U.S. Department of Justice 

National Institute of Corrections DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CORRECTIONS

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CORRECTIONS 

REPORT TO THE NATION FY 2012
 


Learn, Achieve, Perform 
U.S. Department of Justice 

National Institute of Corrections 

320 First Street, NW 

Washington, DC 20534 

Morris L. Thigpen 

Director 

Thomas J. Beauclair 

Deputy Director 

Robert Brown 

Chief, Academy Division 

Jim Cosby 

Chief, Community Services Division 

Harry Fenstermaker 

Chief, Financial Management Division 

Virginia Hutchinson 

Chief, Jails Division 

Christopher Innes, Ph.D. 

Chief, Research and Information Services Division 

BeLinda Watson 

Chief, Prisons Division 

Donna Ledbetter 

Project Manager 

National Institute of Corrections 

www.nicic.gov 
Outreach

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CORRECTIONS 

REPORT TO THE NATION FY 2012
 

Learn, Achieve, Perform 

June 2013 

NIC Accession Number 026790 

CONTENTS



Message from the Director .................................................................................v



About the National Institute of Corrections ........................................................vii



Snapshot........................................................................................................... x



Outreach.......................................................................................................... 1



Advisory Board Hearings.........................................................................1



Networks and Forums..............................................................................2



Chief Jail Inspectors’ Network...............................................................2



Learning Administrators’ Virtual Community............................................2



Community Corrections Collaborative Network.......................................2



Human Resource Directors Forum ..........................................................3



Focus Groups .........................................................................................3



Food Service Administrators .................................................................3



High-Risk Offenders.............................................................................4



Military Corrections.............................................................................4



Conferences ...........................................................................................4



Hosted Events.........................................................................................6



Partnerships............................................................................................7



Newsletters and Updates .........................................................................7



Snapshot.......................................................................................................... 8



Service............................................................................................................. 9



Prison Rape Elimination Act......................................................................9



Technical Assistance ............................................................................9



Training .............................................................................................9



Research ..........................................................................................10



Systematic Approaches to Improving Correctional Performance ..................10



Achieving Performance Excellence Initiative..........................................10



Pretrial, Probation, and Parole ................................................................12



Pretrial.............................................................................................12



Probation and Parole .........................................................................12



Special Populations ...............................................................................13



LGBTI Offenders................................................................................14



Facility Operations.......................................................................................... 14



Indian Country Jails...............................................................................14



Contents iii
iv National Institute of Corrections Report to the Nation FY 2012

New Jail Planning .............................................................................15

Jail Management...............................................................................15

Green Corrections.............................................................................16

Snapshot........................................................................................................ 18

Training, Networks, and Forums...................................................................... 19

Learning Centers...................................................................................19

Learning Center Statistics....................................................................20

Virtual Instructor-Led Training ..............................................................21

E-Learning for Line Staff......................................................................23

Popular E-Courses .............................................................................24

New E-Courses in Fiscal Year 2013.....................................................24

Satellite/Internet Broadcasts ...................................................................24

Regional Training Initiative .....................................................................25

Division Training ...................................................................................26

Jail Inspectors ...................................................................................26

Direct Supervision Jails.......................................................................26

Center for Correctional Leadership and Management Studies.................27

Offender Workforce Development Specialist Training.............................29

Offender Employment Retention Specialist Training................................29

Women Offenders Training.................................................................30

Executive Leadership for New Wardens...............................................31

Operational Practices in the Management of Women’s Prisons................31

Correctional Leadership for Women.....................................................31

Conducting Security Audits.................................................................32

Training Development ............................................................................33

Snapshot........................................................................................................ 34

Technical Assistance........................................................................................ 35

Snapshot........................................................................................................ 38

Information .................................................................................................... 39

Print and Digital Communications............................................................39
MESSAGE FROM 

THE DIRECTOR 

T

his document is the latest edition of the National Institute of Corrections (NIC) 

Report to the Nation. With many new programs and agency initiatives unlike 

any we have experienced in the recent past, this fiscal year (FY) 2012 report 

is one I am very pleased to present. Despite our small budget and size, we continue 

to operate with agility, responding to the needs of local areas around the country 

to safeguard communities while providing training and professional development 

opportunities to correctional professionals throughout the country. Our staff meet with 

officials to assist them with some of the toughest problems facing our nation’s criminal 

justice system. This document is evidence of our dedicated work. 

We accomplished a great deal in FY 2012. We successfully hosted two widely 

attended public hearings. The first was held on the campus of Stanford University in 

Palo Alto, CA, against the backdrop of realignment and corrections reform occurring 

throughout the state. Invited guests shared testimony on the current status of corrections while providing hopeful remarks, suggesting that recent changes in sentencing, 

reentry programming, and others are signals of reform. The second hearing, held in 

Washington, DC, at the U.S. Department of Justice, captured concerns among practitioners about the ever-rising cost of corrections in America, its cause, and what we 

can begin to do about it. 

Also in FY 2012, NIC hosted two very important national symposia—one for states 

involved in the Evidence-Based Decision Making Initiative and another for pretrial 

agencies. These symposia and a national summit for states involved in the Transition 

from Jail to Community Initiative were landmark events. They were the first of their 

kind for NIC. 

As many of you may already know, 2012 is my last full fiscal year in office as director of NIC. I am very proud of the work of the staff here, and after 18 years, I leave 

with a feeling of almost wanting to stay. Many of the exciting new things to come 

from NIC in the years ahead are ones that no one would want to miss. However, I 

am pleased to go knowing that the good work of this agency will continue. We have 

a great staff, and the fruit of their work results in wins for us all, from lowered rates 

of recidivism in the states to better leadership, training, and improved security within 

individual agencies. This annual report highlights their efforts. 

Morris L. Thigpen 

Director 

National Institute of Corrections 

Message from the Director v

 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

ABOUT THE NATIONAL 

INSTITUTE OF CORRECTIONS 

History 

In September 1971, a riot at New York’s Attica prison focused national attention on 

corrections and the practice of imprisonment in the United States. In response to public concern about the handling of the riot by corrections administrators and elected 

officials, and recognizing the problems in corrections facilities and programs at the 

state and local levels, Attorney General John Mitchell convened a National Conference on Corrections in Williamsburg, VA, in December of that year. 

In a keynote address at the conference, Chief Justice Warren Burger recommended 

the establishment of a national training academy for corrections that would: 

•	 Encourage the development of a body of corrections knowledge, coordinate

research, conduct executive seminars, and formulate policy recommendations. 

•	 Provide professional training for corrections employees.

•	 Provide a forum and exchange for the discussion and evaluation of advanced

ideas in corrections. 

•	 Bring about the long-delayed and long-neglected professionalism of the field.

The National Institute of Corrections (NIC) was established in 1974 in response to 

this recommendation, with training as a primary function. It received its first appropriation in 1977, and is currently housed within the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau 

of Prisons. 

Mission 

NIC is a center of learning, innovation, and leadership that shapes and advances 

effective correctional practice and public policy. 

Strategic Outcomes 

The outcomes of NIC’s activities contribute significantly to the achievement of the 

following state, local, and federal correctional goals and priorities: 

Effectively managed prisons, jails, and community corrections programs and facilities 

We will provide services in effective planning, management, and operations 

About the National Institute of Corrections vii
strategies that provide constitutional, ethical, humane, safe, and cost-effective prisons, 

jails, and community corrections programs and facilities. 

Enhanced organizational and professional performance in corrections 

We will provide education and training opportunities in management, leadership, 

and specialized areas based on value-centered principles and best practices that will 

continually enhance organizational and professional performance. 

Community, staff, and offender safety 

We will promote correctional practices and procedures that maximize the safety of 

the community, staff, and offenders; hold offenders accountable; and improve the 

likelihood of offenders choosing responsible, law-abiding behavior. 

Improved correctional practices through the exploration of trends and public 

policy issues 

We will promote the exploration of critical issues and the shaping of public policies 

that improve the effectiveness, efficiency, and humane quality of practices that impact 

corrections. 

Enhanced services through improved organizational and staff effectiveness 

We will provide opportunities for organizational and professional growth that 

enhance our services. We will implement a strategic management process that leads 

to improved organizational structure, management practices, and program planning 

that support the mission and vision, consistent with available resources. 

Enabling Legislation 

Legislation as mandated by Congress (Public Law 93–415) enables NIC to provide 

training, technical assistance, and information services to the field. NIC is guided by 

a 16-member advisory board appointed by the Attorney General. 

viii National Institute of Corrections Report to the Nation FY 2012

SNAPSHOT

The development of the Women Offender Reentry work group, a subgroup of the 

Federal Interagency Reentry Council, was the direct result of a 2-day conference— 

Meeting the Reentry Needs of Women: Policies, Programs, and Practices—held 

in Washington, DC, during March 2012. The event was sponsored by the U.S. 

Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Women’s Health and the 

Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation. Nearly 200 people 

attended and participated in events that addressed issues affecting women in 

reentry, including legal and policy issues, physical and behavioral health, trauma, 

parenting, housing, education, and employment. Examples of promising national 

practices were also presented. 

The Women Offender Reentry work group comprises about 30 individuals 

representing offices within the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration; the U.S. Departments of Justice, Labor, Health and Human Services, 

and Housing and Urban Development; the National Institute of Corrections; the 

White House Office of National Drug Control Policy; and the Washington, DC, Court 

Services and Offender Supervision Agency. Linda Mellgren from the Office of the 

Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation and Maureen Buell, Correctional 

Program Specialist at the National Institute of Corrections, are co-chairs. 

The work group’s task is to develop an action plan specific to women’s reentry 

planning that will be submitted to the Women Offender Reentry work group for 

feedback and to the Federal Interagency Reentry Council for consideration. The 

action plan promotes the following five objectives: 

1. To provide policymakers and program providers with context regarding the 

lives of women and female adolescents who become involved in the criminal 

justice system, including information about pervasive themes such as exposure 

to trauma, substance abuse, mental health, motherhood, and the nature of 

offenses and their underlying causes. 

2. To identify federal policy, program, and system barriers to women’s successful 

reentry and to identify actions that federal agencies can take to alleviate or 

reduce those barriers. 

3. To identify and increase evidence-based and research-informed practices for reentry programming for women, including services related to trauma, substance 

abuse, mental health, parenting, housing, and employment. 

4. To increase the potential for access to additional resources and services and to 

enhance the existing women’s reentry field by developing a broader network 

of federal, state, and local governments, advocates, and service providers 

committed to improving services and outcomes for justice-involved women. 

5. To encourage federal agencies to leverage program resources to promote 

successful reentry for justice-involved women more effectively. 

