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                                    Resources
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                                    Topics In Corrections
                                    Corrections Staffing Resource Center

      

                    
          
    Corrections Staffing Resource Center
The most valuable resource to any organization is its people. Corrections agencies across the country face a staffing crisis, not only in sheer numbers of appropriate staffing but also in the diversity and wellness of their staff. It is essential that resources are committed to corrections’ historically underinvested and most valuable resource, human capital.

The Corrections Staffing Initiative (CSI) focuses on 3 primary trends to meet the challenges of the nation’s corrections facilities. Those areas include Recruitment, Hiring, and Retention (RHR); Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA); and Staff Wellness (SW).

Principal Domains of the Corrections Staffing Initiative (CSI)

Recruitment, Hiring, & Retention (RHR)

Corrections agencies are facing critical staffing levels. They have been, and currently continue to, struggle in recruiting, hiring, and retaining appropriate staff. This initiative will help correctional agencies with recruitment, hiring, and retention which could have several benefits, including:

**Improved hiring practices:**A well-designed curriculum can help correctional agencies develop more effective and efficient hiring practices.**Enhanced training and support:** A comprehensive curriculum can provide HR and training staff with the knowledge, skills, and support they need to be successful mentors to new hires.**Career development opportunities:** A curriculum can help correctional agencies develop meaningful career development opportunities new and veteran employees.**Improved public perception:** A comprehensive curriculum can help correctional agencies address the negative public perception of correctional work.**Better outcomes:** By improving recruitment, hiring, and retention, a comprehensive curriculum can ultimately lead to better outcomes for correctional agencies and the communities they serve.Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Accessibility (DEIA)

Corrections agencies are part of the community and as such, need staff (at all levels throughout the organization) that are representative of the communities they serve; incorporate diverse, equitable, inclusive, and accessible practices; and demonstrate a willingness to create meaningful change regarding the practices, norms, and beliefs that have marginalized underrepresented groups within the workplace. Correctional agencies should consider DEIA in their recruitment, hiring, and retention practices for several important reasons.

DEIA practices can help to reduce bias in the hiring process.DEIA helps to improve the agency's ability to serve a diverse population it serves.DEIA practices can help to promote innovation and creativity within the agency.DEIA can help to improve employee morale and retention.Staff Wellness (SW)

Employees are an agency’s greatest resource. The corrections environment, personal issues, social issues, emotional issues, and financial issues all take a mental and physical toll on our greatest commodity. The average age of death for correctional officers is 59 years old. This is significantly younger than the average age of death for the general population, which is around 78 years old. This suggests that correctional officers face significant health risks and stressors in their job, making it even more important to prioritize their physical and mental well-being.  Implementing staff wellness for the field of corrections can have numerous benefits for both the staff and the organizations. Here are examples of some benefits:

**Improved employee morale:** A staff wellness initiative can help boost employee morale by showing that their well-being is valued and that the organization cares about their physical and mental health.**Increased job satisfaction:** When employees feel supported and valued, they are more likely to feel satisfied with their jobs, which can lead to increased productivity and better work performance.**Reduced stress and burnout:** Corrections officers face a significant amount of stress daily, which can lead to burnout and mental health issues. A wellness program can provide resources and support to help reduce stress levels and prevent burnout.**Improved physical health:** Corrections officers often have physically demanding jobs, and a wellness program can provide resources and support to help improve their physical health through exercise, healthy eating, and preventative health measures.**Reduced absenteeism and turnover:** When employees feel supported and valued, they are more likely to show up to work and less likely to leave the organization. This can reduce absenteeism and turnover, which can help save the organization time and money on recruitment and training.**Better relationships with inmates:** When employees are less stressed and feel more supported, they may be better able to establish positive relationships with inmates, which can improve safety and security within the correctional facility.
      
