Corrections_Today_July_August_2021_Vol.83_No.4

Finding His Calling p. 12

Today Corrections July/August 2021

An Opportunity to Honor, Praise and Cherish p. 26

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American Correctional Association Corrections Today July/August 2021 Vol. 83, No. 4

Features 12

Tony Parker Finding his calling By the Tennessee Department of Corrections

26 An opportunity to honor, praise and cherish National Corrections Officers and Employees Week 2021 By Kirk Raymond

18

Promoting communication and

engagement for youth who are deaf or hard of hearing in juvenile correctional facilities By Carolina Lebene Kudesey, Sarah Cox, Sara Sanders and Kristine Jolivette

Cover photo courtesy Ellis Williams, AV Specialist, Photographer

2 — July/August 2021 Corrections Today

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OFFICERS President Tony C. Parker, Tennessee Immediate Past President Gary C. Mohr, Ohio Vice President Tony M. Wilkes, Tennessee President-Elect Denise M. Robinson, Ohio Treasurer Harbans S. Deol, Ph.D., Nebraska Board of Governors Representatives Elizabeth F. “Beth” Arthur Derrick D. Schofield, Ph.D. Secretary James A. Gondles Jr., CAE, Virginia EDITORIAL STAFF EDITOR-IN-CHIEF James A. Gondles Jr., CAE Managing Editor Kirk Raymond GRAPHICS AND PRODUCTION STAFF Graphic Designer Carla DeCarlo ADVERTISING AND MARKETING STAFF Director, Conventions, Advertising and Corporate Relations Kelli McAfee Production Coordinator Mary Misisco ACA Executive Office and Directors Executive Director James A. Gondles Jr., CAE Deputy Executive Director Jeffrey Washington senior executive Assistant India Vargas

Article and photo submissions: Managing Editor, 206 N. Washington St., Suite 200, Alexandria, VA 22314; email submissions@aca.org. Articles must be in Microsoft Word. Please include all contact information. Unless expressly requested in writing, all photos and artwork submitted become the property of ACA and may be used in future ACA publications. Articles and photos will not be returned unless expressly requested by author. Microfilm: Corrections Today is available for electronic reproduction through ProQuest Information and Learning Co., 300 N. Zeeb Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48106-1346; 313-761-4700.

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Conventions, Advertising and Corporate Relations Director Kelli McAfee Financial Services and Human Resources Director William Lake Membership and Customer Service Director Roberta Gibson International Initiatives Director Elizabeth Gondles, Ph.D. — Senior Director Office of Correctional Health Director Elizabeth Gondles, Ph.D. — Senior Director Mike Miskell, MPH, CHES ® — Director Standards and Accreditation Director David Haasenritter Professional Development Director Elizabeth Gondles, Ph.D. — Senior Director Doreen Efeti, MPH, MBA, MCHES ® , DHSc — Director Information Technology Director Crystal Rock

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Corrections Today July/August 2021 — 3

6 News&Views

6 From Jim’s Desk 8 Correctional Chaplain Perspectives

8

37 ACA Featured Departments

38 Welcome New Members 40 Certification List 42 Professional Development Update 44 Corrections Calendar 46 Index to Advertisers/ Product Index

42

The American Correctional Association is fully engaged in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. ACA has taken the lead to provide its members around the world with vital information geared to protecting the health and safety of correctional professionals everywhere. From webinars, produced by ACA’s Office of Correctional Health, to the latest information that focuses on managing the stress of uncertainty by taking care of you, ACA’s re- sponse has been intelligent, knowledgeable and thorough. In an unprecedented display of servant-leadership, ACA has brought together its sponsors, supporters and other correctional organizations to give valuable and much need- ed resources to those who need it at no charge. To stay abreast of this “emerging, rapidly evolving situation,” we en- courage you to visit the ACA website regularly. There you will find online COVID-19 resources, important information, messages from our leadership and ACA’s “Wall of Honor” which lists our correctional heroes who gave their last full measure in fighting this insidious virus.

4 — July/August 2021 Corrections Today

The Wall of Honor

A dedication to the corrections professionals who gave their last full measure.