The work group has identified a series of action items to help achieve each of 

these objectives. Most action items are scheduled to be completed by the end of 

fiscal year 2013. 

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OUTREACH



E

ven in today’s world of interconnectivity, it is necessary to reach out purposefully to those you serve. The National Institute of Corrections (NIC) does this in 

numerous ways, from public hearings to networks, forums, and more. Through 

its efforts, NIC directly touches the lives of thousands of corrections professionals 

and aspiring correctional staff. These efforts in turn have the indirect effect of making 

communities safer, making facilities more secure, and improving the lifelong outcomes 

of those who make contact with the criminal justice system. 

Advisory Board Hearings 

NIC has a 16-member advisory board (appointed by the Attorney General) to advise 

the Institute and offer assistance in performing its mission. In fiscal year (FY) 2012, 

the board hosted a series of public hearings to: 

•	 Educate members of the NIC Advisory Board about important trends in

corrections-related policy, programs, and practices. 

•	 Provide NIC with input and advice from the field that can be integrated into the

Institute’s vision and strategic plan. 

•	 Promote excellence in identifying and meeting the needs of the field of corrections.

The first hearing, “Shifting the Focus to Reshape Our Thinking Toward PerformanceBased Outcomes,” was held at Stanford University in Palo Alto, CA, on November 

2–3, 2011. Testimony included remarks from some of the nation’s top thought leaders 

in corrections, practitioners in the field, and invited guests outside of corrections for 

their insight and unique perspective. Discussions highlighted the need for cultural 

change throughout the criminal justice system so the field can effectively address its 

most serious and persistent problems (such as employee performance, program effectiveness, and corrections budgets) and influence key stakeholders. Taking center stage 

was the California realignment process and its nationwide influence on discussions 

about reentry, sentencing, and overcrowding as the nation looks on to evaluate the 

state’s success. 

Following the hearing, NIC made a summary of the hearing events available on its 

website. In addition, NIC began publishing the Achieving Performance Excellence 

series of documents, which provides solutions for developing the cultural change that 

had been discussed at the hearing. 

The second hearing, “Balancing Fiscal Challenges, Performance-Based Budgeting, 

and Public Safety,” was held at the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, DC, on 

August 22–23, 2012. Developing more fully the concept of maintaining effectiveness 

Outreach 1 
in a time of widespread cutbacks, the hearing featured testimony from criminal justice 

and financial/statistical experts who revealed insights about the causes of rising corrections costs amid decreasing budgets and what the field can do about it. 

The second hearing also provided a platform for the official announcement of the 

Corrections Cost Containment Center, an online resource providing a roadmap for 

correctional agencies to realize improved fiscal outcomes. See www.nicic.gov/ 

costcontainment for more information. 

A summary of the testimony from the second hearing is available on the NIC website. 

Networks and Forums 

Chief Jail Inspectors’ Network 

NIC held the 14th annual Chief Jail Inspectors’ Network (CJIN) meeting in July 2012 

at the National Corrections Academy in Aurora, CO. The participants represented 

17 states and 18 agencies, including representatives from U.S. Immigration and 

Customs Enforcement. Various network members offered agency updates, and NIC 

arranged for presentations on inmate suicide and on legal issues in jails. 

The proceedings for the CJIN meeting are available for review on the CJIN forum, 

Jail Inspectors’ Vault, at http://community.nicic.gov/media/p/84356.aspx. The CJIN 

forum is an online gathering place for professionals engaged in the jail inspection 

field. This unique networking opportunity, made possible through the NIC Corrections 

Community, allows inspectors to stay in touch and communicate with colleagues and 

other jail professionals in a timely and efficient manner. 

Learning Administrators’ Virtual Community 

In FY 2012, NIC launched a new forum, the Learning Administrators’ Virtual Community, on the Corrections Community website. The official kickoff conference was held 

online on December 5, 2011. The forum is NIC’s latest network and the only one to 

address the needs of career trainers in corrections. This fiscal year, the Learning Administrators’ Virtual Community launched three thought leader webinars on topics that 

included “gamification,” which is a way of adapting a lesson so that it can be taught 

by video game; “e-motional e-learning,” which addresses individuals’ emotional 

intelligence and its effect on their performance in the workplace; and evidence-based 

distance learning. 

Community Corrections Collaborative Network 

In response to a technical assistance request in November 2011, NIC convened a 

series of meetings to discuss the viability of forming a working group of community 

corrections professionals. Results from the meeting indicated that there was a need 

for such a group and that it would benefit the field if NIC invited nationally and internationally based corrections associations, such as the American Probation and Parole 

2 National Institute of Corrections Report to the Nation FY 2012
	 	 	

	 	 	

	 	 	

	 	 	 	

 

 

 

 

Association, the International Community Corrections Association, the Association of 

Paroling Authorities International, the National Association of Probation Executives, 

and the National Association of Pretrial Service Agencies, to be part of this working 

group. The group assembled in Washington, DC, on September 26 and 27, 2012, 

to form the Community Corrections Collaborative Network (CCCN). After the first 

meeting, the members determined that the group’s mission would be to “serve as the 

forum to develop and work the emerging issues, activities, and goals of the community corrections field.” 

The group members agreed to develop a position paper to examine the reinvestment 

of resources into community corrections. CCCN wants to create a shared message 

and understanding of community corrections; influence legislation, funding, and 

policy at the federal, state, and local levels; and assist in prioritizing research areas 

on national and international fronts, which will aid in promoting evidence-based 

practices. The next CCCN meeting is scheduled for February 20–21, 2013, and the 

position paper is expected to be finalized in FY 2013. 

Human Resource Directors Forum 

In September 2012, NIC conducted a focus group with 12 human resource directors 

from departments of correction around the country. This meeting was an invaluable 

opportunity to bring together, for the first time, a group responsible for agency compliance with federal and state laws, agency policies and practices, and the management of employee accountability factors. The goal was to identify and develop 

universal strategies in corrections for limiting agency liability and exposure. 

Focus Groups 

Food Service Administrators 

Food service administrators from around the country met with NIC to discuss issues 

related to food service in corrections, including legal responsibilities, food allergies, 

religious diets, safety/security, reentry as it relates to inmate job skills and certifications, industry, emerging trends and products, recruitment and retention, leadership, 

and staff stress management/wellness. The meeting concluded with a brainstorming 

exercise that resulted in a model 3-day all-hands meeting and training that would 

ideally be held at the National Corrections Academy in Aurora, CO. Participating 

agencies included representatives from: 

•	 Ada County Jail (ID).

•	 Jacksonville City Jail (FL).

•	 Cook County Jail (IL).

•	 Denver County Sheriff’s Office (CO).

Outreach 3 
High-Risk Offenders 

NIC conducted a focus group in July 2012 to review the current status and the 

effectiveness of NIC’s Management of High-Risk Offenders Program. This program 

was provided to state agencies in the past but had not been used for several years. 

However, with recent legal issues and heightened interest in administrative segregation, NIC realized that updating this program would increase its usefulness to prisons 

around the country. Thus, the program was completely reviewed and a focus group 

was called to aid in defining the six advanced objectives that would be used in the 

soon-to-be redesigned program. The objectives include having an understanding of: 

•	 The legal and constitutional management of high-risk segregated populations.

•	 Due process for the placement and retention of high-risk segregated populations.

• Sound safety and security practices for managing high-risk segregated populations.

•	 Programming opportunities for high-risk segregated populations.

•	 The different types of specialized populations (security threat groups, disabled

offenders, female offenders). 

•	 The methods for transitioning high-risk segregated populations back to the general

population and ultimately to the community. 

The revised Management of High-Risk Offenders Program is expected to be ready 

and available for programming in 2013. It will be retitled Management of High-Risk 

Segregated Populations. 

Military Corrections 

In July 2012, directors and deputy directors of the U.S. Armed Forces were invited to 

talk with NIC about military corrections. This focus group engaged the correctional 

agencies of the U.S. Department of Defense that are often overlooked. NIC’s intent is 

to provide training, technical assistance, information services, and policy/program 

development assistance to these military agencies, as it does for federal nonmilitary, 

state, and local correctional agencies. 

Conferences 

For NIC, conference attendance is important to reaching out and responding to the 

broad training needs of the corrections field while also ensuring that NIC staff stay 

current on the issues important to the field of corrections. Conference attendance and 

participation enable NIC to train the most varied groups of individuals in one sitting. 

Attendees come from many states and have varying levels of understanding, experiences, and management and/or expertise. Thus, it remains a cost-effective means of 

interacting with constituents and providing them with training in a rich environment 

of professionally diverse individuals. Following is a list of conference outreach and 

training that NIC provided in FY 2012: 

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Outreach

•	 NIC continued its partnership with the American Correctional Association’s (ACA’s)

Committee on Correctional Training by co-facilitating workshops on Learning and 

Performance Trends at both the winter and summer ACA conferences in 2012. 

•	 Offender Workforce Development Specialist training activities included presentations at the following conferences: 

–		 Correctional Education Association Leadership forum in Columbia, MD, on 

April 1–3, 2012. 

–		 National Transitional Jobs Network conference in Baltimore, MD, on April 

12–13, 2012. 

–		 National Career Development Association conference in Atlanta, GA, on June 

21–23, 2012. 

–		 In collaboration with the Correctional Education Association, a reentry track 

including 14 workshops at the Correctional Education Association conference 

in St. Paul, MN, on July 29–August 1, 2012. 

•	 At the 2012 American Jail Association conference, NIC sponsored several training

sessions covering legal issues, inmate behavior management, evidence-based 

decisionmaking, and crisis intervention team training. 

•	 Women offender training was provided at the following events:

–		 Association of Paroling Authorities International—Increasing Positive Outcomes 

for Women Offenders: Applying the Research and Principles of GenderResponsiveness to Parole Decision Making and Supervision. 

–		 American Probation and Parole Association—Off the Streets: Connections, 

Community, and Commitment. 

–		 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Behavioral Health 

conference—What Works for Women: Risk, Need, and Responsivity. 

–		 Second Chance Act conference—Working with Women and Girls: GenderResponsive Treatment Strategies in Corrections. 

–		 Residential Substance Abuse Treatment grantees—Women Offender Research 

and Practice. 

In addition, a session on women offender issues was offered to a Chinese delegation from Shanghai as part of an overall presentation on community corrections. 

•	 Presentations titled “Setting Parole Conditions” and “Vicarious Trauma on Parole

Boards” were offered at the Association of Paroling Authorities International annual training conference. 

5 
	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

 

 

 

•	 NIC co-facilitated workshops on “Learning and Performance Trends” at both the

winter and summer 2012 ACA annual conferences. 

