Corrections_Today_Fall_2025_Vol.87_No.3

COMMUNICATIONS

– If (and when) training has been provided for public information officers, back-ups, and executives. – The depth of relationships with law enforcement executives and public information officers in the jurisdiction and neighboring communities, as well as state police and others who would aid in commu nicating during an escape incident. – Prior incidents of escapes and the extent of media coverage of the event.

Following years of research into crisis communica tion, particularly in law enforcement settings, the author has developed a framework correctional leaders can employ to assist them before, during and after an escape incident. The framework, depicted in Chart 1, is flexible and enables leadership to quickly assess the incident and its impacts, devise message strategies for public commu nication and utilize them in a variety of ways.

Chart 1

A plan should be developed or refined and practiced — typically through a tabletop or scenario. This will allow the key executives and public information officers to see what works, what needs updating and what a real situation might present. Reviewing other incidents around the country may also be useful to think through scenarios and how to com municate them to the public. This is also important because watching press conferences provides a window into the types of questions report ers typically ask and this enables you to formulate responses in a safe, non-time intensive setting. Training is a third key element of preparation;

imagine the warden and associate warden are at a train ing conference out of town — who’s up next? Who is capable and trained to speak to the media? Having a plan is critical. Before and after an inmate escape — but most impor tantly during the search operation — it is imperative to practice “social listening.” This involves continuously monitoring social media platforms and online conversa tions to understand public sentiment, gather real-time information and respond to emerging issues such as misinformation or rumor control. While it need not be addressed directly on social media platforms, it should be incorporated into the agency’s messaging strategy. So cial listening is a proactive approach to track and analyze what people are saying. During a law enforcement critical incident or emergency situation, like a prisoner escaping control, social listening becomes crucial for gaining situational

Preparation: The first principle of crisis communication Preparation is essential when it comes to effective crisis communication. 6 This starts with conducting a communications audit to assess the state of current ca pabilities. A correctional agency’s crisis communication audit should review: – Whether the facility/organization has a crisis com munication plan. – If a crisis communication plan exists, when it was last updated. – The date it was last exercised, internally and with mutual aid agencies (especially the public informa tion officers). – Whether individual responsibilities and roles in a crisis are clearly defined.

Corrections Today | Fall 2025

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