                  3 people walking away from a correctional facility after a work shift

    Resource Links
          NIC Hot Topic: What can our agency do about turnover rates and employee retention?
          NIC Hot Topic: Racial Disparities and Dynamics in the Criminal Justice System
          NIC Hot Topic: Correctional Officer Life Expectancy
          NIC Hot Topic: Do you have information on officer safety and survival?
                   NIC Resources
          Promoting Civility in the Correctional Workplace [Webinar Series]

Promoting Civility in the Correctional Workplace
          Leadership Webinar Series [Webinar Series]

corrections staff at computers with officer nearby
          Community Supervision Peer Support Program Guidelines
          Community Supervision Staff Trauma and Organizational Stress Needs Assessment
          Community Supervision Operational and Organizational Stress: White Paper
          Price
              $0.00

Promoting Wellness and Resiliency in Correctional Staff [Webinar]

  Amount in Stock
              0
          Corrections Stress Needs Assessment
          Prison Staffing Analysis: A Training Manual with Staffing Considerations for Special Populations

  Online LMS Training and eCourses
          Bridging the Diversity Gap
      
            Without a diverse workforce, organizations run the risk of viewing things from a very limited perspective. The organization provides the structure for operation, but it's the individuals within that organization who carry out the mission of the organization.
          Maintaining a Cohesive Multigenerational Workforce
      
            To manage a multigenerational team, you need to understand the diversity of your employees and apply various strategies to divert conflict between them. If you tap into the potential of this multigeneration diversity, you'll create a more productive, collaborative, and innovative work environment.
          Applicant Screening: The First Step in Hiring the Best
      
            Talent management starts with hiring the right person for the job. Applicant screening takes a lot of work, and much of this work is done prior to the actual interview. This course covers how to create a job description, which will help you evaluate an applicant's resumé effectively.
          Ensuring Onboarding Success
      
            Talent management means hiring the right person for the job and successfully onboarding the new recruit. A good job description can aid in effective applicant and resumé screening before the interview. An effective onboarding program can increase new employee acclimation and productivity, as well as greatly decreasing employee turnover.
          Keeping Top Performers Challenged
      
            Top performers expect a lot from themselves. Managing performance in these highly driven people is essential because top performers are such valuable assets to a company. Managers and leaders must keep them engaged and challenged or else lose them to new challenges elsewhere. In this course, you'll learn how to identify your top performers.
          Forging Ahead with Perseverance and Resilience
      
            Business today is a complex undertaking. Accomplishing tasks and staying focused on achieving your goals requires grit and persistence. An adaptive mindset helps you focus through the distractions, information overload, demanding pace, and the accompanying stresses that can often pull you off task.

  Related Initiatives
          Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility
          Wellness for Corrections and Supervision Professionals
          Recruitment, Hiring, & Retention

Topic Categories and Resources
The following grey bars are accordions that can be expanded to show a list of "top-shelf" resources that have been hand-picked by our library team around this topic. If you would like additional research assistance on this topic, please contact our help desk. They have access to specialized databases and thousands of resources you won't find online. Click on a grey box below to browse resources in that section.
            
      Accordion    Recruitment, Hiring, & Retention
      
      Promoting Civility in the Correctional Workplace [Webinar Series]

            
      
Workplace incivility describes the subtle and obvious behaviors that are generally rude, discourteous, and suggesting of a lack of respect for others.
      
  Accession Number
              033678
              Leadership Webinar Series [Webinar Series]

            
      
Have you ever struggled to decide whether it is more important to support your people or your agency? On the one hand, you want to do the right thing to take care of those on the frontline, but you’ve also got to make sure that the work gets done.
      
  Accession Number
              033674
              Learning to Value Your Employees

            
      
As a leader, when was the last time you seriously thought about the kind of influence you want to have on your people? With a new generation of employees entering the criminal justice field, leaders need to examine how effectively they influence and develop others.
      
  Accession Number
              033564
              The Corrections Profession: Maintaining Safety and Sanity, Part 1

            
      
This program is the first of a two-part webinar, and covers the physical and emotional challenges faced by correctional personnel. “The dangers correctional staff encounter on the job are well known to their leaders.
      