•	 A simultaneous face-to-face and virtual conference workshop was conducted

during the annual training conference of the International Association of Correctional Training Personnel in October 2011. The first of its kind for NIC, the session 

was titled “Assessing Readiness for the Shift to Staff Performance Enhancement.” 

• Workshops on crisis intervention teams were presented at the following conferences:

– ACA. 

– American Jail Association. 

– North American Association of Wardens and Superintendents. 

– American Probation and Parole Association. 

Hosted Events 

NIC’s hosted events are intensive training sessions that focus on specialized topics 

and are made available to invited participants. Much broader than workshops or 

classroom training, these events are designed to assist agencies that have participated directly in an NIC initiative. Noteworthy events in FY 2012 included the Transition 

from Prison to Community (TPC) National Reentry Summit and the Evidence-Based 

Decision Making and Pretrial symposia. 

NIC hosted the TPC National Reentry Summit at the National Corrections Academy 

in Aurora, CO, on March 27–28, 2012. The Bureau of Prisons and the following 

state departments of corrections participated: Iowa, Kentucky, Minnesota, Tennessee, 

Texas, and Wyoming. Representatives from the TPC sites shared their challenges and 

successes in implementing TPC in their jurisdictions. 

Chinese delegation sits with NIC staff following a day-long presentation on community corrections programming. 

6 National Institute of Corrections Report to the Nation FY 2012
	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

 

 

 

 

 

 

In December 2011, the Women and Trauma Federal Partners Committee held the 

second of two roundtables focused on women’s issues. Titled “Transforming Trauma: 

Working toward Effective Policies and Promising Practices,” the event was attended 

by more than 200 participants. The purpose of the roundtable was to: 

• Identify promising practices, gaps, and policy implications that address trauma in

the lives of women and girls. 

• Expand the dialogue, knowledge base, and opportunities for collaboration among

federal partners and stakeholders. 

• Emphasize a multisystem approach to address awareness, prevention, appropriate

assessment, intervention, treatment, education, outreach, and sustainability. 

Partnerships 

NIC values its partnerships with federal, state, and community-based organizations. 

They are central to NIC’s success. Following is a list of partnerships and their outcomes from FY 2012: 

• NIC helped revise the standards and accreditation supplement on the definitions

of learning and training released by ACA. This work was done in partnership with 

the ACA Committee on Correctional Training, and the supplement is applicable to 

all ACA standard sets. 

• NIC supported the revision of ACA’s Correctional Training Academy Standards.

Completed in partnership with the ACA Committee on Correctional Training and 

NIC’s Correctional Training Directors Forum, the revised standards are now in the 

piloting stage. 

• Chaired by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and

the Department of Labor, the Women and Trauma Federal Partners Committee 

was launched in April 2009 to build awareness and stimulate cross-agency action 

regarding women, girls, and trauma. NIC is strongly represented on this committee and contributes both expertise and knowledge on justice-involved women, the 

effects of trauma with this population, and access to nationally known presenters 

on these topics. 

Newsletters and Updates 

In addition to face-to-face outreach, NIC relies heavily on electronic messaging 

systems, such as e-mail and electronic syndication feeds, to reach its constituents. 

Beginning in FY 2010, NIC reached out to citizens through regular e-mail updates 

highlighting agency news and new additions to the NIC Information Center collection. 

Since then, NIC has developed several newsletters and expanded its electronic outreach systems. In May 2012, NIC enabled syndication of Corrections from the Field, 

NIC’s newsletter, for the first time. Nearly 1.5 percent of the publication’s readers use 

this feature each month to share with others the news they find important to them. 

Outreach 7 
8 National Institute of Corrections Report to the Nation FY 2012

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SNAPSHOT 

Milwaukee’s Early Intervention Strategy 

With support from the National Institute of Corrections through the Evidence-Based 

Decision Making in Local Criminal Justice Systems Initiative, Milwaukee County, 

WI, is undertaking an effort to re-engineer its Early Intervention Strategy for 

offenders. The goal of the program is to: 

•	 Maximize the county’s opportunity to support and encourage prosocial attitudes and behaviors among those who become involved in the criminal justice 

system while maintaining public safety. 

•	 Minimize the potential unintended negative consequences, such as social stigma, exposure to higher risk offenders, and loss of prosocial supports (family, 

employment, educational activities, etc.). 

•	 Deliver swift services and interventions to offenders in need of such help,

commensurate with that offender’s risk to reoffend and the presence of factors 

that are indicators of criminal behavior (criminogenic needs). 

In addition to helping the county meet these goals, the new Early Intervention 

Strategy ensures the best use of criminal justice resources by reducing the costs of 

processing cases for those at lower risk to reoffend. Instead, the county can invest 

its resources in those who pose the greatest risk to the community and those who 

need help the most. 

Milwaukee’s Early Intervention Strategy includes the following key components: 

•	 Assessing pretrial defendants (individuals who are awaiting trial) to determine

their likelihood/risk for pretrial success (defined as appearance in court and 

lack of misconduct while in pretrial status). 

•	 Informing decisions about bond types, ranges, supervision levels, and supervised conditions for pretrial defendants based on results from their pretrial risk 

assessments. 

•	 Identifying (through the use of nationally recognized long-term risk assessment

tools) low-risk offenders who may be eligible for interventions other than 

criminal charges and, in appropriate cases, diverting these individuals to avoid 

the potential negative consequences of further involvement in the criminal

justice system. 

•	 Assessing the risk factors that contribute to future criminal behavior among

eligible moderate-risk offenders and considering postcharge, preconviction 

deferred prosecution for these individuals, providing for swift interventions 

aimed at reducing the offender’s risk to reoffend. 

Milwaukee County implemented stage one of its Early Intervention Strategy (pretrial risk assessment and risk-informed decisionmaking) in February 2012. After 

the first 6 months of implementation, the county realized a 4-percent decline in

the jail population. Projections based on simulation modeling of the stage two and 

stage three implementation strategies (precharge diversion* and deferred prosecution,** respectively) suggest that the county can expect significant decreases in 

the jailed population over the next 5 years. 

* Precharge diversion is an alternative to criminal prosecution for low-risk offenders meeting specific criteria.
 


** In deferred prosecution, a prosecutor agrees to forgo conviction, or felony conviction depending on the charge and agreement, if the defendant agrees to comply with certain conditions.
 

SERVICE



P

roviding services to the corrections field is at the core of all activity at the 

National Institute of Corrections (NIC). Whether through training, technical 

assistance, or the myriad programs we develop and implement throughout 

the country, offering solutions that assist correctional agencies in fulfilling their core 

missions is at the heart of what we do. 

Prison Rape Elimination Act 

Under Section 5 of the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) of 2003, NIC was tasked 

with educating, training, and providing implementation assistance on PREA-related 

programs throughout the nation’s correctional system. In fiscal year (FY) 2012, work 

progressed on the development of several products, including components of a legal 

issues toolkit and a policy development guide for agencies housing lesbian, gay, 

bisexual, transgender, and intersex offenders. 

Technical Assistance 

In FY 2012, some of the responsibility of fulfilling PREA initiatives shifted from NIC to 

the National PREA Resource Center (PRC). NIC’s primary role now is to support the 

PRC’s technical assistance program, which is done by advising the PRC on possible 

responses to requests and directing requesters to other NIC initiatives and resources 

that can supplement the PRC’s response. 

Since NIC began its work on the PREA Initiative in 2003, corrections has advanced 

in addressing staff sexual misconduct and inmate-on-inmate sexual assault. Today, 

the PREA-related technical assistance that NIC provides is more complex than in 

years before. Instead of simply introducing PREA to practitioners, NIC now provides 

assistance with investigations training, sexual safety training in women’s prisons, and 

operational and cultural assessments. Moreover, with the promulgation of the final 

PREA standards, agencies are more frequently asking for assistance regarding the 

implementation of specific standards. 

The PRC also receives requests for other types of technical assistance. When these 
 

types of requests come in, NIC reviews them for possible referral to one of its divi­


sions, existing programs, or new initiatives. This partnership between NIC and the 
 

PRC enables both organizations to be responsive to the needs of the field.



Training 

In addition to assisting PRC’s technical assistance efforts, representatives from NIC 

also serve on the task group charged with developing the training for PREA auditors. 

Service 9 
	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	

 

 

 

 

 

 

NIC is now beginning work on a series of e-learning modules that will address a 

number of PREA-related issues. The planning for the first of these modules, which will 

focus on basic investigations, will begin in late 2012. 

As members of the Attorney General’s Work Group, 

National Institute of Corrections Correctional Program 

Specialists Dee Halley and Lorie Brisbin were 

nominated for the Attorney General’s Distinguished 

Service Award in fiscal year 2012. Ms. Halley 

served as NIC’s Prison Rape Elimination Act Initiative 

manager. The two will receive the award in October 

2012. 

CULTURE WORK IN ACTION 

In fiscal year 2012, the National Institute of 

Corrections concluded its culture-focused work 

with the Indiana Department of Corrections. By 

the conclusion of the fiscal year, the department 

had conducted cultural assessments at the central 

office and at Pendleton Correctional Institution to 

improve its culture. The department also enhanced 

its Indiana Justice Mode, which incorporated the 

agency’s mission, vision, and values and included 

training and communication strategies to implement 

its culture-focused plan. The department also trained 

staff on motivation techniques to improve interaction

with offenders. 

Research 

Part of its Research and Information Services Division, NIC’s PREA Initiative incorporates both quantitative and qualitative measurement in its development, evaluation, 

implementation, and delivery of PREA services. In 2008, Dr. Barbara Owen and 

Dr. James Wells completed a study (funded by the National Institute of Justice) that 

examined the contextual factors that contribute to violence and safety in women’s 

correctional facilities. NIC awarded the team a cooperative agreement to further validate the findings and then shorten and finalize the validation of the Women’s Correctional Safety Scales. NIC and its partners have made significant progress toward the 

development of an instrument using these scales to measure sexual safety in women’s 

facilities. Throughout 2012, the team has been testing the scales, and additional discussions are taking place regarding the development of an electronic user’s manual. 

Systematic Approaches to Improving 

Correctional Performance 

Achieving Performance Excellence Initiative 

The Achieving Performance Excellence (APEX) Initiative is an agency-driven systems 

approach to building capacity for higher organizational performance, implementing 

best practices, and practicing data-driven decisionmaking using multiple selfassessment tools. A guidebook series was developed that contains interventions, 

tools, and resources. It includes the development of the following major components, 

each designed and written specifically for the field of corrections: 

•	 Guidebook Series.

•	 Assessment Tools.

•	 Initiative Training.

•	 Public Safety Model.

•	 Change Management Model.

APEX Guidebook Series 

The APEX Guidebooks were released in FY 2012. Six books are now published on 

NIC’s website and the APEX topic webpage (www.nicic.gov/apex). The final book, 

APEX Resources Directory Volume 1, is in production. 

