intended Audience: Corrections officers; corrections leadership, medical professionals in corrections, and anyone else who works with offenders in a prison or jail setting
Limit: 20
Title: Breaching Demo – Federal Bureau of Prisons
Date: Monday 1 May 2023
Time: 2:30 pm to 4 pm
Location: The location will be announced on site and may be dictated by weather conditions. Ideal conditions will provide for this demo being offered outdoors, most likely in the North Yard area. Announcements will be made on site.
Certification: No
Charges: There is no additional charge. It is included in the $50 registration fee
Sign Up: No sign up. First come, first served
Description: The FCC Allenwood Tactical Breach Team will be on site to provide instruction and demonstrate breaching techniques in a fortified prison environment. Tactical breaching is a specialized skill with many different aspects to consider. The FCC Allenwood Tactical Breach Team was formed to focus primarily on the breach. Each member has a backround in Disturbance Control Team tactics and maneuvers, but has an extensive knowledge of breaching techniques. Breaching is the most important part of any tactical entry. If you cannot make entry into your target area, you cannot complete the mission.
Limit: Unlimited
TUESDAY: 2 May 2023
Title: Combined Systems - Less Lethal Impact Munitions
Date: Tuesday, 2 May 2023
Time: 9 am to 5 pm
Location: Classroom 3 and Courtyard
Certification: Yes
Charges: There is no additional charge. It is included in the $50 registration fee.
Sign Up: You must be on site on Monday to sign up in person for this class.
Description: Impact Munitions Instructor Certification Program: Information provided will include history of the product, nomenclature of the product, use of force considerations, hands-on applications, training examples and legal implications. This course will cover: tactical employment of munitions, levels of force, shot placement, 12 gauge, 37 mm and 40 mm specialty munitions/specifications, and deployment techniques. Students must provide their own eye and ear defense, gloves, and duty belt and wear tactical clothing. All other items will be provided by the instructor. Please note: All non-United States citizens require prior vetting before taking this class
Limit: 20
Title: Combined Systems – Chemical Munitions Certified Instructor
Date: Tuesday, 2 May 2023
Time: 9 am to 5 pm
Location: Indoor Range and Old Police Barracks (across from South Gate Entrance)
Certification: Yes
Charges: There is no additional charge. It is included in the $50 registration fee.
Sign Up: You must be on site on Monday to sign up in person for this class.
Description: Basic forms of chemical agents; methods of chemical agent dissemination, history and introduction to CN, CS, and OC; methods of deploying; specifications and illustrations; M201 Material Safety Data; Sheet/Fuze firing sequence; protective mask; performance levels of liquid; filled projectiles; delivery systems for 37 mm and 40 mm munitions; toxicity of chemical agents; agent concentration formula; decontamination. Please note: All non-United States citizens require prior vetting before taking this class
Limit: 20
Title: Defense Technology Flashbang Instructor Course – UNITED STATES CITIZENS ONLY
Date: Tuesday 2 May 2023
Time: 9 am to 5 pm
Location: Chapel and South Yard
Certification: No
Charges: There is no additional charge. It is included in the $50 registration fee
Sign Up: You must be on site on Monday to sign up in person for this class.
Description: Distraction device types and nomenclature; reloadable and non-reloadable devices; command initiated; decibles; candela; PSI; overpressure; handling; storage; rendering safe; tactical deployment; safety considerations; policy and procedure; criminal and civil liabilities; live firing exercises; operational scenarios; instructor development to establish in-house/in-service training and documentation skills. Each attendee must be in good physical condition and able to perform the practical exercises associated with tactical applications with use of these products. Only sworn law enforcement officers / correctional officers or active military personnel
Intended Audience: UNITED STATES CITIZENS ONLY. Corrections officers; corrections leadership
Limit: 20
Title: Cell Extraction (Pepperball Blast and PPC launcher)
Date: Tuesday, 2 May 2023
Time: 9 am to 1 pm
Location: Classroom 4 and PC Unit
Certification: Yes – User level certification
Charges: There is no additional charge. It is included in the $50 registration fee.
Sign Up: You must be on site on Monday to sign up in person for this class.
Description: Classroom/lecture and practical exercise; tactical team members will correctly identify and utilize planned use of force parameters for successfully extracting violent or dangerous inmates from cells using advanced control techniques and the Pepperball system. This class is specific to Pepperball products for use in cell extractions. This class will result in user certification in the Pepperball system as well as cell extraction.
