Corrections_Today_March_April_2021_Vol.83_No.2

Executive Office

National Correctional Officers and Employees Week

May 2–8, 2021

If you want to know about the American Correctional Association, there are two defining statements that we suggest you read —ACA’s Vision Statement and ACA’s Mission Statement. Respectively, they are : Pause, reflect, remember and honor the ‘true heroes’

The American Correctional Association shapes the future of corrections through strong, progressive leadership that brings together various voices and forges coalitions and partnerships to promote the concepts embodied in its Declaration of Principles.

The American Correctional Association provides a professional organization for all individuals and groups, both public and private that share a common goal of improving the justice system.

Those words sum up ACA – they sum up what we are. But if you want to know who we are, then you need to read the words of a former president of the United States of America: Correctional officers have the difficult and often dangerous assignment of ensuring the custody, safety and well-being of … inmates in our Nation’s prisons and jails. Their position is essential to the day-to-day opera- tions of these institutions; without them it would be impossible to achieve the foremost institutional goals of security and control. Historically, correctional officers have been viewed as “guards,” occupying isolated and misunderstood positions in prisons and jails. In recent years, the duties of these officers have become increasingly complex and demanding. They are called upon to fill, simultaneously, custodial, supervisory and counseling roles. The professionalism, dedication and courage exhibited by these officers throughout the performance of these de - manding and often conflicting roles deserve our utmost respect. It was 1984, when then-President Ronald Reagan put forth those words as his core message of Presidential Proclamation 5187. The ultimate purpose of the proclamation was to bring recognition to the men and women who, day in and day out, dedicate their lives to the work of corrections. As proclamation 5187 pointed out, the first full week of May was dedicated the time of celebration. Approximately 12 years later, in 1996, Congress expanded National Correctional Officers Week to be more inclusive, and rightfully so. Since that time, the celebratory first week in May has been known as National Cor - rectional Officers and Employees Week — NCOEW.

46 — March/April 2021 Corrections Today