10 National Institute of Corrections Report to the Nation FY 2012
	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

 

 

 

 

APEX Assessment Tools 

The APEX Assessment Tools include: 

•	 The APEX Screener, a brief self-administered survey assessing organizational readiness for change and the eight APEX domains (see exhibit 1). 

•	 The APEX Organizational Profile, which looks at the organization’s operations,

environment, relationships, and situation. 

•	 The APEX Inventory, a more comprehensive assessment of the eight APEX domains

and readiness for change than the Screener. 

APEX Initiative Training 

The APEX Initiative training is designed to familiarize correctional practitioners with 

all of the resources included in the APEX Initiative, especially with regard to the use 

of the Public Safety Model as a systems approach to decisionmaking, the change 

management process, and communications planning. The training consists of a 1-day 

orientation session with the executive team and other designated staff and a 2- to 

4-day training session for up to 30 participants. The participants are encouraged, but 

not required, to bring real change efforts/projects to the training so they can begin 

to work on developing the change effort. Followup is also available to encourage 

continuous learning, to provide support during implementation, and to enhance sustainability of the changes. 

APEX Public Safety Model 

The APEX Public Safety Model presents a comprehensive picture of a correctional 

agency and factors that contribute to correctional excellence. Its eight domains, as 

shown in exhibit 1, provide a unique lens for a systems approach to decisionmaking 

and organizational assessment. 

Exhibit 1. Eight Domains of the APEX Public Safety Model 

1. Leadership. 

2. Operations (safe and secure supervision and settings, performance management). 

3. 	 Organizational culture.

4. Stakeholder focus. 

5. Workforce focus. 

6. Strategic planning. 

7. Measurement, analysis, and knowledge management. 

8. Results. 

Fifty-five people from the Iowa Department of 

Corrections and the Story County (IA) Jail/Sheriff’s 

Office attended the first APEX Initiative training and 

are working on change efforts. The Iowa Department 

of Corrections has three APEX projects under way. 

Story County has completed one project, a second 

one is in process, and a third is in the planning 

stage. 

The Kentucky Department of Corrections executive 

team participated in an APEX orientation session in 

September 2012. Thirty-four executives and staff 

from Lake County (IN) Community Corrections and 

the Minnesota Department of Corrections attended 

APEX training through technical assistance grants. 

Service 11 
APEX Change Management Model 

The APEX Change Management Model is a systems-approach roadmap designed for 

correctional agencies to use when contemplating performance improvement and/or 

change efforts. It includes six stages: 

1. Plan and assess. 

2. Define the goal. 

3. Organize people for results. 

4. Build the detailed implementation plan. 

5. Implement the change management plan. 

6. Sustain the change. 

For more information about APEX, please visit www.nicic.gov/apex. 

Pretrial, Probation, and Parole 

Pretrial 

NIC received the 2012 Partnership Award from the National Association of Pretrial Services Agencies (NAPSA) at the association’s 40th Annual Conference and 

Training Institute. The award recognizes a stakeholder organization or individual 

that has done the most throughout a given year to advance NAPSA’s mission of 

promoting pretrial justice through the development and support of pretrial services 

agencies nationwide. In its presentation, the NAPSA board of directors recognized 

NIC’s continuing commitment—particularly through the staff of its Community Services 

Division—to advancing pretrial justice by prioritizing pretrial release and diversion 

in its Evidence-Based Decision Making Initiative, sponsoring the Pretrial Executives 

Network, developing an Orientation for Pretrial Executives training, and targeting 

results-oriented technical assistance to localities and individual pretrial agencies. 

Through the award, NAPSA also recognized its partnership with NIC in its hosting of 

the 2012 National Symposium on Pretrial Diversion and its development of the publication Measuring What Matters: Outcome and Performance Measures for the Pretrial 

Release Field (http://nicic.gov/Library/025172). 

Probation and Parole 

The Second Chance Act supports the development and implementation of evidencebased programs that will enhance public safety and reduce offender recidivism. 

The Second Chance Act Demonstration Field Experiment: Fostering Desistance 

through Effective Supervision is a collaborative initiative between the Bureau of 

Justice Assistance, the National Institute of Justice, and the National Institute of 

Corrections to generate new evidence about effective solutions for managing the 

increasing number of offenders who are released from institutions and reintegrated 

back into their communities. 

12 National Institute of Corrections Report to the Nation FY 2012
Using a randomized controlled experiment, the researchers will assess the outcomes 

of offenders who have been exposed to interventions by parole supervision officers 

who have received training on effective core correctional practices. NIC’s role in this 

initiative is to develop a training curriculum that will focus on effective case management and supervision strategies, cognitive behavior applications, and enhanced motivational interviewing. Three pilot sites (parole supervision agencies) will be selected 

to participate in this research initiative. 

Figure 1 shows the results of an evaluation of the training program. 

Special Populations 

As the populations of the nation are unique, so are the populations of offenders who 

are managed in the nation’s correctional system. Although every offender is an individual, groups with similar characteristics (such as gender, disability, or mental health 

status) require similar types of care. The training and information that NIC provides 

gives corrections practitioners and policymakers the tools for developing effective 

strategies within their own systems for working with offenders who have special 

needs. 

Figure 1. Orientation for Parole Board Members Training Program 

An evaluation of the training found the following: 

Service 13 

....a majority of the participants indicated the extent to which they will apply 8.23		 what they learned from the training to the job on a scale from 1 to 10, 

where 1 is not at all and 10 is a great deal. 

...of the participants said the knowledge they possessed after the training 95.5% was either high or very high. 

...of the participants either agreed or strongly agreed that they learned new 100% information from the training. 
	 	 	 	 	 	 	 

LGBTI Offenders 

Because of recent changes in federal and state legislation, court decisions, settlement agreements, and dissemination of the final ruling of the PREA standards, the 

management of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) offenders 

has become an emerging and more prominent issue in corrections. In FY 2012, NIC 

pioneered an initiative regarding the safe and respectful management of the LGBTI 

offender population. It includes the launch of a general webpage specific to LGBTI offenders and separate webpages addressing the medical, mental health, and juvenile 

offender needs of this group. See www.nicic.gov/lgbti for more information. 

In FY 2013, NIC will host a live satellite/Internet broadcast titled “LGBTI Populations: 

Their Safety, Your Responsibility,” which will address practitioners’ concerns about 

working with this population and strategies for effective management. Other upcoming projects include the publication of a policy guide, policy tools, the launch of a 

law and policy webpage, presentations at national conferences, and the formation 

of an advisory group to inform best practice approaches to issues particular to this 

group of offenders. 

GENDER IDENTITY DISORDER 

In fiscal year 2012, Dr. Don Lewis, Chief Psychiatrist 

of the Bureau of Prisons, presented an NIC-hosted 

webinar titled “Gender Identity Disorder.” The objectives of this well-attended presentation included: 

•	 Defining the key terms related to Gender 

Identity Disorder (GID). 

•	 Reviewing the diagnostic criteria for GID. 

•	 Discussing the implementation of the 

Bureau of Prisons’ new GID policy. 

•	 Reviewing the history of transgender issues, 

including relevant legal issues. 

•	 Identifying care standards from the World 

Professional Association for Transgender 

Health for GID. 

•	 Reviewing co-occurring disorders commonly 

associated with GID. 

The recording of this presentation is available on the 

NIC website at http://nicic.gov/Library/025870. 

SUICIDE PREVENTION 

In fiscal year 2012, the Office of Federal Detention 

Trustee (OFDT) and the U.S. Marshals Service called 

upon the Bureau of Prisons Psychology Department 

to help them implement suicide prevention initiatives 

in the jails in which they have contract beds. NIC 

assisted the Bureau of Prisons by developing training 

specific to the missions of OFDT and the U.S. Marshals Service, including a training webinar for jail 

staff nationwide. Subsequent to that webinar, which

was held at the National Corrections Academy, OFDT 

disseminated over 900 DVDs of the training to the 

jails that provide contract services to OFDT. A copy of 

that training is available on the NIC website. 

Facility Operations 

Indian Country Jails 

In FY 2012, NIC joined with the Bureau of Indian Affairs’ (BIA’s) Office of Justice 

Services to develop training specifically for Indian country jails. The project will span 

3 years and will focus on jail administration, jail staffing analysis, and jail standards. 

In FY 2012, NIC redesigned its Jail Administration training program to reflect the 

unique realities of Indian country jails. Although the course topics pertain to all jails, 

each module within the course reflects considerations specific to Indian country. The 

first program was conducted in Albuquerque, NM. Three additional programs are 

planned—two for FY 2013 and one for FY 2014. At the conclusion of the program 

in FY 2014, NIC will give BIA the full curriculum so BIA can continue to train its own 

future personnel as needed. 

Also in FY 2012, NIC developed a training program called “Staffing Analysis in 

Jails” for BIA detention specialists and inspectors. This program was conducted in 

December 2012. It was designed to equip trainees with skills to conduct staffing analyses for Indian country jails, thus helping BIA and tribes accurately identify the needs 

of individual jails throughout Indian country. 

In the latter part of FY 2013 or in FY 2014, after BIA formally adopts a set of jail 

standards, NIC will work with BIA staff and jail administrators to develop a peer 

review process in support of standards compliance. NIC will also work with BIA to 

conduct training on the peer review process. 

14 National Institute of Corrections Report to the Nation FY 2012
 

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

 

 

 

 

New Jail Planning 

The most expensive and complicated capital expenditure that many local jurisdictions 

face is the construction and subsequent operation of a new jail. All too often, because 

many local officials have little or no experience in this area, they relegate important 

decisions to contracted planners, architects, and construction firms. However, NIC 

recognized more than 30 years ago that officials must actively direct the planning process to ensure that new jails meet the detention needs of their jurisdictions. Through its 

popular Planning of New Institutions and How to Open a New Institution programs, 

NIC has enabled sheriffs, commissioners, and other local government officials to 

better plan and manage this daunting process. Beginning in FY 2011 and continuing 

through FY 2013, NIC has been revising the services it provides under this initiative 

based on new concerns such as sustainability, construction and financing or delivery 

methods, newer inmate supervision techniques, and feedback from officials to ensure 

the efficient and effective use of their taxpayers’ money. 

Services under this initiative address the full range of new jail planning activities, 

such as: 

•	 Technical assistance in assessing the policies and practices of local criminal justice

partners (e.g., law enforcement, courts, prisons) as they affect a jail’s population. 

•	 Classroom training at the National Corrections Academy that helps participants

determine how a jail will be used, who a jail will house, and what a jail’s operational philosophy will be in a local area. 