When the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic struck, lives were upended every- where. Some lives were lost and, unfortunately, the loss of life continues to rise daily. Most of us know that it is the “first responders” to whom we owe an unpayable debt. And among those brave individuals, standing front and center, are the proud men and women of corrections. It is with heavy hearts that we join grief-stricken families and loved ones to express our heartfelt sympathies for those who have died be- cause of this insidious virus. Visit www.aca,org to view the most current list of names of the corrections professionals who gave their last full measure.

Visit www.aca.org and click on the “Wall of Honor” spotlight link.

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From Jim’s Desk nEWS&vIEWS

No Compromise?

T hese days it seems as if any- thing and everything we do results in division. Vote for rump/Vote for Biden. Wear a mask/ Do not wear a mask. Get the shot(s)/ Do not get the shot(s). And on and on the divisions go. So let’s examine our history. Dur- ing the American Revolution many “Americans” wanted to remain “Brit- ish”, a sizable number of Americans simply did not want a revolution. The question of slavery divided Americans up to and during the Civil War. The Adams family, a family who produced two American Presi- dents, condemned the practice of slavery before the U.S. Constitution was even written. And many southern citizens opposed that practice too. President Woodrow Wilson tried in vain to stay out of World War I. Many Americans considered that war to be “Europe’s war” and wanted no part of American dough boys “over there”. The same thing was true with World War II. In fact, many people still living fromWorld War I opposed

us going into that war. My grand- mother despised Franklin Roosevelt as she blamed him for two of her sons (my uncles) deaths during that war. Vietnam ripped the nation apart again and young people protested against “Tricky Dick” Nixon and before him, LBJ, for getting us into an Asian war. And it was not only wars that caused deep divisions: women’s right to vote; civil rights; abortion; school segregation; gay rights; tax structures and so on have caused very passionate divisions in our nation. So our divisions today are one of many in our history over the last 250 years. No doubt we are divided over a myriad of items: candidates, sports teams, justice issues, taxes, immigration, people’s rights, the list is endless. The difference today, I suspect, is compounded by technology: cable television, emails, texts, social media, and so on that give all of us instant information (whether that information is accurate or not).

Today’s question over these is- sues/items is simple: can our country survive? It’s time, in my opinion, for every one of us, Presidents, former Presidents, congressional leaders and members, governors, judges, law officers, protesters, anyone and everyone to recognize the United States Constitution is and was a COMPROMISE. Many Americans cloak their views under the cover of the Con- stitution, apparently unaware the very document they so righteously cite, was created as a result of a compromise. The right is not always right; the left is not always right; the center is not always right. And while compromise may not always be right either, can’t we try it a lot more today than any of us are?

James A. Gondles Jr., CAE ACA Executive Director

6 — July/August 2021 Corrections Today

Correctional Behavioral Health Training and Certification Program

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n Adult Correctional Officers n Juvenile Justice Professionals n Allied Behavioral Health Staff n Community Corrections Officers

“The CBHCTraining programhas beenan important tool tohelpour correctional officers get the training and subsequent certification they need toproperly care

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For more information, email healthcare@aca.org

7

nEWS&vIEWS

Correctional Chaplain Perspectives

The value of visits and volunteers By Kristi Miller Anderson, Ph.D.

Introduction B efore landing in the prison reform non-profit world, I worked in various roles in prison facilities, beginning in a chaplaincy role and transitioning to administration. I have great empathy for all those who have worked in the prison setting through the COVID-19

crisis. Those in leadership have worked tirelessly to keep employees and inmates safe and encouraged. Those in security have added “virus containment” to the understanding of safety. Those in programming and treatment have adjusted the deliv- ery of their services amid limited movement and frequent quarantines. Those in chaplaincy have scrambled

to ‘reinvent’ correctional ministry amid the loss of a volunteer force, constraints on gathering and move- ment, and increased fear and tension among the inmate population. In the midst of their own struggles in navi- gating the COVID-19 world, heroic measures were demanded of the corrections workforce, to which they rose and demonstrated them- selves to be creative and resilient public safety officers. 4 th Purpose Foundation — Visitation 2.0 We at 4 th Purpose Foundation have the mission to make prison a place of transformation, but the lim- ited, or complete lack of, access to facilities for the last year has caused us to think differently about how to carry out our work. In response, we immediately created a “digital visit” that we hoped would fill in the gap in a creative way during the loss of all family visitation and volunteer activity. The project, aptly called “Visitation 2.0,” was well received and made its way into over 1,200 facilities across this country and into Canada. (To learn more about this

