Corrections Today articles from April 2007

Corrections Today archives from April 2007

The Kansas Offender Risk Reduction and Reentry Plan: risk reduction and reentry impacts every area of operation in the department and depends on the participation of many key state and local partners.
April 1, 2007... More than four years ago, Kansas started developing strategies to reduce the rate at which offenders returned to or entered prison for non-compliance under supervision. At that time, the largest group of admissions to prison was parole...

The reentry movement in corrections: shift in paradigm or passing fad? It is important to realize that reentry is much more than a philosophy. It is more than a trend. Actually, reentry is a very productive way of conducting business in the world of corrections.(Commentary)
April 1, 2007... There is a reentry movement in corrections that continues to demonstrate impressive growth across the United States. It is notable that only a decade ago the term reentry was not part of the lexicon of corrections. Since the late 1990s, a vast...

Richmond plans new jail.(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Richmond, Va., has begun plans for a new jail facility, reported the Richmond Times-Dispatch. The facility will cost between $60 million and $80 million, and preliminary plans call for the new facility to be built next to and on top of the...

Mental Health Court diverts offenders.(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Montana's Missoula Mental Health Court is in full operation, reported the Associated Press. The court works with prosecutors, defense attorneys and treatment agencies to divert nonviolent offenders with significant mental disorders into...

Arizona participates in research project.(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Arizona was selected as one of five states participating in a new initiative by the Council of State Governments' Justice Center that will address prison population growth, reported The Arizona Republic. The goal of the project is to find ways...

Parents get involved with juveniles.(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Albuquerque, N.M., is home to the first Parent Teacher Association (PTA) in a juvenile correctional facility in the United States, reported The Albuquerque Tribune. The PTA was created at Foothill High School on the grounds of the Youth...

Community corrections' core mission.(A View From the Line)
April 1, 2007... Most people in community corrections would probably agree that our core mission is to provide the maximum opportunity for the rehabilitation of offenders without compromising community safety in the process. The primary method we use to carry...

New Supreme Court case on the Prison Litigation Reform Act.
April 1, 2007... On Jan. 22, 2007, in Jones v. Bock, the U.S. Supreme Court invalidated three procedural rules adopted by the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to implement the Prison Litigation Reform Act (PLRA). PLRA introduced reforms to prisoner complaints...

Professional Development recaps its recent accomplishments.(Professional Development Update)
April 1, 2007... The Professional Development Department has completed many exciting new projects. The focus has been on laying a strong foundation in training and certification, as well as in customer tracking systems and marketing. Online Corrections...

Specialty channel sales manager: Trinidad Benham.(Job Bank)
April 1, 2007... Trinidad Benham, the largest U.S. distributor of dry edible beans, is seeking a specialty channel sales manager. This manager would be responsible for selling and marketing our specialty (dehydrated) products to the corrections field, as well...

Health services director: Vermont DOC.
April 1, 2007... Bring strong and focused leadership to Vermont's Department of Corrections Medical Services while working in a forward-thinking organization. As a member of the executive management team, contribute to improved criminal justice outcomes and...

Corrections calendar.(Correction notice)
April 1, 2007... * Correctional Educational Association (CEA Pennsylvania), April 18-21, Altoona, Pa. For more information, visit http://www.ceapa.net. * New York Corrections and Youth Services Association (Region III), May 4, Troy, N.Y. For more...

Profile.(MHM Correctional Services Inc.)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Founded in 1981, MHM Correctional Services Inc. is one of the country's leading providers of correctional mental health services and specializes in cost-effective solutions for the correctional setting. MHM pioneered the concept of direct...

Plans are taking shape for the 137th Congress of Correction in August.(Correctional Health Perspectives)
April 1, 2007... Plans for the Healthcare Professional Interest Section (H-PIS) events and workshops at the 137th Congress of Correction in Kansas City, Mo., Aug. 10-15, are under way. The congress kicks off for H-PIS members with an evening welcome reception...