•	 Onsite assistance in planning for and managing all phases of development and

construction. 

•	 Technical assistance with planning the operations and opening of a new jail and

conducting a postoccupancy evaluation. 

NIC has also been instrumental in the development of numerous publications on various topics in this area. They are available in a variety of formats at no cost through 

NIC’s Information Center. 

Jail Management 

“Jail Resource Management” and “Jail as Part of County Government” are two 

popular NIC programs that have been available since the 1990s, with updates to the 

programs occurring regularly throughout the years. In FY 2012, NIC initiated extensive content changes to the programs to address more contemporary jail issues and to 

incorporate more fully the principles of adult learning. 

Jail Resource Management 

In response to the current fiscal climate and needs of jail administrators, NIC significantly expanded the focus of “Jail Resource Management” to include analysis of an 

array of resources, such as people, partner organizations, property, and funding. The 

Service 15 
program helps participants think more creatively about potential resources, where to 

find them, and how to use them. 

Jail as Part of County Government 

“Jail as Part of County Government” is one of NIC’s longest standing programs. It focuses on improving the working relationship between officials responsible for operating the local jail and the jail’s funding authority. The program focuses on the liabilities 

inherent in operating a jail and the participants’ roles in mitigating these liabilities. 

Participants explore their challenges in funding and operating the jail, and they learn 

methods of working cooperatively to improve the jail and protect the local government from costly lawsuits. The program was significantly revised in FY 2012 to ensure 

all content is current and to incorporate training strategies effective for adult learners. 

Green Corrections 

During FY 2012, NIC partnered with FHI 360, a nonprofit human development 

organization, to work on green corrections planning with departments of corrections 

in Washington, Minnesota, and Maryland. Washington is refining its procurement 

policies on purchasing green products and developing a training curriculum to teach 

offenders about working in the field of green strategies. The Minnesota Department 

of Correction will enhance its educational and vocational programs by incorporating 

environmental literacy and green strategies. The Maryland Department of Corrections 

will review best practices from other jurisdictions and develop a comprehensive green 

strategy to implement statewide. 

In FY 2013, NIC will host a series of webinars related to green corrections 

programming. 

16 National Institute of Corrections Report to the Nation FY 2012

18 National Institute of Corrections Report to the Nation FY 2012

SNAPSHOT 

Training is a key component of many of the services that the National Institute 

of Corrections (NIC) offers its constituents. To accommodate the needs of these 

groups, NIC provides training using the broadest range of technologies. This 

ensures both the usability and accessibility of its training to the broadest range of 

individuals. 

NIC’s training has always focused on advancing knowledge in the field by developing the skills of top-level practitioners. With this top-down approach, NIC has seen 

its greatest impact among upper-level and midlevel managers, who make crucial 

decisions that affect how money is spent, how programs are implemented, and 

how workforces around the nation view their role as partners in the criminal justice 

system. 

In fiscal year 2012, NIC launched its first learning management system dedicated 

solely to the staff who make direct contact with offenders every day. Housed 

under the Frontline Learning Center, this revolutionary collection of frontline-level 

training allows NIC to touch the lives of corrections workers directly, wherever 

they are located. For agencies, it can mean lowered training costs. For staff, it is a 

convenient and effective online alternative to traditional classroom-based learning. 

Exhibit 2 is a real-world account of the effect that the Frontline Learning Center is 

having on corrections operations. 

Exhibit 2. Letter from a Constituent (Excerpt) 

This is just a note to let you know how much we appreciate you being instrumental in getting the Frontline classes in the NIC system. Since non-supervisors can 

take the classes, it is a tremendous help to our agency. We are mandated to get 

forty (40) hours of training on a yearly basis. 

We have approximately 156 Missouri Department of Corrections Staff Members 

[who] have registered for classes.... I have received many positive comments 

about the Frontline classes. As you know some people like to work online with the 

self-pace process.... 

Walt Harrison, Corrections Training Officer 

Saint Louis Community Release Center 
TRAINING, NETWORKS, 

AND FORUMS 

T

he National Institute of Corrections (NIC) offers classroom training, virtual 

instructor-led training (VILT), and e-courses to correctional staff via its online 

learning centers. In addition, NIC offers satellite/Internet broadcasts, which 

participants can register for through NIC’s website. 

Classroom training is available both at the National Corrections Academy in Aurora, 

CO, and at locations throughout the country as determined by need. VILT courses are 

taught by a live instructor in an online classroom. Participants can network, share experiences, and interact with each other from their own computers in real time, just as 

they would in a traditional classroom setting. E-courses are self-paced, online courses 

that allow participants to pause and resume prerecorded training modules at their 

convenience. There are currently three learning centers available to support different 

audiences and NIC initiatives. 

NIC’s vast collection of training options makes learning opportunities available for 

participants with the broadest range of learning abilities, work schedules, and training budgets. 

Learning Centers 

The NIC Learning Center (http://nic.learn.com) is available to correctional professionals who work in executive management, middle management, firstline supervision, offender programming, or training/staff development. This learning center 

provides access to NIC classroom training, VILT, and e-courses. Currently, over 250 

e-courses are available on a variety of topics, including corrections, leadership, management, and problem solving. 

The PREA (Prison Rape Elimination Act) Learning Center (http://nic.learn.com/PREA) 

contains the e-course “Your Role: Responding to Sexual Abuse.” All staff working in 

correctional settings are eligible to register an account in this learning center. This 

e-course supports the requirements of the Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003. 

The Frontline Learning Center (http://nic.learn.com/frontline) is available to correctional officers, detention officers, probation and parole officers, reentry specialists, 

correctional health professionals, and other correctional line staff. All participants 

receive a 60-day pass that will allow them to take as many e-courses as they like within that time. Currently, more than 90 e-courses are available on a variety of topics, 

including corrections, communication, personal development, and team skills. 

Training, Networks, and Forums 19 
Upon completion of any learning center training, participants immediately receive 

a certificate acknowledging their participation. They also have access to technical 

support and a transcript of course completions that they can access at any time. 

Learning Center Statistics 

Corrections professionals working in federal, state, and county corrections agencies 

accounted for 87.7 percent of all participants who received training from NIC learning centers in fiscal year (FY) 2012. Table 1 presents agency affiliation data for all 

active users on September 30, 2012. 

Corrections professionals working in adult prisons and jails accounted for 57.8 percent of all participants in the NIC and PREA Learning Centers. Table 2 presents data 

on the primary area of corrections affiliation for all active users on September 30, 

2012. 

Table 1. Type of Agency as of September 30, 2012 (14,130 Active Accounts) 

Type of Agency Frequency Percent 

County 6,816 48.2 

State 4,414 31.2 

Federal (Bureau of Prisons) 1,088 

Private 662 

City 295 

Federal (Other) 277 

Municipality 187 

None Listed 132 

Regional 106 

Indian Country (Tribal) 76 

U.S. Commonwealth or Territory 33 

Foreign 28 

Indian Country (Bureau of Indian Affairs) 16 

Total 14,130 100.0 

20 National Institute of Corrections Report to the Nation FY 2012

7.7 

4.7 

2.1 

2.0 

1.4 

0.9 

0.8 

0.5 

0.2 

0.2 

0.1 
Table 2. Primary Area of Corrections as of September 30, 2012 (14,130 Active Accounts) 

Primary Area of Corrections Frequency Percent 

Adult Jail 5,981 42.3 

Adult Prison 3,778 26.7 

Adult Community Corrections 1,530 10.8 

General Corrections 1,028 7.3 

Adult Other 760 5.4 

Juvenile Detention 578 4.1 

Secure Juvenile Facility or Training School 191 1.4 

Juvenile Community Corrections 153 1.1 

None Listed 131 0.9 

Total 14,130 100.0 

During FY 2012, 80 classroom programs, 36 VILTs, and 250 e-courses were available to corrections professionals. A total of 17,113 corrections professionals logged 

in to register for classroom programs, to launch an e-course or VILT, or to review training history in the three learning centers. Additionally, 1,958 corrections professionals 

completed an NIC classroom program or network meeting, 484 completed an NIC 

VILT, and 12,300 completed an e-course. The use of e-courses among corrections professionals increased at a rapid pace when compared to previous years. Participants 

completed 28,522 e-courses during FY 2012, which is a 73-percent increase over FY 

2011 and a 171-percent increase over FY 2010 (figure 2). 

Virtual Instructor-Led Training 

Popular VILT courses in FY 2012 included those in the Unleash Your Leadership Competency Potential series, with programs specifically designed for supervisors, managers, and senior-level leaders. Each was delivered in partnership with NIC Regional 

Training Initiative teams. 

In FY 2013, VILT courses will focus on new content and topics derived from a Learning and Performance white paper, which will be released in the same fiscal year. 

The Learning and Performance Initiative was responsible for the development of the 

following VILT courses in FY 2012: 

•	 Learning in WebEx: Making NIC’s Virtual Instructor-Led Training Work for You!

(three deliveries). 

•	 Critical Issues in Staff Performance Enhancement (two deliveries).

•	 Assessing Readiness for the Shift to Staff Performance Enhancement

(two deliveries). 

•	 Applying Blended Learning Solutions in Your Organization.

Training, Networks, and Forums 21 
 

Figure 2. NIC Training Completions at a Glance
 


E-Courses 

E-courses are self-paced, online courses that allow participants to pause and 

resume training at their convenience. 

Virtual Instructor-Led Training 

Virtual instructor-led training courses are live, online training sessions that 

allow for real-time interaction between the instructor and participants. 

Broadcasts 

Satellite/Internet broadcasts are 3-hour live television shows that viewers can 

watch from a computer or satellite feed individually or as a group. 

2012 17,250 

2011 15,500 

2010 13,750 

Classroom 

Classroom training is available in both the National Corrections Academy in 

Aurora, CO, and at locations throughout the country. 

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

30,000

2010 2011 2012

10,524

16,462

28,522

2010 2011 2012

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

1,604 1,625

1,958

2010

2011

2012

0 100 200 300 400 500

484

463

171

Training Today’s 

 Correctional Leaders

 to Meet Tomorrow’s Challenges 

For more information, 

please go to http://nicic.gov. 

22 National Institute of Corrections Report to the Nation FY 2012
•	 Using E-Strategies to Reach Our Corrections Young Adult Workforce.

•	 Designing E-Strategies for Staff Performance Enhancement.

•	 Managing, Coordinating, and Participating in Distance Learning Environments.

These VILT courses are interactive and model best practices for the field of corrections 

that are ever evolving based on transforming learning and performance research into 

practice. Also new this fiscal year was the creation of a Curriculum Delivery Assessor 

role during VILT deliveries, which allows the National Corrections Academy to build 

“delivery learnings” into the next planned delivery of VILT curriculum packages. 

