2025 ACA 155th Congress of Correction Denver_Program Book

implementing changes to restrictive housing, leading to increases in staff investment, morale, leadership and implementation capacity. This workshop will feature restrictive housing improvements designed and implemented by staff at the Montana and Utah Departments of Corrections. Speakers: Donald Christensen , Lieutenant, Montana State Prison, Deer Lodge, Montana; David Sorensen , Captain, Utah State Correctional Facility, Salt Lake City, Utah; Sara Smathers , Restrictive Housing Program Manager, Montana State Prison, Deer Lodge, Montana Prison Ministry Reform — A Gateway to Prison Reform Room 112 Overview: Prison ministry has largely been mistakenly minimized to making attempts to minister to a literally captive audience behind bars. The criminal justice system in the United States has been based on retributive themes. These themes bleed into and often dominate prison ministry practices. This creates a poor foundation and does not serve the facilities well. Exemplary practices seek to bring joyous liberation in prison, whether they are those we imprison or those ministering to the incarcerated. Both the incarcerated and those ministering received benefits. All shared and received joy and liberation mutually. These liberating ministry practices may be at the root of larger prison system reforms. Speakers: Dr. April M. Mack , Assistant Professor of Religion and Social Justice, Iliff School of Theology, Denver, Colorado; Dr. Dewey Williams , Chaplain, Alamance Orange Prison Ministry/Orange Correctional Center, Hillsborough, North Carolina Reimagining Institutional Corrections and Building a Community of Accountability Room 110 Overview: The Virginia Department of Corrections has reimagined what effective prison management can look like at Lawrenceville Correctional Center. Lawrenceville once led the Department in overdose deaths,

Cognitive Life Skills Coaches — The Winning Playbook Against Criminogenic Thinking Room 104 Overview: The Cognitive Life Skills program is designed to help individuals develop essential thinking patterns and behaviors that support better decision-making, emotional regulation and problem-solving. This program is currently utilized in correctional facilities within the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to help participants recognize and change negative thought patterns that lead to poor choices or impulsive behaviors. Speakers: Terri Burnett , Program Supervisor V- Staff Development and Training, Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) Rehabilitation and Programs Division; Christopher Carter , Division Director, Member ACA Board of Governors, Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Huntsville, Texas; Ruby Davis , Deputy Division Director, Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Huntsville, Texas

Saturday, Aug. 23 ▼ 1–2:30 p.m.

WORKSHOPS

Modernizing Restrictive Housing Programs with a Staff-Led Approach Room 103 Overview: Corrections

Workshop has been canceled.

agencies across the country are invested in modernizing their restrictive housing operations to better manage the population, increase safety and reduce returns to that setting. Using a staff-led approach developed as part of a BJA-funded program, some prison systems are placing staff in the lead when designing and

84 — ACA 155 th Congress of Correction | Denver