New health care journal call for submissions.(Correctional Health Perspectives)
April 1, 2007... Correctional Health Today (CHT), the interdisciplinary, peer-reviewed journal of ACA's Healthcare Professional Interest Section, is seeking quality submissions for upcoming issues. CHT will include articles on a range of correctional health...

TEPOhio: acting as a bridge between institutional programming and community aftercare.(CT FEATURE)
April 1, 2007... The buzzing of the clock radio alarm pulls Michelle Johnson out of a comfortable sleep on this crisp late autumn morning. It is already 5:30 a.m. She reaches for the snooze button, hoping for another five minutes before starting another busy...

Faith-based reentry programs: cause for concern or showing promise?(CT FEATURE)(Table)
April 1, 2007... Faith-based inmate reentry programs, like faith-based efforts generally, have become increasingly popular in recent years. (2) Drawing on anecdotal accounts, proponents argue that these programs reduce recidivism and improve such post-release...

Maine's female offenders are reentering--and succeeding.(CT FEATURE)
April 1, 2007... Meet Rachel of Portland, Maine. Rachel has a job in an upscale local restaurant. She has completed supervised community confinement and lives in her own apartment with her dog. She is working toward a master's degree. She votes. She jogs (and...

137th Congress of Correction: make plans to join us in Kansas City: "The Perceptions of Corrections" Aug. 10-15, 2007.(Brief article)(Calendar)
April 1, 2007... Don't procrastinate! Mark your calendars now, and start making plans to join the American Correctional Association in Kansas City, Mo., for the 137th Congress of Correction, Aug. 10-15 at the Bartle Hall Convention Center. Come and network...

Building brighter futures in Chicago.(CT FEATURE)
April 1, 2007... According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the number of individuals incarcerated in state and federal correctional institutions has risen exponentially in the past three decades. There were slightly more than 300,000 people in state and...

Coordinating community development: the heart of the Michigan Prisoner ReEntry Initiative.(CT FEATURE)(Table)
April 1, 2007... Michigan's approach to reducing the recidivism rate aligns three major national paradigms on how to develop and fully implement a comprehensive model of inmate transition planning. As a result, the Michigan Prisoner ReEntry Initiative (MPRI)...

Fathers successfully returning home.(CT FEATURE)
April 1, 2007... Nationally, more than half of incarcerated males are fathers, affecting about 1.5 million children nationwide, according to the Center for Law and Social Policy in Washington, D.C. (1) The role that inmates play in the lives of their children...

Successful reentry, one case at a time.(CT FEATURE)
April 1, 2007... Most of the general public does not understand that more than 90 percent of all incarcerated offenders eventually return to society. In Ohio, more than 27,000 offenders have been released back into the community during the past 12 months. ...

ACA awards recognize exceptional commitment: heroes are a rare breed. But corrections seems to have more than its share of them--men and women who are exemplary leaders in a demanding profession. Seize this opportunity to see their hard work and integrity rewarded.(Rewarding Excellence)(American Correctional Association)
April 1, 2007... Each year at the American Correctional Association's Winter Conference, four distinguished awards are presented to honor outstanding corrections professionals. The awards, presented by the president, honor exemplary leadership and service as...

Tampa Florida conference overview: corrections professionals escape to sunny Florida.(Winter Conference Recap)
April 1, 2007... The ACA Winter Conference in Tampa, Fla., gave corrections professionals a chance to relax and learn together. More than 90 workshops and sessions were offered related to the theme "Corrections, Community and Public Health." At the conference,...

Tampa Florida Party by the Bay.(Winter Conference Recap)(Brief article)(Photograph)
April 1, 2007... Winter Conference attendees were able to shed their winter gear at Sunday night's Party by the Bay. Tampa served as the perfect backdrop for attendees to relax, network with colleagues and have a good time. The food, live music and 75-degree...

Tampa Florida H-PIS reception.(Winter Conference Recap)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... The Healthcare Professional Interest Section (H-PIS) of the American Correctional Association was officially launched at the Winter Conference with a reception for H-PIS members and other health care professionals as well as ACA's leadership....