E-Learning for Line Staff 

NIC began offering e-courses to line staff in January 2012 via the Frontline Learning 

Center (http://nic.learn.com/frontline). As of September 30, 2012, 752 frontline 

staff have registered an account at a rate of 7.52 per day. Frontline participants have 

completed a total of 4,882 e-courses, which is about 2.60 completions per account. 

A survey of account holders indicates: 

•	 Ninety-one percent agree or strongly agree with the statement: “The e-courses in

this learning center are applicable to my job.” 

•	 Ninety-two percent agree or strongly agree with the statement: “Online learning is

an effective way for me to acquire new knowledge, skills, or abilities.” 

•	 Eighty-nine percent agree or strongly agree with the statement: “I would recommend this learning center to other correctional frontline staff.” 

Additional comments from survey respondents included the following: 

•	 “I really enjoyed these courses. They were informative, concise, and time-saving.”

•	 “Having these educational courses available to me will not only continue my education, but enhance my ability to do my job more effectively.” 

•	 “I have learned so much from this website! I hope to take many more courses in

the future.” 

•	 “I believe that these courses are a great way for correctional officers to gain

knowledge through training for job-related situations.” 

•	 “Absolutely one of the best online programs I’ve come across.”

•	 “Since our Department has made budget cuts in the area of training, there is very

limited training offered, but we are still required to have 40 hours of training in for 

the year. [It] has been extremely helpful to get our training hours completed with 

these online courses. Also, the training was interesting, helpful, and applicable to 

my job.” 

Training, Networks, and Forums 23 
Popular E-Courses 

NIC’s most popular e-courses cover a broad range of topics, reflecting the vast diversity of learning options that corrections audiences require and that NIC provides. 

“Your Role: Responding to Sexual Abuse” provides a comprehensive overview of 

PREA and increases participants’ understanding of the dynamics of sexual abuse 

among male inmates, female inmates, and correctional staff. This course teaches participants how to respond effectively and appropriately to allegations of sexual abuse 

in a correctional facility. During FY 2012, a total of 7,043 corrections professionals 

completed this e-course. 

The three e-course series, “Interpersonal Communication Skills with Offenders,” 

provides correctional professionals with the knowledge and skills to communicate effectively with offenders. These courses were completed by 2,487 participants during 

FY 2012. 

“The Role of the Correctional Leader/Manager” analyzes the distinction between the 

concepts of management and leadership, with a particular focus on rapid political, 

economic, social, and technological changes. This course was completed by 788 

participants during FY 2012. 

“Objective Jail Classification: Assessing Inmate Risk and Needs” provides participants with concepts and procedures that will help them implement a classification 

process based on objective criteria. Participants also learn how to use instruments 

and tools for assessing an inmate’s risks and needs. This course was completed by 

553 participants during FY 2012. 

New E-Courses in Fiscal Year 2013 

In FY 2013, NIC will launch the e-course “Overview of Motivational Interviewing.” 

Motivational interviewing (MI) is based on the idea that ambivalence (feeling two 

ways about something) is a normal aspect of change. By using specific techniques 

and applying the “spirit of MI,” corrections professionals can help increase offenders’ 

motivation to make changes in their lives that will reduce their likelihood of reoffending. This course will be available in the NIC and Frontline Learning Centers. 

Satellite/Internet Broadcasts 

NIC’s satellite/Internet broadcast series is a collection of 3-hour live television broadcasts that viewers can watch from a computer or satellite feed individually or as a 

group. Designed in talk show format, these engaging broadcasts are composed of 

panels of subject-matter experts who discuss timely topics in corrections. Vignettes 

demonstrating concepts reviewed in discussions are included throughout the broadcast. Viewers can become part of the discussion by asking panelists questions directly 

via e-mail, telephone, and live chat. 

24 National Institute of Corrections Report to the Nation FY 2012
Enhancements to NIC’s satellite/Internet broadcasts this fiscal year included the use 

of the television studio at the National Corrections Academy for one-on-one interview 

shoots, increased use of prerecorded video footage in live broadcasts, and the use of 

flexible studio sets. The total viewing audiences for FY 2012 are estimated at about 

10,000 viewers per broadcast, primarily via the Internet. 

During FY 2012, NIC hosted two broadcasts addressing offender employment and 

its link to successful reentry. The first broadcast, “Correctional Industries: A Working 

Solution” (http://nicic.gov/Library/025293), discussed the success of the nationwide 

Correctional Industries program, which helps agencies assist offenders in securing 

job skills and relevant training during incarceration; this helps make employment 

opportunities available to offenders upon completion of their sentences. The second 

broadcast, “Offender Employment Retention: Worth the Work” (http://nicic.gov/ 

Library/024978), highlighted opportunities available within the NIC Offender 

Employment Retention Initiative, including the evidence-based Offender Employment 

Retention training, and presented real-world tips for helping agencies develop and 

improve their offender employment reentry programs. 

The final broadcast of FY 2012 was “Health, Justice, Women: Transforming 

Systems—Saving Lives” (http://nicic.gov/Library/026332). Produced in collaboration with subject-matter experts from the mental health, correctional health, and criminal justice fields, the broadcast explored the best research, strategies, and resources 

available for effectively addressing the health needs unique to women offenders. In 

FY 2013, NIC will continue the dialogue begun in this program with “Health, Justice, 

Women: Part Two, Justice-Involved Women’s Reproductive Health Care Issues.” In this 

broadcast, panelists will examine in depth the needs of women who are incarcerated while pregnant and those who suffer from mental illness, whether as the result of 

trauma in the aftermath of abuse or because of genetic conditions. 

Plans are under way to develop additional broadcasts throughout FY 2013. Broadcasts will include: 

•	 LGBTI Offenders: Their Safety, Your Responsibility.

•	 From Research to Application: The Case for Learning and Performance

(2-day interactive training broadcast). 

•	 Health, Justice, Women: Part Two, Justice-Involved Women’s Reproductive

Health Care Issues, February 20, 2013. 

Regional Training Initiative 

The Regional Training Initiative is NIC’s longstanding volunteer-based program, 

where trainers across the country enlist to provide much-needed instruction to departments of corrections throughout their region and in neighboring states. Different from 

the broad-based training that NIC provides, regional training focuses on topics (such 

as immigration, gangs, or terrorism) that disproportionately affect a geographical 

NIC hosts the satellite/Internet broadcast “LGBTI 

Offenders: Their Safety, Your Responsibility.” 

Training, Networks, and Forums 25 
	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	

 

 

 

area. The regions are divided into four groups: western, central, northeastern, and 

southern. 

Regional demand has been high for particular NIC programs, including: 

•	 Essential Skills for New Supervisors.

•	 Unleash Your Leadership Competency Potential (delivered nationwide).

•	 The Mindful Supervisor (delivered in multiple regions).

In 2012, the Regional Training Initiative also conducted “Unleash Your Leadership 

Competency for Supervisors” as a unique course prerequisite for participants in the 

FY 2013 Management Development for the Future program series conducted for 

multiple county jails in New Jersey. 

Division Training 

Jail Inspectors 

Jail inspections can be a key to effective and efficient jail operation. To help jails in 

this area, NIC offers the New Jail Inspectors’ Training (NJIT) to the field of detention. 

Consistent with NIC’s mission, in 2002 NIC developed NJIT (which is offered to 

jails at no cost) in support of states’ efforts to improve jail conditions and operations 

through standards and inspections. After nearly 8 years, NIC realized it was necessary to update the existing curriculum and associated training materials to reflect 

changes in the field. In FY 2011, NIC began working on a comprehensive curriculum 

reworked to bring the training up to date and revised according to the Instructional 

Theory into Practice model for adult learners. With these improvements, NIC can provide custom-tailored training to new jail inspectors; this training has the added benefit 

of providing participants with opportunities to network with their colleagues from 

across the United States. NIC will hold the first revised NJIT classroom training during 

late FY 2013 or early FY 2014. 

Direct Supervision Jails 

Direct supervision jails combine the benefits of good correctional facility design with 

an inmate management strategy that can significantly reduce violence, vandalism, 

and other problem inmate behaviors commonly seen in jails throughout the nation. 

Officers closely supervise inmates and interact extensively with them to manage their 

behavior in correctional facilities designed without barriers, such as bars or security 

glass, between them and the inmates. Jail operations, the design of the correctional 

facility, and jail furnishings are all designed to encourage positive inmate behavior 

and discourage problem behavior. 

In the early 1980s, NIC introduced direct supervision to the nation’s jails and has 

provided services in this area ever since. Over time, the needs of jail practitioners 

26 National Institute of Corrections Report to the Nation FY 2012
in relation to direct supervision have evolved. NIC’s services also have evolved in 

response to the needs. 

In FY 2012, NIC developed new training programs on the role of the supervisor and 

housing unit officer in a direct supervision jail. NIC conducted these programs 3 times 

for 21 jails. By the end of FY 2013, NIC will also develop a training program on the 

role of administration in a direct supervision jail and will publish a streamlined selfaudit instrument for direct supervision jails. 

Center for Correctional Leadership and Management Studies 

NIC recognizes that although some leaders may have the inherent skill to lead, all 

leaders, regardless of their abilities, benefit when they receive training that sharpens 

their focus, updates their skills, and teaches innovative strategies for meeting contemporary challenges. 

The Center for Correctional Leadership and Management Studies, an NIC project, 

strives to promote evidence-based management practices. It provides courses applicable to correctional supervisors, middle managers, senior-level leaders, and executives 

while focusing on a university model concept. The Center is working to create positive 

relationships with colleges and universities whereby correctional leadership and 

management research can be shared among a variety of learners. Current research 

efforts target transformational leadership, authentic leadership development, psychological capital, emotional regulation, psychological safety, positive psychology, and 

emotional intelligence. 

Courses in the center are taught according to a university model, which extends the 

accessibility of NIC’s leadership and management development programs, allowing 

coursework to be available to correctional staff who may not be at the supervisor, 

manager, senior, or executive levels currently. Learners following this model complete 

courses progressively, depending on their position; i.e., participants below the managerial level begin by taking courses at the supervisor level prior to progressing to 

coursework at the manager level. 

Leadership and Management Development Series 

NIC continues to prepare correctional agencies for current and emerging challenges 

through its leadership and management development series of courses, including 

Executive Excellence, Correctional Leadership Development, and Management Development for the Future. 

Executive Excellence is taught in three phases. Phases 1 and 3 are taught at the National Corrections Academy and phase 2 is taught online, providing virtual instruction 

in six sessions over a period of 10 months. The result is that Executive Excellence is 

a fully blended training program. In FY 2012, NIC offered two Executive Excellence 

classes, both of which will graduate in FY 2013. 