Photo courtesy Kristi Miller/4 th Purpose Foundation

8 — July/August 2021 Corrections Today

Correctional Chaplain Perspectives

project, go to www.4thpurpose.org/ visitation2/) The year-long 2020-2021 pan- demic has informed our work in other ways. The importance of human connection is now a normal topic of discussion in every pocket of the world. We want to capitalize on that cultural conversation and share what research demonstrates con- cerning the importance and impact of social and family connection on recidivism. The research behind family connections Encouraging family connection during incarceration was already on the forefront of our minds at 4 th Purpose even before COVID-19 shut down all visitation. In 2016, nearly half of state prisoners (47%) and more than half of federal prisoners (58%) were parents of at least one minor child. 1 More than 2.7 million children in the United States have a parent incarcerated in jail or prison and approximately 10 million children have experienced parental incarceration at some point in their lives. Parental incarceration is currently recognized as an “ad- verse childhood experience” (ACE) being distinguished from other ACEs by the unique combination of trauma, shame, and stigma. 2 Those experiencing childhood trauma and scoring four or more on the 10 ques- tion ACE survey are 20 times more likely to be incarcerated at some point in their lives. 3 For inmates with children, research demonstrates increased family contact and emotional con- nection improves the well-being of the child and the parent. Research

also suggests the strength of the parent-child bond and the quality of the child and family’s social support system play significant roles in the child’s ability to overcome future challenges in life. Positive family connections such as visits and calls have also demonstrated a posi- tive effect on inmate behavior and even recidivism rates. 4 A landmark study by the Minnesota Depart- ment of Corrections, evaluating over 16,000 released inmates, reported Positive family connections such as visits and calls have also demonstrated a positive effect on inmate behavior and even recidivism rates. that even one visit reduced the risk of recidivism by 13% for felony reconvictions and 25% for techni- cal violation revocation. 5 To benefit from this research, 4 th Purpose works with prison administrators to review policies and visitation areas to make sure best practices are being utilized in order for prisons to be as family- visitation-friendly as possible. Many facilities increased digital access for visitation during the COVID-19 shutdown. For those family members

for which distance and financial constraints limited visitation anyway, the use of technology was greatly appreciated. Going forward, even after the major adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have subsided, we hope to see a continuation of digital resources to augment in- person visitation. Pro-social connections of the volunteer force The value of family visits, how- ever, do not help the approximately 40% of inmates who will not receive any visits during their incarceration. 6 Matthew Charles, one of the first to be released from federal prison as a result of the First Step Act, was recently interviewed for a Visita- tion 2.0 episode. In that interview, he stated he did not receive a single visit his entire 21 years of incarcera- tion. He also stated the volunteers became his family, and he greatly looked forward to their weekly visits. Furthermore, research demonstrates volunteer visits, that is, visits from community volunteers who do not have a familial or social tie to the in- mate, reduced the risk of recidivism by 31%. 7 The presence of volunteers has been greatly missed in the prisons and jails the past year of COVID-19. The pandemic crisis fur- ther demonstrated what we already knew — our volunteers are extreme- ly valuable in the lives of individuals in our prison facilities! Correctional chaplain’s role Chaplains are usually the gate- keeper for a prison’s volunteer force. A chaplain typically conducts the mandatory volunteer trainings and approves the volunteer activities. →

Corrections Today July/August 2021 — 9

nEWS&vIEWS

Therefore, volunteer activity necessarily translates as an increased workload for chaplains. It’s easy to hinder volunteer interaction and pro- grams when a busy work schedule doesn’t allow margin for anything other than necessities. Not to men- tion, there are additional security risks on both the chaplain and prison security staff whenever outsiders are inside the prison grounds. Thus, the temptation is to limit the flow of volunteers into our facilities. With these realities on the table, we must be willing to assess the research and make decisions that benefit the inmate and increase his or her likeli- hood of success upon release into the community. Best practices for correctional chaplains Prison volunteers are typically a highly educated, committed and reliable group who represent proso- cial institutions and practices. They represent the kind of influence our inmates desperately need. Taking this with the research findings of reduced recidivism linked to the presence and activity of volunteers, every chaplain should evaluate the institutional policies related to volunteers and determine if unnecessary barriers are in place that would limit their positive influence. To my correctional chaplaincy friends, I ask you: Do you value your volunteer force? Are you utilizing them to their fullest? Imagine every volunteer you train and interact with, every memo you create and event you clear, you may be creating the only “visit” some inmates will ever have.

