Corrections_Today_Fall_2024_Vol.86_No.3

SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE

over the world. Increased levels of safety, security, morale, and engage ment are positive factors for all people involved in the corrections system. These concepts are even more appealing when they lead to cost-savings, revenue generation, and workforce development op portunities (Feldman et al., 2011). Examples include: – Implementing energy and water monitoring systems, efficiency solutions, and renewable options, to include effective preventive mainte nance, provides cost savings for the facility and creates op portunities for the incarcerated population to be trained on the latest technologies. – Creating gardening, farm ing, animal, or other nature-involved programs pro ated population. Enhancing the natural and physical spaces at the facility increases wellness metrics. Cost savings may be generated from these activities. Donating the food and plants to local communities gives the facilities an opportunity to pro vide a community service. – Diverting waste from landfills saves money on trash fees and programs can be created to train and provide credentials in the recycling, composting, and waste-management fields. Deconstruction of building materials can generate revenue and provide job training. Re cycling products and compost may be sold as well depending vides access to education, certifications, and positive socialization for the incarcer

on the policies of your juris diction. Compost can also be used as a soil amendment to support gardening or farming programs. – Use of safe, nontoxic chemi cals in correctional facilities reduces the risk of illness, abuse, increases safety, pro tects the environment, and provides work opportunities in correctional industries or with other vendors. – Partnering with local uni versities, town councils, or city governments with waste, energy, or other programs provides an opportunity for the facility to foster coopera tive working relationships with members of their community. Those relationships can lead to more reentry opportunities for the incarcerated population as they transition home. Fostering successful culture change at any level can be chal lenging and establishing buy-in with small wins along the way is essential. Involving staff and the in carcerated population in the creation and implementation of programs that foster economic, security, en vironmental, and social wellness is essential to ensure their success and long-term sustainability (Feldman et al., 2011). The exchange of these ideas and programs throughout the correctional community is fa cilitated through the Sustainability Committee, meeting twice a year at ACA conferences. The Sustainability Committee is comprised of a diverse group of professionals from correctional

agencies, non-profit and community based organizations, and for-profit groups that apply core principles of sustainability and resiliency to reduce operating costs, increase safety, provide potential sources of revenue, and provide green career opportunities for people in our com munities, while also respecting and protecting natural and human re sources. Collectively, our committee has a unique opportunity to change lives, and introduce and implement sustainable changes that impact generations of incarcerated individu als, corrections professionals, and the communities we serve. We’d like to take this oppor tunity to invite any interested correctional professionals to a committee meeting during the next ACA conference. Please contact Lois Fegan, committee Chair, at lois.fegan@vadoc.virginia.gov for more information. CT REFERENCES Ahalt C, Haney C, Ekhaugen K, Williams B. (2020). Role of a US-Norway Exchange in Placing Health and Well-Being at the Center of US Prison Reform . American Journal of Public Health. Jan;110(S1):S27-S29. Amend (2024). Changing Correctional Culture . https://amend.us/prison-culture-change- initiative Feldman, M., Greene, F., Kirschenbaum, S., Mukamal, D., Welsh, M., Pinderhughes, R. (2011, March). The Greening of Corrections: Creating a Sustainable System . National Institute of Corrections No. 024914.

Lois E. Fegan, MS, PMP is the Chief of Restorative and Diversionary Housing for the Virginia Department of Corrections.

Fall 2024 | Corrections Today

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