Training, Networks, and Forums 27 
	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	

	 	 	

	 	 	

	 	 	

 

 

 

 

 

Two iterations of Correctional Leadership Development were delivered to seniorlevel leaders in FY 2012 in partnership with the Virginia Department of Corrections. 

NIC also partnered with the Newport News (VA) Sheriff’s Office and the Maryland 

Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services to help Maryland develop an 

in-house version of this program. The 9-day residential Correctional Leadership Development program was conducted at the National Corrections Academy in Aurora, 

CO, on July 10–19, 2012. 

NIC partnered with five departments of corrections nationwide (Virginia—two separate programs, Iowa, Wisconsin, Delaware, and Wyoming) for various phases of the 

blended Management Development for the Future series. The first of this three-phase 

program will begin in three jurisdictions (Colorado Division of Adult Parole, New 

Jersey Multiple County Jails, and Salt Lake County, Utah Sheriff’s Office) during the 

first quarter of 2013. 

Captains’ Leadership Curriculum: Areas of Challenge 

Originally created by NIC for the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) in 2010, the Captains’ 

Leadership Curriculum was completed by 24 BOP captains in FY 2012. The course 

is a positional and leadership competency-based training that teaches BOP captains 

how to develop a blueprint for their individual leadership development based on the 

results of two assessments, multiple assignments, facilitated sessions, and inter-session 

activities. 

International Leadership 

In 2012, NIC presented five training programs that shared U.S. leadership lessons 

with international partners. The programs are joint efforts between the U.S. State Department, BOP, and NIC. Two major courses include Developing Correctional Leaders 

for Mexico and Developing Correctional Leaders for Lebanon. 

Developing Correctional Leaders for Mexico was linked to the Mexican government’s 

strategic plan and was based on NIC’s Advanced Correctional Leadership Development Model and BOP’s Institutional Activation model. It was offered five times in FY 

2012 at the following locations: 

•	 United States Penitentiary, Hazelton, WV.

•	 National Corrections Academy, Aurora, CO.

•	 Federal Correctional Complex, Florence, CO.

•	 Federal Correctional Complex, Oakdale, LA.

•	 Federal Correctional Institution, Miami, FL.

The correctional complexes and institutions were selected and used as learning laboratories to help the leaders from Mexico understand the day-to-day practices of leading 

and managing in a complex correctional environment. As a result of the program, NIC 

helped the Mexican government develop a cadre of more than 100 senior-level correctional leaders for their own correctional system. A third year of training is planned. 

28 National Institute of Corrections Report to the Nation FY 2012
	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

 

 

 

 

 

NIC’s Core Competency Model and all curricula have been and continue to be translated into Spanish. 

Two programs are anticipated for Developing Correctional Leaders for Lebanon, 

which will be based on the Developing Correctional Leaders for Mexico project 

framework. NIC anticipates developing over 50 senior-level Lebanese correctional 

leaders through the training program and will translate the NIC Core Competency 

Model and curricula into Arabic to facilitate completion of the project. 

Offender Workforce Development Specialist Training 

In collaboration with the National Career Development Association (www.ncda.org), 

NIC provides Offender Workforce Development Specialist (OWDS) Partnership 

Training to state and local corrections and their partnering agencies. Participants who 

complete the 160-hour competency-based training program are eligible to apply for 

Global Career Development Facilitator certification through the Center for Credentialing and Education, Inc. (www.cce-global.org). They are also eligible to apply for six 

undergraduate- or graduate-level college credits through Indiana State University. 

In FY 2012, after previously pilot testing a blended delivery strategy that reduced 

classroom time from 3 weeks to 2 weeks by incorporating six e-courses from the NIC 

Learning Center, the following agencies hosted OWDS Partnership Training: 

•	 Maricopa County Probation in Phoenix, AZ—week 1 in FY 2011 and week 2 on

December 12–16, 2011, with 28 graduates. 

•	 Hawaii Department of Public Safety in Honolulu, HI—week 1 on October 17–21,

2011 and week 2 on January 28–February 1, 2012, with 26 graduates. 

•	 Hamilton County in Cincinnati, OH—week 1 on February 27–March 2, 2012 and

week 2 on June 25–29, 2012, with 34 graduates. 

•	 Kansas Department of Corrections in Hutchinson, KS—week 1 on August 6–10,

2012 and week 2 planned for FY 2013. 

•	 New Mexico Corrections Department in Albuquerque, NM—week 1 on September

10–14, 2012 and week 2 planned for FY 2013. 

The Indiana Department of Corrections in New Castle hosted OWDS instructor 

training on August 21–23, 2012. Thirteen OWDS instructors, including staff from the 

Indiana Department of Corrections, the Federal Bureau of Prisons, and the Tennessee 

Department of Corrections, earned certification. 

Offender Employment Retention Specialist Training 

NIC’s specialized Offender Employment Retention Specialist (OERS) training is 

grounded in the principles of social cognitive theory. It combines cognitive-behavioral 

principles with motivational interviewing strategies to provide participants the knowledge, skills, and abilities to effectively administer an Employment Retention Inventory 

that supports an offender’s long-term attachment to the workforce while addressing 

Training, Networks, and Forums 29 
	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

the barriers that impact recidivism. This performance-based training emphasizes the 

transformational process that supports effective case management leading to offenders’ successful self-management. 

In their own words, people who take the OERS training say they do so because: 

•	 “Working with incarcerated offenders in state jail settings and numerous other correctional settings has increased my desire and motivations to continue to make a 

difference. I find these services crucial in order to address the challenges of those 

facing reintegration back into society...especially when considering the many 

obstacles stacked against them.” 

•	 “I work with convicted felons who have multiple barriers, which affect their ability

to retain employment...and I want to be able to develop partnerships with new 

collaborators wishing to assist in the reentry initiative.” 

•	 “Collectively, our goal is to facilitate a smooth transition into the community by

helping...justice-involved individual[s] reduce the key barriers to their successful 

reentry...thus reducing the likelihood for them to return to jail or prison.” 

Another training recipient writes, “Daily, I work with our clientele and area businesses, trying to better link them together. But oftentimes those I assist can get a job... 

but they struggle to keep it.” The OERS training addresses this basic need for reentry 

professionals to develop the skills needed to help offenders not only secure employment, but also maintain it. 

After completing the OERS training, participants were invited to comment on their 

experiences. A sample of remarks includes the following: 

•	 “This was extremely beneficial to me. I try to practice and use the skills every day.

I’m looking forward to others on my team learning the skills as well.” 

•	 “The training was very informative and enlightening. The Employment Retention

Inventory (ERI) is a dynamic tool that can prove itself indispensable in our work.” 

•	 “I would love to have my co-workers go through this. The experience is so valuable, and was presented in a great manner.” 

•	 “The content was dynamic. It should be included in new probation officer

orientation.” 

Figure 3 shows the results of an OERS pretraining/posttraining assessment. 

Women Offenders Training 

In FY 2012, NIC began revising the training titled “Women Offenders: Developing 

an Agencywide Approach” into a blended-learning training that will equip leaders 

and managers with the skills to design policy and programs and put into practice the 

lessons learned from the training. Participants will learn to use staff resources more 

effectively and improve outcomes for women offenders. 

30 National Institute of Corrections Report to the Nation FY 2012
Figure 3. Offender Employment Retention Specialist Pretraining/Posttraining Assessment 

80

70

60

50

40

100

90

Posttraining 

test score 

average 

96.66 

Pretraining 

test score 

average 

64.5 

Executive Leadership for New Wardens 

Due to the continual retirements of baby boomers, states have been faced with significant leadership turnover. This has resulted in the request for additional leadership 

training. NIC was able to add one additional New Wardens’ class during FY 2012. 

Figure 4 shows classroom demographics for new wardens’ executive training from 

April 30 to May 4, 2012. 

Operational Practices in the Management of Women’s Prisons 

Hosted by the North Carolina and Arkansas Departments of Corrections in partnership with NIC, this training helps agencies incorporate research-based, genderappropriate strategies into the work they do with criminal justice-involved women. 

The training helps inform policy and practice. 

Correctional Leadership for Women 

NIC partnered with the Maryland and Tennessee Departments of Correction to assist 

in sustaining the professional development of their growing number of female midlevel management leaders. 

Training, Networks, and Forums 31 
	 	 	

	 	 	 	

	 	 	

 

 

 

Figure 4. Executive Training for New Wardens Classroom Demographics 

April 30 to May 4, 2012 

Total Participants Participants’ Total Number of Years in Corrections 

24 483 

Gender Race Other (1) Men 

Men (12) 

50% 

Women (12) 

50% 

Caucasian (15) 

63% 

African 

American (8) 

33% 

Other (1) 

4% African 

American (4) 

33% 

Caucasian (7) 

58% 

9% 

Women Nonstate Agencies Age Over 55 

Caucasian (8) 

67% 

African 

American (4) 

33% 

Bureau of 

Prisons 

(2) 

U.S. Army 

(1) 

Juvenile 

(1) 

Under 40 

(3) 

51–55 

(3) 

40–45 

(10) 

(1) 

46–50 

(7) 

Conducting Security Audits 

NIC conducted three security audits in FY 2012. Through this program, facilities get 

a snapshot of their agency’s security practices through comprehensive security audits 

conducted by correctional professionals who are not associated with the agency 

being reviewed. Three-member teams from six to seven agencies across the country complete the audits. For the past few years, members of the Bureau of Prisons 

Program Review team have participated in this program. In FY 2012, the audited 

agencies included: 

Pennsylvania Department of Correction, May 21–25, 2012 

•	 State Correctional Institution at Albion

•	 State Correctional Institution at Cambridge Springs

•	 State Correctional Institution at Mercer

32 National Institute of Corrections Report to the Nation FY 2012
Tennessee Department of Correction, July 9–13, 2012 

•	 Tennessee Prison for Women

•	 Riverbend Maximum Security Institution

•	 Turney Center Industrial Complex

Maine Department of Correction, September 9–14, 2012 

•	 Maine State Prison

•	 Maine Correctional Center

•	 Two Bridges Regional Jail

Training Development 

NIC provides training to the corrections field as a core part of its mission; as such, 

NIC not only considers training for staff, but also training for the individuals who 

train staff. NIC’s Trainer Development Series is a collection of programs, events, and 

resources tailored to training the trainer. The series approaches training holistically, 

tackling both the techniques associated with good instruction and the foundational 

awareness of the needs of adult learners that are necessary to design training programs effectively. 

