Corrections_Today_Summer_2024_Vol.86_No.2

BOOKSHELF

T he American Correctional Association takes great pride in providing insightful and comprehensive book reviews that serve as valuable re sources for corrections professionals. For more information or to become a book reviewer, contact Kirk Raymond at (703) 224-0193 or kraymond@aca.org. Bookshelf

Mid 21 st Century Criminal Justice: Transforming Work Culture Written by John A. Shuford, Kendall Hunt Publishing Company, 2023, 156 pp. REVIEWED BY Gary F. Cornelius. Mr. Cornelius years of service. He is an instructor, consultant, and corrections author. He teaches corrections in-service classes throughout Virginia and has developed training materials for Justice Clearinghouse and Lexipol. His latest book, The High-Performance Correctional Facility: Lessons on Correctional Work, Leadership and Effectiveness is available from the Civic Research Institute. Gary can be reached at adjinstructor@hotmail.com. T he field of law enforcement, including corrections, is facing several problems that in recent years have had a profound impact on those of us that have worked the line, served as train ers, and supervised staff. These retired from the Fairfax County, Virginia Office of the Sheriff, after 27

problems have included shortage of staff and staff stress. Law en forcement supervisors and trainers must use every resource possible to effectively deal with these issues. Staff stress and wellness are criti cal to professionalism in operations and morale. The better that morale and training are, the chances of staff staying in the agency and making a career in law enforcement increase. As a retired jail deputy and corrections author and trainer, I am always on the lookout for useful resource material about the field of corrections. The book Mid-21 st Century Criminal Justice: Transforming Work Culture supervisors. The author, John A. Shuford, is an experienced expert and trainer in staff development, with over 30 years of experience. He also has a background as a clinical mental health therapist and executive leadership in healthcare facilities. John has collaborated with criminal justice agencies concerning staff wellness and training. He is the president of Collaborative Resolution Services, Inc. The theme of the book is a frank, clear and well-thought-out discussion of emotional intelligence is a useful resource for police and corrections trainers and

and stress, and how both affect the workplaces of corrections and police. It is concise and illustrates important data. The strength of this book is the close correlation between the data and the real world of the corrections/police workplace. In Chapter 1 for example, Shuford opens with data on staff fatigue then discusses how it applies to job performance. This approach is useful to a trainer tasked with putting together a Power Point presentation on stress and job performance. The theme of the book is a frank, clear and well-thought out discussion of emotional intelligence and stress, and how both affect the workplaces of corrections and police. Inserted in the book are comments and insights from practitioners in law enforcement-the people on the line, on patrol and inside institutions. I found these valuable. Supervisor views are also mentioned. Supervisor training is continuing to develop, and this book can help.

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Summer 2024 | Corrections Today

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