Photos courtesy Kristi Miller/4 th Purpose Foundation

ENDNOTES 1 Maruschak, Laura, “Parents in Prison and Their Minor Children,” US Department of Justice , March 2021 retrieved from https://www.bjs.gov/index. cfm?ty=pbdetail&iid=7309 2 Rutgers University: National Resource Center on Children & Families of the Incarcerated, “Children and Families of the Incarcerated Fact Sheet,” retrieved from https://nrccfi.camden.rutgers.edu/ files/nrccfi-fact-sheet-2014.pdf 3 Ford, Katharine, “Measuring ACEs in an Offender Population,” Health Research Authority , August 2017, retrieved from https://www.hra.nhs.uk/ planning-and-improving-research/application- summaries/research-summaries/measuring-aces-in- an-offender-population/ 4 Joshua C. Cochran, “The Ties that Bind or the Ties That Break: Examining the Relationship between Visitation and Prisoner Misconduct,” Journal of Criminal Justice 40 (5): 433-40, 2012; Karen De Claire and Louise Dixon, “The Effects of Prison Visits from Family members on Prisoners’Well-Being, Prison Rule Breaking, and Recidivism: A Review of Research since 1991,” Trauma, Violence, & Abuse 18 (2): 185-99, 2017; Grant Duwe and Valarie Clark, “Blessed Be the Social Tie That Binds: The Effects of Prison

Visitation on Offender Recidivism,” Criminal Justice Policy Review 24 (3): 271-96, 2013. 5 Minnesota Department of Corrections, “The Effects of Prison Visitation on Offender Recidivism” November 2011, 27. Retrieved from https://mn.gov/doc/assets/11-11MNPrison VisitationStudy_tcm1089-272781.pdf 6 “The Effects of Prison Visits from Community Volunteers on Offender Recidivism,” The Prison Journal 96 (2):279-303, 2016. Retrieved from https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/ abs/10.1177/0032885515618468 7 “Prison Volunteers: Profiles, Motivations, Satisfaction,” Journal of Offender Rehabilitation 40 (1/2): 173-183, 2004. Retrieved from file: ///C:/Users/m43f791/Downloads/Prison VolunteersJOR_2004.pdf

Dr. Kristi Miller Anderson is the research and programs officer for 4 th Purpose Foundation.

10 — July/August 2021 Corrections Today

11

n Profile

12 — July/August 2021 Corrections Today

Finding His Calling Tony Parker

By The Tennessee Department of Corrections

T ony Parker had it all figured out. Fresh out of high school and working on his father’s West ennessee farm, Parker decided he would work at the Lake County (TN) Regional Correctional Facility until he could land his dream job with the highway patrol. But a knee injury and a surprising realization about college set him on a course that would change his plans forever. →

The Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee.

Image: istock/ehrlif

Corrections Today July/August 2021 — 13

n Profile

Tony Parker, TN Correctional Officer, 1983.

Photo courtesy Tennessee Department of Corrections

Learning on the job In the summer of 1983, the 19-year-old Parker began what he thought would be a short-lived career in correc- tions. “Back then we didn’t have a corrections academy. Your training was on the job every day. Policies were just being developed in Tennessee and you couldn’t pick which shift you wanted to work. They put you on a shift and that’s where you were. I ended up on third shift,” he remembered. After three years of working third shift, Parker was promoted to corporal. But before he could rise further through the ranks, he would have to do the one thing he believed was insurmountable — go to college. “I remember being so intimidated by the thought of going to college because nobody in my family ever went to college and nobody ever talked to me about going to college,” Parker said. He took a chance and enrolled at Dyersburg State Community College. “It didn’t take me long to figure out that I could do this. I was 27 at the time and the people in my classes were much different than me! Younger and not as focused,” Parker concluded. Parker graduated with an associate’s degree in criminal justice and a 3.87 GPA. Soon after came an opportunity to attend the University of Tennessee-Martin on an academic scholarship to work on his bachelor’s degree. He attended class in the morning, worked at the prison on 2 nd shift and graduated with a 3.95 GPA in two years. “This was the moment I truly learned the value of edu- cation. I was old enough to understand how an education helps you with your career, with self-esteem and dealing with everyday struggles,” he said.