NIC embarked on a significant initiative to revitalize its Trainer Development Series 

in FY 2012. By the end of FY 2013, NIC will have revised its curricula for Training 

Design and Development, Foundation Skills for Trainers, Developing an Effective Field 

Training Officer/On-the-Job Training Program, and Training for Training Directors. All 

of these curricula will use, and will teach learners to use, blended delivery formats. 

Additionally, this initiative will result in a template for creating Training for Trainers 

curricula that can be applied generically to specific topics. 

Information about the Trainer Development Series can be found on the Workplace 

Learning and Staff Performance Enhancement webpage at http://nicic.gov/ 

TrainingDesignDevelopment. 

Training, Networks, and Forums 33 
34 

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SNAPSHOT 

The National Institute of Corrections (NIC) receives hundreds of requests for

technical assistance (TA) each year. Although available funding is not always 

guaranteed, all efforts are made to fulfill requests if possible based on agency

need and the risk of the request to agency security, operations, and offender management should it not be fulfilled. Requests for assistance vary, from traditional

requests such as assistance with the implementation of Prison Rape Elimination

Act compliancy models to requests for assistance regarding an aspect of facility

management. 

One TA request received in fiscal year 2012 came from a facility that specifically

asked for help in working with a religious group of which some of its inmates 

were members. Although the facility attempted to work on its own to control the 

contentions regarding religion that it was experiencing among inmates and the 

religious volunteers who worked with inmates in the facility, it found it could not 

handle the process alone. NIC was asked to provide assistance that would alleviate 

the contentions and create a lasting environment conducive to religious freedom 

for all inmates, staff, and volunteers. NIC provided the requested assistance, and

the TA event was successful. 

Realizing that religious contentions are an ongoing problem for facilities around the

country, NIC developed a nationwide forum for religious directors after the TA event 

was completed. This forum would be a vehicle by which religious leaders working 

in corrections could communicate with each other on emerging issues. 

In September 2012, a focus group was formed; religious directors from across the 

country met and created an outline that will be developed into a formal training 

module to be delivered to religious directors and chaplains nationwide in fiscal year 

2013. 

National Institute of Corrections Report to the Nation FY 2012
	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

 

 

 

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE 

T

echnical assistance is one of the many ways in which the National Institute of 

Corrections (NIC) provides hands-on help to the states, counties, local jurisdictions, and federal agencies that comprise its constituents. This help may be in 

the form of training, program evaluation, program implementation assistance, or 

other methods at the request of the agencies that call on NIC. All of NIC’s services 

are provided at no cost. The number of technical assistance requests completed 

depends on the requester’s needs and available NIC funding. Figure 5 shows the 

number of participants who completed technical assistance training in fiscal year (FY) 

2012. 

Figure 5. Training Conducted Through Technical Assistance 

Training conducted through technical 

assistance (including conference training) 

741 participants 

representing 13 states at 85 separate events. 

The map and table in figure 6 outline the number of technical assistance requests that 

NIC completed in FY 2012. Highlights include the following: 

•	 Through technical assistance to the Sixth Judicial District of Iowa, NIC piloted

revised Offender Workforce Development Specialist basic skills modules in Cedar 

Rapids on July 16–18, 2012. Feedback from participants was incorporated into 

the curriculum, which is a resource for program participants. 

•	 The most requested technical assistance program was the Thinking for A Change

facilitator training, followed closely by requests to build leadership capacity. NIC’s 

leadership courses help employees increase their skills so they can transfer to 

higher level positions within their own agency. 

•	 NIC provided numerous technical assistance events focused on women offenders.

These events included train-the-trainer programs that will help sites implement 

women’s risk and needs assessments and gender-informed assessments in women’s 

prisons, and will help sites develop statewide plans for managing women offenders. 

Technical Assistance 35 
•	 NIC	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 has received a tremendous number of technical assistance requests for help

with validation and revalidation of classification instruments. As a result, a focus 

group was conducted in September 2012 to address the needs of classification 

departments. A formal training program will be developed to assist agencies with 

their specific needs, and a collaborative community will also be formed to further 

assist classification directors with future needs and issues that may arise. 

36 
WA 

8 

MT 

2 OR ND ME 1 1 

SD 

2 

ID MN

WY 

5 

IA 

4 

MO 

UT 3 6

4 

5 OK NM AR TN 6 6 

1 

LA TX 0 3 5

1 

WI 

4 

CA 

NY 

IL IN OH 

9 6 8 6 4 WV 

KY 

7 

PA 

MS AL GA 

NE 

0 

SC 

4 

NC 

KS VA

11 

FL 

4 

7 

AZ 

2 

NV 

2 

0 

MI 8

6 

CO 

6 

2 

1 

2 

1 

Figure 6. Technical Assistance Requests by State, FY 2012 

Number of Number of Number of 

State/Territory Requests State/Territory Requests State/Territory Requests 

Alabama AL 3 
 Kentucky KY 7 
 North Dakota ND 1 
 

Alaska AK 2 
 Louisiana LA 1 
 Ohio OH 4 
 

Arizona AZ 5 
 Maine ME 1 
 Oregon OR 2 
 

Arkansas AR 1 
 Maryland MD 7 
 Pennsylvania PA 6 
 

California CA 9 
 Massachusetts MA 1 
 Rhode Island RI 1 
 

Colorado CO 6 
 Michigan MI 6 
 South Carolina SC 4 
 

Connecticut CT 2 
 Minnesota MN 5 
 South Dakota SD 2 
 

Delaware DE 1 
 Missouri MO 4 
 Tennessee TN 6 
 

District of Columbia DC 15 
 Montana MT 2 
 Texas TX 7 
 

Florida FL 4 
 Nebraska NE 3 
 Utah UT 2 
 

Georgia GA 5 
 Nevada NV 2 
 Vermont VT 3 
 

Idaho ID 2 
 New Hampshire NH 2 
 Virginia VA 11 
 

Illinois IL 8 
 New Jersey NJ 1 
 Washington WA 8 
 

Indiana IN 6 
 New Mexico NM 1 
 Wisconsin WI 4 
 

Iowa IA 4 
 New York NY 8 
 Wyoming WY 1 
 

Kansas KS 6 
 North Carolina NC 6 
 Total 198 
 

 

AK 

2 NH 
 

2 VT 
 

3 
 

MA 1 
 

RI 1 
 

CT 2 
 

NJ 1 
 

DE 1 
 

MD 7 
 

DC 15
 Technical Assistance 

Requests by State 

■ 10–15 (2) 

■ 7–9 (7) 

■ 4–6 (16) 

■ 1–3 (22) 

Note: States with zero technical assistance are states in which requests for 

assistance either have not been received or have not yet been approved. 

Technical Assistance 37 
38 

SNAPSHOT 

The Transition from Prison to Community (TPC) Initiative is a comprehensive, 

systems-based approach to the reentry of prison offenders. Relying heavily on the 

coordinated efforts of federal, state, local, and community partners, the initiative 

maximizes the available resources of each local area to develop programming,

treatment, and opportunities for offenders as they transition from contact with the 

prison system to more productive lives. 

On March 27–28, 2012, the National Institute of Corrections (NIC) hosted a summit for agencies actively participating in the TPC Initiative. It included teams from 

the Bureau of Prisons as well as departments of corrections in Iowa, Kentucky, 

Minnesota, Tennessee, Texas, and Wyoming. At the summit, participants were able 

to provide recommendations to NIC about how to continue to support and advance 

evidence-based reentry efforts in the field. More important, participants also had 

the opportunity to: 

•	 Report and reflect on the strategies and accomplishments that have made

progress in supporting successful offender reentry in each jurisdiction. 

•	 Share with one another the insights they have gained from the TPC work,

including what has worked well or poorly, what the sites could have done 

differently given their new knowledge, and what guidance participants would 

offer to peers in other states regarding this work. 

•	 Consider how other national, state, and local reentry initiatives have complemented the TPC model and its implementation and how best to continue to 

build on these resources. 

•	 As a “community of practice,” synthesize their perspectives on what the TPC

experience provides as a legacy for public policy regarding corrections and 

other professions that have an interest in successful transition, reduced recidivism and victimization, community safety, and the wise use of resources.

•	 Agree on specific objectives and work plans for each site to best use the final

phase of NIC technical assistance (through June 2012) and to plan continuing 

implementation efforts beyond that time. 

During the summit’s final session, participants and faculty were invited to share 

any remaining thoughts on lessons learned from the summit or from their 

longstanding participation in the TPC Initiative. Following is a list of their reported 

outcomes: 

•	 We must continue to challenge assumptions and be progressive in our work.

•	 We must work together collaboratively to be successful.

•	 We must continue to be advocates for our work (with the public, legislature,

and staff). 

•	 We must stop doing what does not work.

•	 We must recognize that our efforts are about cultural change and these efforts

take time. 

•	 We must recognize that it is acceptable for TPC to lose its “newness.” We

want it to become part of “business as usual.” 

•	 We must think about justice and “bringing justice back to the justice system”

through the use of evidence-based practice and a focus on what we know 

works. 

•	 We must include transparency in our efforts.

•	 We must engage and educate the media and the community and help people

understand not only our failures but also our ongoing successes. The more 

we are able to articulate our public safety goals and talk about our work in a 

positive way, the more we can encourage community support for our efforts. 

State profiles of each state that participated in the TPC Initiative are available at 

http://nicic.gov/TPCStateProfiles1. 

National Institute of Corrections Report to the Nation FY 2012
 	 	 	

INFORMATION 

Print and Digital Communications 

NIC is pleased to offer audiences training and information in a variety of ways, including both print and electronic publications. These materials meet the needs of users 

wherever they are, whether at work, at home, or while traveling. For many years, 

NIC has made publications available electronically (PDF format) on its website. In 

fiscal year (FY) 2011, NIC took a major step forward in releasing the first mobile version of its website. In FY 2012, NIC advanced in digital publishing with the creation 

of its first e-book, Report to the Nation FY 2011, which will be released in FY 2013. 

Following is a list of the documents that NIC released or completed development of in 

FY 2012: 

•	 Report to the Nation FY 2011 (e-book). 

•	 About Us Flier (Spanish).

•	 APEX: Building the Model and Beginning the Journey. 

•	 Culture and Change Management: Using APEX To Facilitate Organizational 

Change. 

•	 Achieving Performance Excellence: The Influence of Leadership on Organizational 

Performance. 

•	 Understanding Corrections through the APEX Lens. 

•	 Applying the APEX Tools for Organizational Assessment. 

•	 APEX Resources Directory Volume 2. 

•	 Motivational Interviewing in Corrections: A Comprehensive Guide to Implementing 

MI in Corrections. 

•	 Exercises for Developing MI Skills in Corrections. 

Information 39 

www.nicic.gov 

National Institute of Corrections • 320 First Street, NW • Washington, DC 20534 • 800–995–6423