Limit: 20
Title: Sabre OC Instructor
Date: Tuesday, 2 May 2023
Time: 9 am to 5 pm
Location: Classroom 5
Certification: Yes
Charges: There is no additional charge. It is included in the $50 registration fee.
Sign Up: You must be on site on Monday to sign up in person for this class. Limit: 35 students
Description: This one-day agency basic instructor level certification program was designed for agencies to train and certify departmental instructors in a complete use of force continuum program focusing on the deploying, handling, and documenting of the use of chemical aerosols, to include medical issues and legal liability specifically designed for law enforcement and corrections. This course will enhance the instructor's development in the use and training of aerosols tactics and to protect departments from costly litigation issues that could arise from the use of these types of encounters. This program addresses and focuses on the entire use of force continuum with addressing Empty Hand Defense and Transitions to the aerosols, ground stabilization tactics, and tactics for surviving an aerosol attack, introducing new partner drills for safe and effective deployment of these devices that are compatible with any Sabre aerosol deployment system. The instructor also will address a more comprehensive and user-friendly approach with techniques for training officers and other personnel and officer survival related issues and topics. This course fully addresses all aspects of using chemical aerosol projectors. A manual will be sent from the factory upon completion and when the tests are sent in.
Limit: 20
Title: Export Controls and Compliance Seminar
Date: Tuesday, 2 May 2023
Time: 11 am to 1 pm
Location: Classroom 2
Certification: No
Charges: There is no additional charge. It is included in the $50 registration fee.
Sign Up: First come, first served until seats are filled
Description: This seminar, led by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) and the U.S. Commercial Service, will cover the information exhibitors/exporters need to know to comply with U.S. export control requirements under different U.S. regulations. We will focus on what items and activities subject to the Export Administration Regulations (EAR); steps to take to determine the export licensing requirements for your item; how to determine your export control classification number (ECCN); when you can export or reexport without applying for a license; Automated Export System (AES) procedures and requirements; sanctions programs; Export Compliance Program (ECP) concepts.
Limit: Until classroom is full
Title: The Effectiveness of Peer Support Coaching to treat First Responder Mental Health and Improve Inmate Community Re-Entry (Heritage Health Solutions)
Date: Tuesday, 2 May 2023
Time: 9:30 am to 11:30 am
Location: Classroom 7
Certification: No
Charges: There is no additional charge. It is included in the $50 registration fee.
Sign Up: No sign up, first come, first served until seats are filled
Description: First responders, front-line staff working in jail and prison systems, and incarcerated individuals are some of the most impacted when it comes to stress, depression, grief, substance misuse, and suicide. The high prevalence of depression, PTSD, and suicidal ideation in first responders makes them three times more likely to suffer from a substance use disorder than the general public. First responders and jail/prison staff who struggle with substance misuse and/or mental health may not know where to seek help and may feel they’ll be stigmatized as weak if they do get help. Inmates in the jail and prison system likewise suffer mental health and substance misuse issues that often go untreated, which often leads to recidivism and overdose. Find out how to build effective programs to support first responders and front-line jail workers by meeting them wherever they are in their recovery process. Learn how effective peer coaching – where a person is supported by a dedicated, trained coach from a similar (e.g., first responder) background – has been proven to be in the treatment of mental health and substance misuse. Also find out how these programs can be applied to the inmate population to improve re-entry and reduce recidivism rates.
Intended audience: Leadership and corrections officers; anyone who works with inmates; people who manage first responders, and first responders themselves.
Limit: 50
Title: Cell Extraction (Pepperball Blast and PPC launcher)
Date: Tuesday, 2 May 2023
Time: 1:30 pm to 5:30 pm
Location: Classroom 4 and PC Unit
Certification: Yes – User level certification
Charges: There is no additional charge. It is included in the $50 registration fee.
Sign Up: You must be on site on Monday to sign up in person for this class.
Description:.Classroom/lecture and practical exercise; tactical team members will correctly identify and utilize planned use of force parameters for successfully extracting violent or dangerous inmates from cells using advanced control techniques and the Pepperball system. This class is specific to Pepperball products for use in cell extractions. This class will result in user certification in the Pepperball system as well as cell extraction.