Parker, circa 1993, TN Correctional Lieutenant.

Photos courtesy Tennessee Department of Corrections

14 — July/August 2021 Corrections Today

“Working together, we can achieve these goals and build upon ACA’s one hundred and fifty-one-year legacy as a champion for corrections and correctional effectiveness.” — Tony Parker

→ Photos courtesy Tennessee Department of Corrections Photo courtesy Tennessee Department of Corrections

Discovering his calling Even with his new degrees and promotions, Parker still had his sights set on the highway patrol. “I remem- ber praying about the job but my application kept getting declined time and time again until finally, I got the call. I was about to become a state trooper,” he said. But, as luck would have it, three weeks before he was set to report to the training academy, Parker suffered a se- vere knee injury. His dream of a career with the highway patrol was dealt a devastating blow that left Parker disap- pointed. But, the disappointment wouldn’t last long. The following month, he was promoted to assistant warden at the West Tennessee State Penitentiary. “I didn’t realize until after I had been promoted but I soon realized God’s will for me was to remain in Cor- rections. I was trying to go against what I was really supposed to be doing all along. I was eventually promoted to Warden and it was at this point, I knew my career would be working in the corrections field,” Parker said.

Two more promotions came for Parker. First, as cor- rectional administrator then assistant commissioner. Just as he was settling into his newest position, Parker was approached about another educational opportunity. This time, a master’s degree at the Naval Post Graduate School in Monterey, California. It wasn’t long until former Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam called, wanting to hear Parker’s thoughts on corrections and the mission of the Tennessee Department of Correction. “That conversation centered around the significant substance use and mental health issues that people face and how the mission of corrections, with the help of ACA, had shifted from a retribution model to a rehabilitation model because that is how you enhance public safety,” he stated. It was that conversation that led to Parker’s appointment as Commissioner of the Ten- nessee Department of Correction and 3 years later, his reappointment by Governor Bill Lee.

Corrections Today July/August 2021 — 15

n Profile

a safer place to work and live. In addition, ACAwill provide tools for staff to use in skilled de-escalation techniques that will reduce the need for physical inter- vention, through multi-disciplinary service teams. –– Expanding the use of technology to magnify rehabil- itative initiatives and training, as well as expanding communication platforms such as social media and virtual platforms to ensure the American Correc- tional Association’s message becomes a resounding voice to members, the public, and around the world.

Photo courtesy Tennessee Department of Corrections

“I’m confident that I’m where I should be and where the Lord wants me.” — Tony Parker

Sharing the wisdom of a lifetime President Parker has laid out four key initiatives for his term as the 107 th President of ACA. They center around strategies to enhance safety and educate the public about the complexity and the true nature of corrections: –– Helping others to see corrections as a place that offers opportunities for positive transformation through effective rehabilitation. It is his belief this is the true mission of corrections. Correctional staff provide a great example of true public servants and professionals. Finding innovative ways elevate the public’s perception of corrections work and as stated in our goals, continue to lead and serve as the voice of the accrediting body of corrections both here in the United States and around the world is a critical policy goal. –– Working closely with higher educational institutions in expanding the training/

About these goals, Parker said: “Working together, we can achieve these goals and build upon ACA’s one hundred and fifty-one-year legacy as a champion for cor - rections and correctional effectiveness.” Respect for the people who work in corrections is the cornerstone of Parker’s presidency.

educational opportunities for correctional staff through the use of ACA’s world class e-learning tools and extensive training programs. –– Expanding our focus on providing train- ing for correctional staff in recognizing and responding to the signs and symptoms of mental illness. Most correctional popula- tions have seen a significant increase in individuals with mental health diagnosis. The American Correctional Association has been very successful in providing Correctional Behavioral Health training to many agencies. This will make the correctional environment

