2024 ACA Nashville Program Book_154th Congress of Correction

History of the E.R. Cass Award

The E.R. Cass Correctional Achievement Award was established in 1962 in honor of a man who had dedicated more than 50 years of his life to corrections — Edward R. Cass. Serving as general secretary of the American Correctional Association for 40 consecutive years, Cass was a man who adhered to the goals and fostered growth of the association and the profession as a whole. Devoting that many years to any organization is certainly uncommon, but Edward R. Cass was an extraordinary man. His contributions were given public recognition in 1962, when he was designated president emeritus by ACA. This honor was bestowed on him for dedicating four decades with the “utmost devotion and distinction to the work and interests of the American Correctional Association” and for “service above self and above and beyond the call of duty.” It was in the spirit of this designation that the E.R. Cass Award was created. The citation designating the award was presented to Cass at the 92nd Congress of Correction in Philadelphia in 1962. The citation speaks for itself — it is in honor of a man who “held steadfastly to the principle that there is some degree of hope within every transgressor of the law.” It speaks for a man who had worldwide influence in aiding those less fortunate. Most important, it represents a man who wholeheartedly devoted himself to the difficult task of “improving correctional practices and procedures and crime treatment and

control.” In a field that demands endless energy and incredible drive, those accolades are ideals to which each of us must aspire. The first E.R. Cass Awards were presented to Edna Mahan, The Honorable Richard A. McGee and The Honorable G. Howland Shaw at the 1963 Congress banquet. These awardees received a framed plaque and a life membership in the association. In the mid-1980s, the plaque was replaced by a medallion. Today, awardees are given many other benefits in recognition of being honored with this prestigious award, since these individuals represent “the best of the best” and are truly deserving of ACA’s highest honor. Since those first awardees, the E.R. Cass Award has been presented to men and women who exhibited the same degree of selflessness and remarkable achievement toward the advancement of ACA, the corrections field and the community. With Cass’ extensive achievements and remarkable dedication in mind, the standards established for the award are quite high. The award has become a tradition of excellence, professional integrity and innovative leadership in a field that is constantly changing and evolving. The E.R. Cass Award is more than just a medallion or a membership — it is a symbol of true dedication and professional achievement, of self-sacrifice and tireless energy. It represents a person who believed with his whole being in the future possibilities of ACA and of corrections.

E.R. CASS AWARD

50 — ACA 154 th Congress of Correction | Nashville