Limit: 20
Title: Informational Session on Drones - Public Safety UAS
Date: Monday 1 May 2023
Time: 2 pm to 3 pm
Location: Classroom 2
Certification: No
Charges: There is no additional charge. It is included in the $50 registration fee
Sign Up: No sign up. First come, first served
Description: This informational session will cover how criminals are using drones and the threat of drones. Presenters will also discuss counter drone systems and how to establish a drone program for your agency. There will be a Q&A to follow.
Intended Audience: Corrections officers; corrections leadership, medical professionals in corrections, and anyone else who works with offenders in a prison or jail setting
Limit: Until classroom is full
Title: Breaching Demo – Federal Bureau of Prisons
Date: Tuesday 2 May 2023
Time: 3 pm to 4:30 pm
Location: The location will be announced on site and may be dictated by weather conditions. Ideal conditions will provide for this demo being offered outdoors, most likely in the North Yard area. Announcements will be made on site.
Certification: No
Charges: There is no additional charge. It is included in the $50 registration fee
Sign Up: No sign up. First come, first served
Description: The FCC Allenwood Tactical Breach Team will be on site to provide instruction and demonstrate breaching techniques in a fortified prison environment. Tactical breaching is a specialized skill with many different aspects to consider. The FCC Allenwood Tactical Breach Team was formed to focus primarily on the breach. Each member has a backround in Disturbance Control Team tactics and maneuvers, but has an extensive knowledge of breaching techniques. Breaching is the most important part of any tactical entry. If you cannot make entry into your target area, you cannot complete the mission.
Intended Audience: Corrections officers; corrections leadership, medical professionals in corrections, and anyone else who works with offenders in a prison or jail setting
Limit: Unlimited
WEDNESDAY: 3 May 2023
Title: Combined Systems – Flashbang Instructor
Date: Wednesday, 3 May 2023
Time: 9 am to 5 pm
Location: Classroom 3 and South Yard
Certification: Yes – instructor-level certification
Charges: There is no additional charge. It is included in the $50 registration fee.
Sign Up: You must be on site on Tuesday to sign up in person for this class.
Description: Flash Bang Instructor Certification Program: information provided will include history of the product, nomenclature of the product, use of force considerations, hands-on applications for the product, training examples and legal implications. This course will cover: types of explosions, primary and thermal effects of distraction devices, history and types of diversionary devices, specifications and illustrations of model 7290 flash bangs, M201 Precision Fuze/Fuze firing sequence and ATF requirements. Please note: All non-United States citizens require prior vetting before taking this class.
Limit: 20
Title: Cell Extraction (Pepperball Blast and PPC launcher)
Date: Wednesday 3 May 2023
Time: 9 am to 1 pm
Location: Classroom 4 and PC Unit
Certification: Yes – User level certification
Charges: There is no additional charge. It is included in the $50 registration fee.
Sign Up: You must be on site on Tuesday to sign up in person for this class.
Description:.Classroom/lecture and practical exercise; tactical team members will correctly identify and utilize planned use of force parameters for successfully extracting violent or dangerous inmates from cells using advanced control techniques and the Pepperball system. This class is specific to Pepperball products for use in cell extractions. This class will result in user certification in the Pepperball system as well as cell extraction.
Limit: 20
Title: Sabre OC Instructor
Date: Wednesday 3 May 2023
Time: 9 am to 5 pm
Location: Classroom 5
Certification: Yes
Charges: There is no additional charge. It is included in the $50 registration fee.
Sign Up: You must be on site on Tuesday to sign up in person for this class. Limit: 35 students
Description: This one-day agency basic instructor level certification program was designed for agencies to train and certify departmental instructors in a complete use of force continuum program focusing on the deploying, handling, and documenting of the use of chemical aerosols, to include medical issues and legal liability specifically designed for law enforcement and corrections. This course will enhance the instructor's development in the use and training of aerosols tactics and to protect departments from costly litigation issues that could arise from the use of these types of encounters. This program addresses and focuses on the entire use of force continuum with addressing Empty Hand Defense and Transitions to the aerosols, ground stabilization tactics, and tactics for surviving an aerosol attack, introducing new partner drills for safe and effective deployment of these devices that are compatible with any Sabre aerosol deployment system. The instructor also will address a more comprehensive and user-friendly approach with techniques for training officers and other personnel and officer survival related issues and topics. This course fully addresses all aspects of using chemical aerosol projectors. A manual will be sent from the factory upon completion and when the tests are sent in.
Limit: 20