2025 ACA Winter Conference Orlando_Program Book

Building Bridges: Advancing Family Services through Focused Community Engagement Room W240 A Overview: For many families of incarcerated persons, much of their time is spent thinking about, and often worrying, for the well-being of their loved ones serving sentences behind bars. Corrections’ role in assisting families of incarcerated individuals has advanced tremendously in the last decade, allowing for more opportunities than ever to bridge gaps between concerned families and the institutions that bear the responsibility of caring for them. This session will focus on the robust steps Texas has taken to build bridges between the corrections system and the families and friends of incarcerated persons, including the creation of the Office of Family Services, which is tasked with communicating with families and addressing the concerns of advocacy organizations. Primary Presenter: Susan Gunnels , Manager III, Office of Family Services, Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Huntsville, Texas Presenter 2: Richard Babcock , Deputy Director Correctional Institutions Division, Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Huntsville, Texas Presenter 3: Frank Benton , Research Specialist V, Research and Development, Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Austin, Texas Prison-Based Interventions for Muslim Offenders (PRIMO): Bringing Purpose to Prison through Religious Education for Staff, Chaplains and Residents Room W230 A Overview: PRIMO identified a damaging gap in prison education for staff, chaplains and residents around understanding Islam and Muslims in prison which we have addressed by designing and testing three courses to increase staff professional awareness, chaplaincy effectiveness and prisoner rehabilitation, called the Muslim Stewardship Courses. We will present the findings of the trials of these courses in Maine State Prison from the perspectives of senior correctional

leadership, staff and residents. We aim for delegates to understand how to enhance faith-based rehabilitation and pro-social behavior, while minimizing the risk of coercive conversion, extremism and other forms of abuse connected with faith in their own correctional establishments. Moderator: Randall Liberty , Commissioner, Maine State Department of Corrections, Augusta, Maine Primary Presenter: Randall Liberty , Commissioner, Maine State Department of Corrections, Augusta, Maine Presenter 2: Matthew Wilkinson , Professor, Boston University/Cardiff University, United Kingdom, Boston, Massachusetts Presenter 3: Muzammil Quraishi , Professor, University of Salford, United Kingdom, Manchester, United Kingdom Leading Boomers to Zoomers: Understanding Generational Differences and the Impact Those Differences Can Have on Recruitment, Retention and Culture. Room W231 B/C Overview: Correctional leaders, managers and supervisors need to recognize and understand the impact leadership style and organizational culture have on recruitment, retention and building a healthy workplace culture that promotes safety, wellness and resiliency. Correctional agencies are struggling to recruit and retain correctional officers and staff. Correctional officers and staff leave the corrections profession due to ineffective leadership or being exposed to a toxic workplace culture. Participants will learn to better understand and respect generational differences and learn ways to employ proven leadership strategies that promote a harmonious workplace environment that fosters respect, trust, inclusiveness and opportunity. Primary Presenter: Robert (Ben) Shelor , Senior Policy Advisor, BJA, Washington D.C. Presenter 2: Monroe Hudson , Commissioner Monroe Hudson (retired), BJA CorWellness Program Lead, IIR/BJA CorWellness, Tallahassee, Florida

WORKSHOPS

Saturday, Jan. 11 ▼ 10–11:30 a.m.

ACA 2025 Winter Conference | Orlando — 85