The Importance of Re-entry as the Theme for the 2009 Congress of Corrections

Art Beeler, Retired Warden

This Congress’ theme that Reentry is Good Public Safety could not come at a more acute time. As the country struggles with the economic realities of a serious recession, Government revenues have dried up diminishing the resources available to correctional administrators. The intersection of this economic reality has coincided with the reality that more than 700,000 offenders will be released to the community this year. But more sobering is that according to national data, if not successful about 2/3’s of those released will be rearrested in three years with about 50% reconfined. Now some of those arrested and confined need it. Prison is a very necessary part of our society, yet, reentry needs to be a very necessary part of our society. The last thirty years of incarceration is making this change difficult for society and for correctional professionals. Correctional professionals must take the lead.

But reentry is much more than good programs working toward employment, housing and transportation, it is about attitude. An attitude where instead of “locking them up and throwing away the key,” an attitude of responsible restorative justice; and until this mind change occurs, all the efforts in the world will be measured only incrementally if at all. What many do not realize is this mind shift is about public safety! How many new crimes are committed to the offender who is unsuccessful at reentry? How much money is spent in enforcement and apprehension? How many victims are traumatized? The list could go on and on, but put in its purest form, we can no longer afford the strategy of locking up 1 in 100 or putting under supervision 1 in 31; therefore we must attack this two ways: prevention and reentry. For those of us who have worked with offenders for many years, we must embrace reentry. Public safety will be protected only if we continue to look for ways to embrace reentry and realize monies spent in this venue are much cheaper than necessarily building another prison cell.

For these and many other reasons, I look forward to new ideas, new strategies and new ways to continue to confront this intersection between fiscal reality and public safety. The last thing we want to do is simply release these folks to the street with no resources!

Art Beeler retired from the Federal Bureau of Prisons with more than 30 years of experience. He is currently involved with reentry efforts in North Carolina and has for the past few months been an advocate for prisoner education as the NC Legislature struggles with budget issues.


Look for Art's Op-ed peace, "A Matter of Public Safety" in the June 2009 issue of Corrections Today, and review the 2009 Congress Planning guide here.

Correctional Officer and Employees Week Wreath Laying Ceremony

On a rainy Saturday morning in Washington D.C. a few hundred people gathered to remember the fallen Correctional Officers and Employees and mark the beginning of National Correctional Officer and Employees week with a wreath laying ceremony and honor guard competition.



In a touching ceremony, Craig Floyd Chairman of the National Law Enforcement Memorial Fund recognized the sacrifices made by correctional employees and red roses were placed on the shield at the center of the memorial to remember those fallen this year. Amazing Grace played on Bagpipes while wreaths from Broward Co. Department of Corrections and the the Metropolitan Council of Governments Corrections Chiefs Committee were placed beside the seal by honor guard members.




ACA's President Clarke praised this nation's corrections employees, calling them the forgotten warriors and encouraged the field to look towards prevention as well as rehabilitation to build a strong, functional society. "Correctional officers and employees serve admirably in facilities all across the country as counselors, teachers, chaplains, health care professionals,support staff, custody officers, supervisors, wardens and directors. They are among the most capable,committed, patient and persistent public servants in our nation."

ACA President Harold Clarke addresses the audience

Jeff Washington, Deputy Executive Director of ACA attends the Wreath Laying Ceremony

This year 23 names were added to the memorial for the corrections field, 4 of those were people whose end of watch came in 2008.

