Corrections_Today_May-June_2022_Vol.84_No.3

n Education

Correctional officers are also a large contingent of citizens with a personal stake in the outcomes of policy de bates surrounding criminal justice and represent an “issue public” who are highly attuned to this issue. 6 Who better to contribute to policy issues and hot topics in criminal justice and corrections than the individuals with the most direct experience of the problems? Part of educating is presenting information and knowledge. Enabling visitors to form their opinions requires correctional officers to be invited to share their knowledge and information. Understanding that the conversation is about them, correctional officers must be willing to engage in the collaborative process. This has not been the case in the past and would require the understand ing that contributing to the discussion on policy change and reform contributes to the overall narrative being created about correctional officers themselves. The team aspect of collaboration The public has had access to the information presented by special interest groups, advocates, academics and reformers. When correctional officers are invited to the conversation and accept the invitation for collaboration and contribution, communities will gain a unique learning experience and a chance at real criminal justice reform. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime believes that to have effective prison reform, criminal justice poli cies must change, including sentencing policies and crime prevention policies, as well as a need for improvement to the treatment of those within the community who are most vulnerable. 5 These changes do not occur because of a single entity’s efforts. If effective prison reform requires effective changes of policy and improved treatment of the individual, then it must be clear that you cannot present a dialogue for meaningful change without including the stakeholders responsible for both policy and practice. Today’s political and social climates are ripe with opportunities for meaningful change if the collaborative process is allowed to occur and include representatives from all fields affected by the criminal justice system, including correctional officers. There are current funding availabilities, political interest and technical capacity to provide coordinated efforts to better serve communities afflicted by mass incarceration. 3 Options to shift policy toward assisting those identified as most affected by mass incarceration are available.

Correctional professionals can identify those within their populations that can most benefit from services other than incarceration. Although many outside of the institu tion may desire change, correctional professionals are in a unique position to have the wisdom of experience and the practical knowledge of individual inmates to assist those stakeholders and interested parties in targeting those most in need of assistance. Correctional professionals may read the statements on collaboration and the importance of working to ward a common goal with groups that are frequently in opposition of corrections and feel that this does not describe their role within the criminal justice system. Correctional officers may think their primary and only purpose is to provide fair, firm and consistent custody of individuals until the terms of that person’s commit ment has been satisfied. This thinking needs to change and become more inclusive of a collaborative approach to the job function of a correctional professional. Part of the job description for any person who walks through the staff entrance of a correctional facility and puts on their C.O. badge is to provide safety and security to their community. Collaborating with stakeholders and com munity members will increase the ability to accomplish that mission. Including community members in efforts to make policies shifts the discussion of corrections from solely creating sanctions for the offenders within the system to working to make communities safe while providing an opportunity to draw from the resources, When correctional officers are invited to the conversation and accept the invitation for collaboration and contribution, communities will gain a unique learning experience and a chance at real criminal justice reform.

32 — May/June 2022 Corrections Today