  Accession Number
              027907
              The Corrections Profession: Maintaining Safety and Sanity, Part 2

            
      
This program is the second of a two-part webinar, and covers the physical and emotional challenges faced by correctional personnel. “The dangers correctional staff encounter on the job are well known to their leaders.
      
  Accession Number
              027908
  
      Staff Recruitment and Retention in Corrections: The Challenge and Ways Forward (2023)
              Train to Retain — Developing Corrections Staff (2023)
              Occupational Outlook Handbook: Correctional Officers and Bailiffs Summary (2023)
              Recruiting and Retaining a Highly Productive Team (2023)
              Employee Retention & Attraction (2023)
              RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION CHALLENGES IN CORRECTIONS (2022)
              Fallout: The stress of 'working short' in corrections (2022)
              Corrections1 unveils the top 5 correctional officer recruitment videos of the year (2022)
              Lexipol Connect 2021 - Combatting Stress and Burnout in Corrections (2021)
              Workforce Issues in Corrections (2019)
              5 principles to include in your hiring process to set your correctional facility apart (2018)
              JUSTICE TALKS Episode 9: Recruitment and Retention in Corrections: Challenges and Innovative Solutions from the Field
              Accordion    Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility
      
      Price
              $0.00

No News Is NOT Good News: The Role of PIOs in Jails [Internet Broadcast]

            
      
Public Information Officers (PIOs) play a vital role in the local jail. The public’s perception and/or misperception of jail operations can influence public safety, funding, elections, and numerous other factors.
      
  Accession Number
              031534

  Amount in Stock
              0
              Risk, Race, & Recidivism: Predictive Bias and Disparate Impact

            
      
One way to unwind mass incarceration without compromising public safety is to use risk assessment instruments in sentencing and corrections. Although these instruments figure prominently in current reforms, critics argue that benefits in crime control will be offset by an adverse effect on racial
              Transgender Persons In Custody: The Legal Landscape

            
      
**Do you and your agency have questions about the management of transgender persons in custody?**
      
  Accession Number
              032835
              Price
              $0.00

Classification of Women Offenders: A National Assessment of Current Practices

            
      
Findings from a telephone assessment of state and federal practices for classifying women offenders are presented. In addition to an executive summary, this report has the following chapters:

Introduction;
	Issues in classifying women offenders -- the literature;
	Approach;
	Findings;
	Discussion.

  Amount in Stock
              0
              Price
              $0.00

Gender Injustice: System-Level Juvenile Justice Reform for Girls

            
      
Accession Number
              031229

            Juvenile justice systems reform is occurring across the country as a result of a growing understanding of developmental and neurological differences between youth and adults, the high cost of incarceration, and the consistent failure of a punitive juvenile justice model. However, even as systems are

  Amount in Stock
              0
              Restoring Justice: A Blueprint for Ensuring Fairness, Safety, and Supportive Treatment of LGBT Youth in the Juvenile Justice System

            
      
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender, or LGBT, youth continue to be significantly over-represented in the nation’s juvenile justice system, even as overall rates of youth incarceration are on the decline ... This brief [explains] what works for LGBT youth by outlining the critical components of
              The Changing Racial Dynamics of Women's Incarceration

            
      
“Scholars are beginning to analyze the relative contributions of changes in crime rates, criminal justice policies, economics, and demographics to the slowing growth rate of the prison system, but one area that has gone largely unexplored is the impact of such changes on racial disparities in
              Tribal Equity Toolkit 2.0: Tribal Resolutions and Codes to Support Two Spirit & LGBT Justice in Indian Country

            
      
“Tribal laws reflect our values as a people, define our collective barriers, prioritize our issues, allocate public resources, and identify eligibility for conferred status and public benefits and services. This Toolkit identifies areas in which existing tribal laws may discriminate against Two
              A Leader's Role in Promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Culture, Part 3

            
      
The landscape of the work environment has been irreversibly changed. Stepping into a leadership role continues to be a great privilege, but today it also comes with the even greater responsibility of creating a workplace culture that values all individuals.
      
