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Conclusion For decades, law enforcement and corrections relied on “brute facts,” pieces of small, concrete, objective realities that provided the bare bones of communica tion. Often releases were not made public, or only done sporadically after a complaint or a media inquiry. But now, with nearly everyone having access to technology that enables them to be a “reporter,” corrections officials need to have a “dual perspective:” a positive, proactive, engaged and transparent communications practice that requires awareness of ourselves, our organizations and the community stakeholders who rely on us to keep them safe and secure. 14 Crises, particularly those involving escaped inmates, present many challenges for executives of correctional institutions. Having a plan or framework like the one described in this article can help leaders prepare for a crisis, respond in a timely and clear manner and bring a sense of control, calm and order when a community is in fear. By developing a comprehensive crisis communica tion plan, effectively implementing it during a crisis and learning from the incident through after-action reviews, corrections executives can protect their agency’s reputa tion, ensure the safety of staff and inmates, and maintain public trust. CT END NOTES 1 While space does not allow for a full listing of the resources beyond those specifically cited below, further resources and information are available from the author via email (cmay3231@stevenson.edu). 2 Cornelissen, Joep. 2014. Corporate communication: A guide to theory and practice. 4 th ed. Sage. 3 Peterson, Bryce. 2014. Newsworthiness of Prison Escapes: Content Analysis of Factors Influencing Print Media Coverage, 2006-2010. American International Journal of Social Science. 5 Kim, Hyo J., & Cameron, Glen T. 2011. Emotions Matter in Crisis: The Role of Anger and Sadness in the Publics’ Response to Crisis News Framing and Corporate Crisis Response. Communication Research, 38(6), 826-855. https://doi.org/10.1177/0093650210385813 5 Cann, Christopher and Jeanine Santucci. 2023, September 7. ‘Fright at night’: Family of prison escapee’s murder victim fear for lives amid Pa. search. USA TODAY. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/ nation/2023/09/07/prisoner-danelo-cavalcante-manhunt-search-pennsylva nia-video/70783466007/ 6 Levy, Doug. 2024. The Communicators Golden Hour. 2 nd Ed. Publisher. Corrections officials and public information officers should keep handy this two-page crisis guide published by the FBI: https://le.fbi.gov/file-reposito ry/fbi-crisis-communications-reference-guide-111022.pdf/view

7 May, Colin (2022, April). Strategic Communications: A Multidimensional Multicultural Perspective. Police Chief Magazine. https://www.policechief magazine.org/strategic-communications/?ref=f5024ce457e1330038df9bd5 cc0c4cf5 8 Pal, Judy. 2024, February. Getting Messaging Right When it Really Matters. Police Chief Magazine. https://www.policechiefmagazine.org/ getting-messaging-right/?ref=81d6e2fee236fb0594c164f0aca0f732 9 Sellnow, Timothy & Seeger, Matthew. 202). Theorizing Crisis Communication, 2nd ed. Wiley-Blackwell 10 These categories were adapted, in part, from: Peterson, Bryce, Adam Fera, and Jeff Mellow. 2016. Escapes from Correctional Custody: A New Examination of an Old Phenomenon. The Prison Journal. 96(4) and Carlson, Katherine. 1990, June. Prison Escapes and Community Consequences: Results of a Case Study. Federal Probation. 11 Crises generate significant angst and anxiety among both staff and those in the vicinity of the escape location, as well as the greater community, especially as extended periods of time pass without capture. One way to help relieve these concerns is to build a positive working relationship with local media well before an incident. For additional suggestions, see: Handelman, Stephen and Joe Domanick. 2012. Building Productive Relationships with the Media: Dealing with New Media Culture During Crisis Situations. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. https://portal.cops.usdoj.gov/resourcecenter/content. ashx/cops-w0643-pub.pdf 12 CALL’s website (https://www.army.mil/CALL) also has resources on identifying lessons learned and conducting after-action reviews. For a more extensive guide for law enforcement critical incidents, consult National Police Foundation. 2020. How to Conduct an After Action Review. Washington, DC: Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. https://portal.cops.usdoj.gov/resourcecenter/RIC/Publications/ cops-w0878-pub.pdf 13 Schwartz, Jeffrey and Cynthia Barry. 2005. A Guide to Preparing for and Responding to Prison Emergencies: Self-Audit Checklists, National Survey Results, Resource Materials, [and] Case Studies. LETRA Inc./ National Institute of Corrections https://nicic.gov/ resources/nic-library/all-library-items/guide-preparing-and-responding prison-emergencies-self 14 Wood, Julia T. (2000). Communication theories in action: an introduction (2nd ed.). Wadsworth.

Colin May, M.S., CFE, 3CE, INCI is a Professor of Criminal Justice and Forensic Studies at Stevenson University in Owings Mills, Maryland. For over 20 years, he has served in law enforcement, criminal justice, investigations, and public service at the federal, state and local level. He served for a term on the New Hampshire State Advisory Group on Juvenile

Justice in the late 1990s and is a National Certified Instructor through the International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards and Training. His writings have been published in the FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, Training and Standards Director Magazine, Talent Development Magazine, Police Chief Magazine, and other national publications. The views in this article are his own.

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