Photo courtesy Tennessee Department of Corrections

16 — July/August 2021 Corrections Today

“The real work of corrections takes place among the people who work in our facilities and in our com- munities,” he said. “The issues we deal with at the administration level is all concept and strategy but executing the plan is dependent upon the people who wear the uniforms, conduct the programs, deliver the education and the treatment programs that address substance abuse and mental health issues. They are the people who really do the work of corrections and I am proud to have worked alongside them for the past 38 years.” Parker summed up his experiences in corrections by saying “If I had to do it all over again, I would. When I started my career in correction, I thought it would be temporary until something else came along. I’m con- fident that I’m where I should be and where the Lord wants me. I have a wonderful life in Tennessee with my beautiful wife, Misty, our 24-year-old daughter and seven-year-old twins. I don’t know what is next ... we’ll have to wait and see,” he concluded. u

Photo courtesy Tennessee Department of Corrections

For more information, contact the Office of Correctional Health at healthcare@aca.org.

Corrections Today July/August 2021 — 17

n Communication

Promoting communication and engagement for youth who are deaf or hard of hearing in juvenile correctional facilities

By Carolina Lebene Kudesey, Sarah Cox, Sara Sanders and Kristine Jolivette

18 — July/August 2021 Corrections Today

W hen the needs of youth with hearing being served in juvenile correctional facilities, several negative implications may be realized. Such implications include: (a) their constitutional and statutory rights of access may be compromised (US National Association of the Deaf, 2008). For example, Title II of the Americans with Disability Act (ADA) requires state and federal governments to ensure that persons with disabilities have equal opportunity to benefit from all government activities, programs, and services (Pindilli, 2020) and school-age youth with disabilities are afforded rights under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA); (b) the youth may be exposed to or experience trauma in the facility due to communication barriers and approaches, lack of implementation of best practices specifically for those who are DHH, and a lack of Deaf culture awareness across staff (e.g., Strassman & Hall, 1999; Willis & Vernon, 2002) with 40% of youth experiencing elevated levels of depression and 25% having difficulty engaging with peers (Gryglewicz et al., 2017); (c) the youth’s safety within the facility may be compromised (e.g., in an emergency in the facility, without proper disabilities - those who are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) — are not addressed while

concerns, we provide examples of considerations and best practices for staff working in correctional facilities to promote engagement and communication with their youth who are DHH, detail the diverse nature of DHH, and highlight ineffective practices for staff to avoid. We posit that successful treatment and programming for youth who are DHH should be a holistic (e.g., whole- youth) approach so as to address their physical, cognitive, socio-emotional, cultural, language, and communication needs; and all staff need to be trained to work effectively with this population. This is important given the increase of this population of youth in juvenile justice facilities (Willis & Vernon, 2002). About 2 to 3 out of every 1,000 children in the United States are born with a detectable level of hearing loss in one or both ears. Over 13% of juveniles aged 12 years or older have hearing loss in both ears, based on standard hearing examinations in the United States. About 8% of youth 10 years and above who are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) are served in correctional facilities. (National In- stitute on Deafness and other Communication Disorders, 2016). The different degrees of hearing loss are measured in decibels (dB; see Table 1). Also, the DHH community

Table 1 Classification of the Different Degrees of Hearing Loss

communication, these youth may not evacuate the emergency scene on time; Pindilli, 2020); and (d) their engagement in rehabilitative and habilitative focused treatment and programming may be less than/different than their peers (Strassman & Hall, 1999). Given these possible negative implications, many juvenile correctional facilities are re-assessing services provided to and policies affecting these youth to ensure improved and fair treatment of all youth, including those who are DHH, in the facilities (Lewis, 2015). Unfortunately, little is known about the policies, procedures, and strategies to promote engagement of and eliminate the gaps between youth who are DHH and their hearing peers in juvenile correctional facilities; and even less research on this population in facilities. To address these

Hearing loss range measured in Decibels (dB)

Degree of hearing loss

Normal

10 to 15

Slight

16 to 25

Mild

26 to 40

Moderate

41 to 55

Moderately severe

56 to 70

Severe

71 to 90

Profound

91 and above

Note: Adapted from Clark, J. G. (1981). Uses and abuses of hearing loss classification. ASHA, 23 , 493–500.