Tampa Florida H-PIS Luncheon: health care professionals celebrate their mission.(Healthcare Professional Interest Section Luncheon)(Conference notes)
April 1, 2007... The Healthcare Professional Interest Section Luncheon celebrated the new ACA professional interest section and reinforced the goals of bridging corrections and health care. Robert Hofacre and Dr. John Bradley began the lunch by presenting...

Tampa Florida H-PIS Breakfast: attendees discuss Prison Rape Elimination.(Winter Conference Recap)(Conference notes)
April 1, 2007... The Healthcare Professional Interest Section Breakfast Roundtable invited health care and corrections professionals to discuss the Prison Rape Elimination Act. PREA Commissioner James Aiken spoke on behalf of the commission about its goals and...

Tampa Florida general session: impossible dreams do come true.(Winter Conference Recap)(Conference notes)
April 1, 2007... At the Opening Session, James Bradley, author of Flags of Our Fathers, challenged conference attendees to pursue impossible dreams. He relayed his father's story of heroism as a Marine on Iwo Jima in 1945 and his own fight to publish an account...

Tampa Florida Annual Luncheon: Alvin J. Bronstein keynotes annual conference Luncheon.(Winter Conference Recap)(Conference notes)
April 1, 2007... Alvin J. Bronstein, director emeritus of the ACLU National Prison Project, closed the 2007 Winter Conference at the Annual Luncheon with a speech that highlighted the history of American prisons. Bronstein noted that after years of struggle,...

Tampa Florida thank you sponsors.(Winter Conference Recap)
April 1, 2007... For years, ACA has had the privilege of partnering with some of the best companies serving the corrections field; and this year is no different. Without your generous support, ACA's conferences would not be successful. We appreciate your...

Tampa Florida exhibit hall opening.(Winter Conference Recap)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... At the close of the Opening Session on Monday morning, conference attendees were led with much fanfare by the Salvation Army Band to the exhibit hall as ACA President Gary Maynard cut the ceremonial ribbon to signify the official opening of the...

Tampa Florida Monday Night Reception.(Winter Conference Recap)(Brief article)(Conference notes)
April 1, 2007... On Monday night, the exhibit hall was the place to be as attendees and exhibitors were treated to a "Welcome to Tampa" reception. The highlight of the evening was a $1,000 cash giveaway. Sam Herkelman, a retired deputy sheriff from Iowa, had...

Tampa Florida Tuesday Specialty Break.(Winter Conference Recap)(Brief article)(Photograph)
April 1, 2007... Warm weather and a festive atmosphere was the perfect backdrop for a carnival in Tampa. And that's what took place at the Tuesday morning Specialty Break inside the exhibit hall. "Come to the Carnival" was the central theme as attendees visited...

Tampa Florida Grand Prize Giveaway.(Winter Conference Recap)(Brief article)(Photograph)
April 1, 2007... As the conference week drew to a close, attendees gathered in the Exhibit Hall Tuesday afternoon for the Grand Prize Giveaway. Attendees had their sights on the 60-inch HD TV, with a surround sound system and a HD DVD player. Representatives...

Tampa Florida conference awards.(Winter Conference Recap)(Conference notes)
April 1, 2007... At the Opening Session, several awards were presented, including ACA's Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship Award. Keisha Costello, a graduate student at Central Missouri State University, received this year's award. Costello's goal as a criminal...

Tampa Florida workshop coverage.(Winter Conference Recap)(Conference notes)
April 1, 2007... Correctional Health Care Should Set Its Own Standards The workshop "How to Assure That We Are Meeting Community Standards With Our Care" raised questions about what community standards are and what communities they serve. Carl James Keldie,...

Tampa Florida policies and resolutions: delegate assembly approves and reaffirms policies and resolutions.(Winter Conference Recap)(Conference notes)
April 1, 2007... Public Correctional Policy On Community Corrections Introduction: Community corrections programs are an integral component of a graduated system of sanctions and services. They enable offenders to work and pay taxes, make restitution,...

