Corrections_Today_Winter_2025-2026_Vol.87_No.4

E.R. Cass Awards

Finally, she described advice her father gave saying “You better like what you’re doing for work because you’re going to be doing it more waking hours than anything else you do. And then he said stop and smell the roses.” Just as it appeared the festivities had con cluded, the Chair of the Awards Committee Dr. Lannette Linthicum returned to the podium and announced a special third E.R. Cass award was going to be bestowed that night. The awardee: recently retired Executive Deputy Director of the American Correctional Association Jeffrey Washington. Encouraged by the standing ovation, Washing ton made an emotional journey to the stage where he thanked both Bryan Collier and Annette Cham bers-Smith for allowing him to share their stage. Washington thanked his family who were in attendance and everyone at ACA who helped and supported him through three bouts of cancer treatment. He continued by describing how he was first hired by ACA and one of his first contacts was

with current Executive Director Robert Green. “I started a lifelong friendship with a person who is here now, and who is the executive director of our Association. I wouldn’t have left the association in June if I didn’t believe it was in good hands,” Finally, Washington concluded “This is a huge surprise. A huge surprise, but I’m so very ap preciative, and I love each and every one of you. Thank you.”

— BY KIRK RAYMOND

155 TH CONGRESS OF CORRECTION

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