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Table 2 Diversity of the Deaf Community

Category

Description

Culture Association/Language

• Do not consider themselves as part of the Deaf community • Sign language is not their primary choices of communication • They prefer associating with the hearing world

• Audiological proven condition of not hearing • The hearing loss level is between moderately severe to profound • They see their hearing loss as a medical condition • Some may refer to it as a disability

deaf (written with lowercase “d”)

• They take pride in their Deaf identity • Common sociolinguistic background

• Most often communicate with sign language • Identify as part of the Deaf culture, they share common values and behavioral norms, beliefs and customs • They choose a particular communication mode considering the degree of either the vision and/or hearing loss and unset • Some communication mode includes tactile sign, pictures and vocalization • Many have used spoken language in some part of their lives • May be able to lip read and benefit from their residual hear - ing to communicate • Sometime they can speak • Because they may not hear themselves when speaking, their speech may contain some distortions

Deaf (written with an uppercase “D”)

• Has some level of deafness and blindness

Deaf blind

• Hearing level is between mild to moderate

Hard of hearing

• Onset of hearing loss was after acquiring spoken language • Possible cause of deafness include certain injections, medication, accidents or illness (e.g., meningitis)

Late deafened

Note: Adapted from Lewis, T. A. (2015). Deaf inmates: Communication strategies and legal considerations. Corrections Today, 77 (3), 44; and Woodward, J. (1972) ‘Implications for Sociolinguistics Research among the Deaf’. Sign Language Studies , 1, 1–17.

is diverse and individuals identify themselves within a category considering factors such as language use, onset of hearing loss, and hearing levels (see Table 2). Promoting engagement and communication during waking hours We offer several considerations and strategies for cor- rectional agencies and facility staff to use when providing treatment and programming services to youth who are DHH under their care. These considerations and strate- gies are best practices and are not presented in order of

importance. Agencies and staff should strive to adopt as many of these suggestions as possible into their daily operations and interactions with youth who are DHH. Such suggestions should be interwoven into the academy training to promote sustainability across time and capaci- ty-building and competency across staff. Acknowledge identity During the in-take process, staff should ask the youth who is DHH about their preferred terminology or iden- tification. For example Deaf, deaf, hard of hearing, or Deaf blind are all options/preferences and once this is

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known, all staff needs to know this terminology prefer- ence. Also, their preferred terminology or identification should be built into their treatment and programming plans. If the youth shares with staff their preference or identification of their hearing loss, it is necessary to use exactly what they like. Because of the diverse nature of the deaf and hard of hearing community, youth will have their own personal reasons for choosing a particular way of identification and this should be respected. Also, at intake, it is critical that staff ensure the youth’s hearing device is working, and it is documented staff cannot take the hearing device away from the youth. Some hearing devices amplify sound for the youth so they may hear bet- ter (Schlosser, 2003). Getting youth attention Securing the attention of a youth who is DHH is the first and most important step in communicating with them. But how do you appropriately and respectfully gain attention of a youth who is DHH? These youth may benefit from visuals or vibration — non-verbal com - munication cues which are common methods used to get attention without signed or spoken words. When atten- tion is gained, then the youth can engage effectively. For example, if you are in front of or to the side of the youth, you can wave your hand in an up and down motion in their peripheral vision field, or you may flash a light on and off once or twice to obtain attention. However, this strategy should be used with caution. If the light is flashed rapidly or many times, the youth or others in the environment may become annoyed or others may think there is an emergency thereby increasing trauma. Also, before you start a conversation, say the youth’s name before talking more as this may reduce the chance of the youth missing words at the beginning of the con- versation. If you are working with an interpreter, the interpreter will sign the youth’s name as you mention it which helps to build trust and a positive relationship with the youth. Youth who are DHH have sign names which are unique to them, and these names are mostly signed around the upper parts of the body from the chest to the face (Jarvis & Iantaffi 2006). Maintain eye contact when communicating When communicating with a youth who is DHH, always face the youth and make eye contact. When you

speak directly to them it is a sign of respect and allows them to also read your facial expressions. It is important, as much as possible, to maintain eye contact throughout your conversation and not to look away or cover your mouth as this helps the youth who rely on lip reading to better understand you (Ross, 2016). Both staff and youth should maintain eye contact when communicating with the youth and do so throughout the conversation. Other youth in the conversation may need to be given a ratio- nale as to why they need to maintain eye contact with the youth who is DHH as doing so with other youth may not be the norm.