  Accession Number
              033504
              Building Inclusion Across Multi-Disciplinary Teams, Part 2

            
      
Do you feel like you are working in an inclusive environment? Organizations of all kinds - including corrections - have wrestled with how to create an inclusive culture and promote inclusivity for decades.
      
  Accession Number
              033500
              HOPE Probation: Hawaii's Opportunity Probation with Enforcement

            
      
The CCCN's live webinar highlights Hawaii’s Opportunity Probation with Enforcement (HOPE), a strategy to effect positive behavioral changes in probationers.
      
  Accession Number
              032784
              LGBT Youth in Juvenile Justice: Creating Agency Policies for an Equitable System Webinar

            
      
Many juvenile justice systems don't know how many young people in their system identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) and often lack appropriate policies that meet their unique needs ...
      
  Accession Number
              031374
              That's DOPE - Making Every Voice Count!, Part 4

            
      
We know how you say it matters, and now, in today’s multicultural world, why we said it is equally important. Our experiences and values lead us to unique perspectives about our behavior. A correctional organization’s ability to leverage all voices is much like a music producer.
      
  Accession Number
              033511
              What's Your Eye Chart Saying? How Our Beliefs Filter Our Views, Part 1

            
      
When was the last time you had your eyes examined? Just as the health of our vision is maintained through regular eye exams, the way in which we see the world is maintained through self-awareness and broadening our perspectives.
      
  Accession Number
              033371
  
      Cultural Competencies in the Correctional Workplace
      
            Tip 59: Improving Cultural Competence

**The CDM Group, Inc., Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), 2014**

Document ID: 028407

Best Practices in Creating and Delivering LGBTQ Cultural Competency Training for Health and Social Services Agencies

**Margolies, Liz, Rej Joo, and Jenna McDavid, 2014**

Document ID: 029909

Cultural Competence [Article]

**ToersBijns, Carl, 2014**

Safe & Respected: Policy, Best Practices & Guidance for Serving Transgender & Gender Non-Conforming Children and Youth in the Child Welfare, Detention, and Juvenile Justice Systems

**Perry, J. Rhodes, and Eli R. Green, New York City's Administration for Children's Services (ACS), LGBTQ Policy and Practice Office, 2014**

Document ID: 028254

Cultural Competence: The Nuts & Bolts of Diversity & Inclusion[Article]

**Martin, Mercedes, and Billy Vaughn, diversityofficermagazine.com, 2012**

Document ID: 026276

Employing Your Mission: Building Cultural Competence in Reentry Service Agencies Through the Hiring of Individuals Who Are Formerly Incarcerated and/or in Recovery

**Fortune Society, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, Prisoner Reentry Institute, Columbia University, Teachers College, International Center for Cooperation and Conflict Resolution (ICCCR), 2011**

Document ID: 025304

Building Community Trust: Improving Cross-Cultural Communication in the Criminal Justice System

**American Bar Association (ABA) Criminal Justice Section, ABA Section of Individual Rights and Responsibilities, ABA Council on Racial and Ethnic Justice, 2010**
              An (updated) LGBTQ+ friendly survey template (2022)
              Trends in Correctional Control by Race and Sex (2019)
  
      Creating an Accessible and Welcoming Workplace (2023)
              10 Ways to Develop Accessibility in the Workplace (2022)
              Cultural Diversity Training in Corrections: Time for a New Perspective (2022)
              Enhancing Equity in the Criminal Justice System: A Self-Reflection Tool (2021)
              Cultural Competence in Corrections (2020)
              Community Supervision Marked by Racial and Gender Disparities (2018)
              Examining Race and Gender Disparities in Restrictive Housing Placements (2018)
              Transforming prison practices on equality and diversity (2015)
              Accordion    Staff Wellness
      
      Price
              $0.00

Promoting Wellness and Resiliency in Correctional Staff [Webinar]

            
      
Do you want to see what some of the latest data and promising practices are revealing about staff wellness for corrections officers and staff? Would you like to learn how to apply a holistic approach to your workplace along the continuum of preventive to reactive responses?
      