The challenges of reentry.(CT FEATURE)
April 1, 2007... In 2003, the federal government funded all 50 states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands to develop and implement programs to facilitate the reentry of individuals convicted of "serious and violent offenses" who are returning...

Lessons learned from SVORI: program director perspectives on implementing reentry programming.(CT FEATURE)(Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Initiative)(Table)
April 1, 2007... More than 600,000 inmates are released from U.S. prisons each year, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics. The majority of these men and women have low levels of education and employment skills, as well as substance abuse and mental...

Reentry and supervision: one is impossible without the other.(CT FEATURE)(Table)
April 1, 2007... Discussions about reentry frequently fail to mention supervision. The rhetoric generally is that reentry is more similar to case management or discharge planning than supervision. Yet this seems to obfuscate that case management and supervision...

Membership news.
April 1, 2007... The American Correctional Association's Membership and Financial Services Department would like to thank everyone who visited us at the membership booth at the Winter Conference in Tampa, Fla. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 50/50 Raffle ...

Welcome new members.(List)
April 1, 2007... New Healthcare Professional Interest Section members are noted by (H-PIS). ORGANIZATIONAL CALIFORNIA -- Health Services Agency-County of Santa Cruz DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA -- Unity Healthcare FLORIDA -- Armor Correctional Health...

Juvenile justice professionals discuss the future of America's Youths.(Juvenile Justice News)
April 1, 2007... On Oct. 15, 2006, juvenile justice experts and practitioners converged on Las Vegas, Nev., for the three-day, 12th National Symposium on Juvenile Services. The symposium, hosted by the National Partnership for Juvenile Services (NPJS) at the...

Last Chance in Texas: The Redemption of Criminal Youth.(Book review)
April 1, 2007... Last Chance in Texas: The Redemption of Criminal Youth by John Hubner, Random House Inc., New York, 2005, 257 pp. John Hubner, a journalist and author, recounts what he learns as he follows a group of boys and a group of girls as they...

Sharing knowledge on effective community supervision programs.(Probation and Parole Forum)
April 1, 2007... An emphasis on community safety--the major mandate for departments providing community supervision--is forcing administrators to look for the most effective programs that will enhance supervision efforts. Conferences, workshops and seminars are...

Competency-based training supports reentry initiatives.(NIC Update)
April 1, 2007... Many criminal justice agencies and organizations spend numerous resources developing and overseeing reentry initiatives in an effort to reduce recidivism. Agency directors, administrators and legislators often claim (and rightfully so) that...

We want to hear from you.(NIC Update)
April 1, 2007... The staff of Corrections Today (CT) take pride in knowing that the magazine is a vehicle that not only serves as a premier benefit for members of the American Correctional Association, but that it has several columns that allow you to voice...

Obtaining federal benefits for disabled offenders: part 1--Social Security benefits.(NIJ Update)
April 1, 2007... The typical offender reentry plan involves, at a minimum, efforts to help the offender secure a job, find affordable and safe housing, and comply with other conditions of release. But reentry plans for offenders who have special needs--who are...

Armor Correctional Health Services Inc.(Private Sector News)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Armor Correctional Health Services Inc. announced the appointment of Kenneth M. Palombo as chief administrative officer and chief ethics officer. Palombo has more than 15 years of experience in the legal, health care and religious nonprofit...

Corrections Corporation of America.(Private Sector News)
April 1, 2007... Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) was named as one of the nation's 50 Top Military Friendly Employers, according to a ranking by the national military publication, GI Jobs. The article and ranking appeared in the December issue of GI...

Spacesaver Corp.(Private Sector News)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Spacesaver Corp. announced the promotion of three executives as part of its strategy to focus on profitable new growth opportunities and to support its customer and distribution network. The promoted executives are Ryan Bittner, James Muth and...

Not this time: a response to the warnings of the juvenile superpredator.(Research Notes)
April 1, 2007... It is starting. You can see it in local newspapers and hear it on national television. In the mid-1990s, when we last experienced the promotion of the "juvenile superpredator" notion, the research community's response was inadequate....