W.F. CARR 11/3/1906
Guard Jefferson County, Texas, Convict Camp
CHARLES CLAIBORNE 8/9/1915
Correctional Officer Texas Department of Criminal Justice
KENNY MICHAEL DUNCAN 4/22/2008
Correction Officer New York City Dept. of Corrections
DOUGLAS EUGENE FALCONER 10/1/2008
Correctional Officer Arizona Department of Corrections
JESSE F. GOODWIN 7/16/1890
Correctional Officer Texas Department of Criminal Justice
JAMES JACKSON 12/15/1890
Correctional Officer Texas Department of Criminal Justice
RODNEY KELLEY 10/3/2008
Correctional Officer Alabama Department of Corrections
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN LARUE 11/22/1946
Correctional Officer Texas Department of Criminal Justice
J.T. MCATEER 7/5/1977
Prison Guard Lancaster County, South Carolina, S.O.
H.D. PARSONS 7/26/1898
Correctional Officer Texas Department of Criminal Justice
WILLIAM M. RADER 7/22/1926
Correctional Officer Texas Department of Criminal Justice
JOSE V. RIVERA 6/20/2008
Correctional Officer Federal Bureau of Prisons
FELIX SMITH 6/19/1936
Correctional Officer Texas Department of Criminal Justice
TOMMY MELLIE STARNES 6/11/1931
Correctional Officer Texas Department of Criminal Justice
BILLY M. STEVENS 5/22/1966
Correctional Deputy Davidson County, Tennessee, S.O.
SIDNEY ALBERT SYMS 9/29/1928
Correctional Officer Texas Department of Criminal Justice
WILLIAM C. TURNER 7/18/1935
Guard Foreman Oklahoma Department of Corrections
JOSEPH F. WILKERSON 4/23/1906
Correctional Officer Texas Department of Criminal Justice
BENJAMIN WILLIAMSON 6/30/1890
Correctional Officer Texas Department of Criminal Justice
JOHN L. WYLIE 4/22/1909
Correctional Officer Texas Department of Criminal Justice
BOBBIE B. BULLARD 6/6/1963
Warden Texas Department of Criminal Justice
WILLIAM CAMP 6/8/1892
Guard McLennan County, Texas, Convict Farm
ROBERT H. WOODALL 9/23/1925
Jailer McLennan County, Texas, S.O.

These names will also be read aloud during a roll call on the evening of May 13th, during a candelight vigil for all fallen Law Enforcement which will be streamed live over the internet. For more information check here.

For more pictures of the memorial and wreath laying ceremony, visit ACA's Flickr account here.

Across the street from the National Law Enforcement Memorial is the National Law Enforcement Museum, and when it opens in 2011 it will house an exhibit on corrections.
"Visitors will experience life as a correctional officer and see how officers are trained to maintain order and protect themselves and inmates. Walking into real prison cells and seeing actual contraband seized from inmates, Museum visitors will hear the stories of officers who have worked in maximum- and minimum-security prisons, an all-female institution and a juvenile facility."

Blogged by Bridget Bayliss, Workforce Center Coordinator at ACA

2009 National Crime Victims’ Rights Week Candlelight Ceremony

Attorney General Eric Holder, Jr. addresses the audience at the 2009 National Crime Victim's Rights Week Candlelight Ceremony.

On the evening of April 23rd, I attended the 2009 National Crime Victims’ Rights Week National Observance and Candlelight Ceremony at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Building. This year marks the 25th Anniversary of the signage of the Victims of Crime Act. It was a very touching ceremony, yet one filled with hope with people from all over the country in attendance.

There were several speakers, but it was obvious that there were two the audience really wanted to hear from. The first was Attorney General Eric Holder, Jr and the second was Quincy Arrianna Lucas, the keynote speaker. Ms. Lucas is the founder of Witney’s Lights, Inc., a nonprofit organization focused on raising awareness of domestic violence and crime victim’s issues, and co-victim and homicide survivor of her sister, Dr. Witney Rose. Dr. Rose was killed by an ex-boyfriend in 2003 at the age of 34. Ms. Lucas challenged each of us to stand up for victims, to become empowered, and to make a difference in our communities.

The most touching part of the ceremony was the lighting of the candles while the Alexandria (VA) Choral Society Children’s Chorus sang. The whole event was a moving experience that reminded me why the work of all of us in the corrections field is so important.

