Corrections_Today_Summer_2025_Vol.87_No.2

EXECUTIVE OFFICE

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PAST PRESIDENT’S CORNER

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Past President’s Corner Reginald A. Wilkinson, Ed.D., ACA’s 94 th President

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About Reginald A. Wilkinson, Ed.D. Dr. Reginald “Reggie” Wilkinson began his career in correc tions in 1973 as an administrator for the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction. He went on to serve as Director of Training, Warden, Deputy Director, and Director. He earned B.A. and M.A. degrees from The Ohio State University and a Doctor of Education degree from the University of Cincin nati. He is a past president of ACA as well as a recipient of the ER Cass Award. Currently, he is president of Connecting the Dots, LLC and is a member of the OSU Board of Trustees.

A career in corrections guided by these core beliefs

By Reginald A. Wilkinson, Ed.D. I t is my pleasure to share with you a few of my thoughts on the field of corrections. With over half a century in this work, I have developed some strong perspectives on both its past and future. My journey began in 1973 as a graduate student at The Ohio State University (current reigning

national champions in football, by the way). While pursuing a master’s in Higher Education Administra tion, I participated in a class project assisting incarcerated individuals at the since-closed Ohio State Refor matory — where the hit movie The Shawshank Redemption was filmed. We called it Pre-Release Readiness, helping soon-to-be released youth ful offenders reenter society better

prepared for success. Over the years this work has had many monikers: pre-release readiness, discharge planning, reintegration training, and now, of course, reentry. And while I had no idea at the time that this would become my life’s work, I knew even back in 1973 that it was the right thing to do. After earning my M.A., I was not planning to pursue a career in

Corrections Today | Summer 2025

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