Both staff and youth should maintain eye contact when

communicating with the youth and do so throughout the conversation.

Speak naturally Staff should speak clearly, slowly and in a natural tone and voice. Staff should not mumble, shout, or exagger- ate their mouth movements as it may distort lip patterns and speech sounds - making lip reading more difficult. The communication between the staff and the youth who is DHH should be interactive, natural, and comfortable (Sirch et al., 2017). Minimizing environmental noise There are several common communication practices which will need to be remedied for youth who are DHH related to competing noise. First, background noise should be eliminated/decreased prior to beginning a conversation with a youth who is DHH or at least move yourself and the youth away from the noise. It is difficult to hear and concentrate in a nosy environment for any- one. Second, when the facility intercom system is in use to signal activity changes and emergency codes, it will be important to immediately gain the youth’s attention to communicate this information. This will decrease youth

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confusion and/or trauma of the events and the actions they are to take. In emergency scenarios, a pre-identified staff member should be assigned to the youth who is DHH to ensure clear, timely, and adequate messaging occurs. Third, when security announces lights out or door closure requests from the end of the hall or control area, he/she will need to do so in much closer proximity to the youth who is DHH who may not hear the prompts from such a distance amongst other noises (e.g., other youth talking, tv/movie sounds, and clang of cell doors). Fourth, the use of audible staff walkie talkies should be mini- mized through the use of earbuds or other electronics. Obviously, the use of walkie talkies are to promote the safety and security of all youth and staff; however, they can exude loud, constant, and unnecessary noise into the environment interfering with the youth who is DHH from understanding others or participating in activities. Such noise is not typical outside juvenile facilities and can serve as trauma triggers as well as a distraction to all. Use proper lighting and distance Staff should stand a meter or two away from the youth who is DHH and be sure to stand in good light when talking with the youth. Staff need to position themselves so the light is shining on their face and not in the eyes of the youth while making sure their face is not in a shadow. This is important for youth who are hearing-aid users, lip-readers, and signers. It is important to keep

one’s distance. For example, during group sessions, the counselor should stand or sit in a better lighting environ- ment to help the youth to see the counselor’s lips, facial expressions, and other communication signals (Cunning- ham & Falk 2020). Understanding the conversation In a conversation, if staff did not understand what the youth who is DHH said directly to you or from the interpreter, do not hesitate to ask them to repeat what they said. Asking the youth to repeat their ideas reduces frustration and helps promote clearer communication. In a group conversation, staff need to take turns speaking to youth who are DHH as the youth can only watch one speaker at a time just as the interpreter can only interpret one speaker’s speech at a time. Note, if the youth express- es difficulty understanding a particular sentence or word staff used, try to find a different way of saying the same thing, rather than repeating the original words over and over, and include visual cues when necessary. Staff may point to what/whom they are talking about or use gestures and appropriate facial expressions to support their mes- sage. If staff cannot use sign language or feel they do not know how to communicate with the youth, they should feel free to use other ways to communicate (e.g., pen and paper). If using pen and paper, the youth will need per- mission to use them to communicate with staff given pen and or paper may be considered contraband in specific

Notes for Corrections Officers in dealing with the DHH Community

Facial hair Staff faces should be free of hair (e.g., long beards or moustaches) which can interfere with the youth’s lip reading abilities. Mouth movements Staff should not be eating or chewing while talking with youth who are DHH as it present challenges to lip-reading and understanding. Position yourself to the better ear If the youth discussed with staff about how they hear better in one ear than the other, this needs to be communicated to all staff so they may best position them- self for the conversation with youth. This should be a follow-up question during the in-take process if the youth states they have a hearing issue.

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