National Crime Victims’ Rights Week will be observed next year April 18-24, 2010-it’s not too early to begin your planning.

Blogged by Kathy Black-Dennis, Director of Professional Development at ACA.

ACA 2009 Congress of Correction

Make your plans to attend ACA's Congress of Correction today!

This August, we'll be heading to Nashville, TN and the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center for our Congress.

This year's theme is "Effective Re-entry is Good Public Policy" and we have approximately 100 workshops scheduled for your enjoyment from August 7th- 12th, as well as the exhibit hall and networking events.

Housing and on-line registration open tomorrow, April 1st with early bird specials.

So make your plans, and be sure to check in here for conference coverage beginning August 7th!

Click here for more information on housing, registration, exhibitor prospectus, advertising and more!

Thanks to the ACA Winter Conference Blog Team

The ACA Winter Conference Blog Team:

D.r Allen Moore, JD, APR - Orange County (FL) Corrections Department

Dr. Cindy Boyles, Orange County (FL) Corrections Department

Sgt. Adam Wright, Orange County (FL) Corrections Department

David R. McKune, Warden, Lansing Correctional Facility, Kansas

Lia Gorsmsen, Assistant Editor for ACA Periodicals

Does Family Reunification Work? (Wed. Jan. 14, 2008 10:00 - 11:30 a.m.)

California’s Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation fully funds the Chowchilla Family Express to bring families to visit at the two women’s prisons in Chowchilla, Calif.  The basics of the program, expected and unexpected outcomes, the successes of bringing more than 2,600 people to visit in their first year, and how they collaborate with corrections leadership and statisticians to effectively manage the program and further study this population to show the efficacy of family visitation will be presented. Directors of programming, wardens, visiting staff and anyone interested in programming for reentry should attend. 

Moderator: Eric DeBode, Program Coordinator, Center for Restorative Justice Works, Chowchilla Family Express, North Hollywood, California

Speakers: Tina Hornbeak, Director, Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Female Offender Programming, Sacremento, California; Suzanne Jabro, Executive Director, Center for Restorative Justice Works, Chowchilla Family Express, North Hollywood, California

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation recognizes the need to support all inmates, male and female in their ongoing efforts to sustain or develop relationships with their children.  In our opinion, Family Reunification does work.  The question is what does it work to accomplish?

The answer is Family Reunification, which:

• Improves inmates and their family relationships
  
• Improve the quality of inmate behavior during incarceration
  
• Improve the process of healing for both the inmate and family
  
• Improves staff satiety
  
• Assist inmates in their transition to the community
  
• Breaks the generational cycle of incarceration
  
• Provides society with safer communities by returning productive inmates as parents and citizens to society
  
• Reduces Recidivism

3rd Day Visiting Program

Division of Adult Institutions

The workshop explored the idea of “gender responsiveness”

Statistics demonstrate that the highest levels of repeat offenders were those who did not participate in family re-unification programs while incarcerated.

The aim is to increase the number of contact visits within corrections facilities.

Child friendly spaces were created in prison visiting areas.

More parent and child interaction was encouraged.

Staff was trained to accept that contact between parents (offenders) and children was okay.

Social Workers were introduced as part of the regular corrections staff.

An inmate as an incentive earned an extra day of visitation for good behavior.  

Chowchilla Family Express

Offered in lieu of a third day of visiting that was earned as an incentive.

Enable children and family to visit female offenders by providing transportation once a week. The system is funded partly with grants, but mostly by donations.

Why is it successful?

• Good for kids – children do better if they visit an incarcerated parent
  
• Good for parents – incarcerated parents tend to get fewer write-ups
  
• Good for society – inmates that are visited tend to be better adjusted upon reentering the community.

The Chowchilla Family Express is a part of the “get on the bus” program.  For more information visit http://www.getonthebus.us" www.getonthebus.us.

Blogged by Sgt. Adam Wright, Orange County (FL) Corrections Department

Thinking Our Way Forward to Organizational Evolution! (Wed. Jan. 14, 2009 (10:00 a.m. - 11:30 p.m.)

