Corrections_Today_Fall_2024_Vol.86_No.3

COMMITTEES

Supporting economic, security, environmental, and social benefits for people living and working in corrections

By Lois Fegan, MS, PMP

C orrectional systems have the responsibility to support programs and infrastructure that are cost-effective, resilient, and result in long-term public safety for the communities in which they serve. Correctional philosophy has shifted over the past genera tion away from punishment and discipline to focus on rehabilita tion and lasting public safety. The American Correctional Association (ACA) supports this shift in many ways through its standards, the accreditation process, and train ing opportunities for practitioners. ACA’s policy on Sustainability Oriented and Environmentally Re sponsible Practices further supports these initiatives. Investing in projects that offer economic, security, environmental, and social benefits to the incarcer ated population and staff create a positive atmosphere while also reducing operating costs and even creating opportunities to generate revenue. The Norwegian model of corrections is an example of how those concepts, when operational ized, result in low recidivism, high morale, and long-term public safety. The Norwegian model is character ized by the concept of returning people to their communities to

Photo courtesy Lovestruck Images

become better citizens and that staff should “play an active role in residents’ rehabilitation by using positive incentives and motivation al interviewing, engaging residents in health focused programming and providing intensive mentorship and positive socialization.” (Ahalt et al, 2020). The Amend program, based out of the University of Califor nia San Fransisco, aims to bring these international best practices to promote culture change in U.S. prisons. The organization has partnered with Washington, Or egon, California, and North Dakota

to provide training and technical support (Amend, 2024). Creating incentives and meaningful op portunities will inspire hope and prosocial goals for the incarcerated population. Results of the Amend project in Oregon indicate that a humane, health-promoting, and rehabilitation-focused correctional environment enhances prison safety and produces better public safety outcomes (Ahalt et al, 2020). ACA’s Sustainability Com mittee was established in 2011 to foster these ideals in the correc tions community and to share best practices with colleagues from all

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