Presented by the Academy Division, National Institute of Corrections

What will our world be like in 5 years? 15? 25? What will the future bring in our corrections settings? A shrinking or growing inmate population? Water shortages that impact operations? Increasing or decreasing government budgets? Increased demand for a specialized workforce in corrections? An increase or decrease in the general population of the U.S. from which to draw staff members? “Forward thinking” refers to a process/set of processes that includes monitoring issues that are important to an agency’s success; analyzing the trends these issues are taking; and developing possible scenarios based on such analysis In this interactive workshop, participants will experience “forward thinking” or 

futuring processes applied to our correctional settings. This enables agencies to create a roadmap to their most desirable future. Although the future cannot be predicted with absolute certainty, adoption of futuring processes will place organizations in the best position to ensure their success. 

Speaker: Leslie S. LeMaster, Correctional Program Specialist, Academy Division Technical Assistance Manager, National Institute of Corrections, Academy Division, Aurora, Colorado

Sharing what Federal Bureau of Prisons  (BOP) and the National Institute of Corrections (NIC) are doing to put together resources for us to use in terms of forward thinking and implementing them in our agencies. We started looking at forward thinking work at NIC in 2006 and had first set of resources rolled out in 2007. Getting ready to role out our first e-course next month.

Forward thinking is not reacting. It is acting ahead to deal with situations. 

Session Objectives:

• Introduce concept of forward thinking in corrections settings
  
• Demonstrate some initial ideas on how to implement forward thinking processes in your organization.
  
• Share how BOP has implemented its own Forward Thinking Initiative, and its expected outcomes.

NIC has 200+ e-learning courses available now.  www.nicic.org 

Many Forward Thinking Courses available, and more will be available soon.

What is Forward Thinking?

What images, ideas or thoughts come to mind?

Audience input: planning ahead, seeing problems before they become problems, something that is predictive and prescriptive – what is the future going to be and will we be ready for it? 

Highly recommended good book to get you started: “Art of the Long View” by Peter Schwartz. Wonderful information and looks back to WWII and how we did forward thinking even back then. Book contains examples of companies that predicted future events and prepared for them.

NIC has examples on their website also.

Misconceptions about forward thinking:

It is not science fiction or predicting the future.

Forward thinking is not an exact prediction of the future, but what might happen in the future. FT can help you look at the many possible futures – from most desirable to least desirable. 

FT is a roadmap to help us determine our desirable future(s). 

Steps to FT processes:
Monitoring

Analyzing trends out there and how they might impact us and our business, and looking through trends to see how they fit into developed scenarios.

What is “forward thinking” as a concept into practice?

• Overarching set of processes – happens over time. Deliberate and focused, and must be supported. Must become a lens on everything you do.
  
• Monitoring issues 
  
• Analyzing trends issues are taking as time moves forward
  
• Developing and acting on possible scenarios based on analyses
  

What has BOP done? Projected outcome

“A strategy that plays a significant role in ensuring the BOP’s readiness to adapt to external factors and meet internal and external demands.” FT Forum Remarks, Sept 2007, Harley Lappin, Director, Fed BOP.

Fed BOP Workgroup Expectations:

Included people from all levels including “young talent” that didn’t think the same old way everyone else did. Empowered people to have tough conversations to even look at the sacred cows.  Developed 14 work groups to look at everything. 

Sept-07: 14 workgroups formed

Primary exploratory teams in 14 content areas formed

Half of teams trained in FTP at that time; then they train the other half of their team

BOP is here in their workgroups (Phase 1 and 2)

Each workgroup will apply FTP to their assigned content area

Reporting findings, research, trend analysis, and scenario development on assigned area; forward to FT Review Team. Workgroups have gone beyond just corrections based research; they are looking at resources outside the boundaries of corrections for information. 

Each team funnels info back into the greater BOP FTP process for dissemination and analysis. 

BOP using technology that allows them to have meetings without having to be face-to-face. Very successful for them. Even in light of current budget situation, they are still investing in this process. 

FTP – 3 phases:

• Issue identification/Validation
  
• Trend Analysis
  
• Scenario Development
  

Phase I: Issue Identification

BOP continually works on this. Now on 2nd round of issue identification. Using “STEEP”, a strategic business analysis model: 

• Social
  
• Technological
  
• Economic
  
• Environmental
  
• Political
  

BOP looked at issues including environmental issues, social impacts, technological impacts, and economic impact. Many different strategic frameworks can be used. Search Internet for other frameworks. 

Group Exercise

Let’s Try It Out!

Step 1 – Issue Identification

Brainstorm – globally

Groups will identify issues related to their core topic (STEEP)

What will trends be for our area in 25 years (the year 2034)?

Individually – 5 minutes

One idea per green card

Tape to wall – Then we’ll share!

[Audience members obtained green cards and markers to use for this exercise.]

Core topic for the exercise is the ECONOMY. Audience members wrote their ideas on the cards and then taped them to the wall.]

Audience gathered around the cards posted on the wall. 

Speaker: We are using a modified story boarding technique. One of the main principles of story boarding is that you just start globally – think big. For today’s exercise, I narrowed it down just to give us a look at how it works. 

Ideas from audience cards:

Rise in youth crime

Recruitment

Lack of education and funding for education

Peer inmate education programs

Increase in compassionate release

Lack of funding because infrastructure is aging

Increase in incarceration rates

Lack of donations to faith-based groups may reduce programs

Lack of money to support social work

Alternative electric sources

Increased involvement in local detention areas

Upkeep, maintenance of facilities

Migration of populations to cities

Bilingual 

Alternative fuel sources

Universal economy

More technical resources

Homelessness increasing

Crime up

Funding for programs

Renewable energy

World wide fuel shortages

World wide food shortages

Pension/benefits changes 

China – the new auto industry

Jobs for all in alternative energy

Work at home

More public transportation

Zero budgeting

Workforce reduction

Less dependence on credit

Recycling

Expand knowledge in leadership 

More ideas were put on cards

Some ideas seem to belong together. Interesting that we do a wide-open brainstorming, but we still come up with some trend areas. Part of trusting the process. 

Step 2 – Clustering

Looking at what things fit together (from the brainstorming/story boarding cards). You don’t get rid of any cards. You just start placing them together in groups that seem to fit together. 

[Audience members turned loose to start grouping cards together.]

Speaker: Located clusters on the wall and outliers (lone wolf cards).

Step 3 – Issue Identification – Trend Statements

Draft trend statements from clustered ideas (we’ll research these).

Solid statements have a direction: “More/less…”  “Increase/decrease…” For example, If there is more/less of this, there will be more/less of this.

Class Exercise continues:

Green cards put into Cluster Areas, which are then used in this class exercise: Fuel, Technology, Home-based issues, Infrastructure, world economy, education, funding issues. 

Class divided into small groups and each group assigned a cluster area to draft trend statements.

Cluster groups reported out.

BOP had interesting discussions about telecommuting, and they are moving forward with it. Changed attitude from “we can’t do it,” to “how do we do it?”

Getting Ready for Intercession Work

• BOP would have done the trend statements via video conferencing over several sessions.
  
• Research draft trend statements.
  
• Share with others via email.
  
• Sources: Internet, books, periodicals, journals, contacts with academia, public/private organizations, etc.
  

Assists with issue impact

When they end one session, they always schedule the next one and make assignments. 

Resources:

http://www.nicic.org/ForwardThinking

Coming soon to NIC’s e-learning course – Thinking our Way Forward to Organizational Evolution – 2-hour seat time.

 

Blogged by Dr. Cindy Boyles, Administrator of Training and Staff Development, Orange County (FL) Corrections Department