  Accession Number
              033483

  Amount in Stock
              0
              The Mental Health of Community Correctional Officers: Supervising Persons with Serious Mental Illness

            
      
Few studies have investigated factors that contribute to the mental health of probation and parole officers (PPOs). Addressing the needs of supervises with serious mental illness (SMI) can create unique challenges for PPOs, which in turn may increase job-related stress and impact PPOs’ mental health
              New Directions in Corrections: Staff Wellness: NIC's Second Virtual Conference

            
      
Accession Number
              029910

            On June 10, 2015, the National Institute of Corrections (NIC) launched a national virtual conference on staff wellness titled “New Directions in Corrections: Staff Wellness.” Session topics will include using neuroscience to reduce stress, “healing corrections,” the organizational implications of
              Price
              $0.00

Corrections Stress: Peaks and Valleys

            
      
Staff is the life blood of any agency and its most valuable resource. Their wellness is paramount to organizational health and mission effectiveness.
      
  Accession Number
              032605

  Amount in Stock
              0
              Community Supervision Peer Support Program Guidelines

            
      
The Community Supervision Peer Support Program Guidelines were developed by community supervision leaders, front-line officers, and peer team support members operating peer support programs in community-based supervision agencies within the United States. The guidelines are intended to support
              Occupational Stressors in Corrections Work Annotated Bibliography

            
      
"Corrections work of all disciplines, whether in institutional or in community-based settings, has been recognized as being exceptionally stressful. Traditionally, this has been regarded as a consequence of staff’s exposure to multiple organizational stressors and also operational stressors
              Hazmat Suit for the Soul

            
      
Accession Number
              031363

            This three part series addresses the issue of corrections fatigue and how corrections staff can deal with it by developing "hazmat suits for their souls". A hazmat suit for the soul allows you to respond to the "hazardous materials" of daily stress and dangerous incidents during work and to
              Hitting the Wall: Dealing with Stress in Corrections [Lesson Plan and Participant's Manual]

            
      
Issues surrounding stress in a correctional setting, like the effects, sources, and symptoms of stress, burnout, and coping strategies, are covered during this 6.5 hour course. Participants will be able to: define stress and identify the effects of stress; identify the sources of stress; identify
              The Corrections Profession: Maintaining Safety and Sanity, Part 1

            
      
This program is the first of a two-part webinar, and covers the physical and emotional challenges faced by correctional personnel. “The dangers correctional staff encounter on the job are well known to their leaders.
      
  Accession Number
              027907
              The Corrections Profession: Maintaining Safety and Sanity, Part 2

            
      
This program is the second of a two-part webinar, and covers the physical and emotional challenges faced by correctional personnel. “The dangers correctional staff encounter on the job are well known to their leaders.
      
  Accession Number
              027908
              Improving Correctional Officer Wellness Through a Multifaceted Approach

            
      
"Seven staff fatalities including three suicides in just three years (2010-2012). For professionals who operate correction facilities, stress can be a significant issue with fatal consequences. The Middlesex Sheriff’s Office (MSO) had 45 staff fatalities over the past 30 years. Twenty-four percent
  
      National Staff Wellness Scan (2020, ACA)
              6 mistakes correctional agencies can make when addressing staff wellness (2019)
              Investing in People: Improving Corrections Staff Health and Wellness (2018)
              Correctional Officer Safety and Wellness Literature Synthesis (2017)
              Correctional Officer Health and Safety Literature Review (2013)
              Accordion    Additional eCourses
      
      Introduction to Leadership Competencies
              "Positive Atmosphere" E-Courses
              Building Career Development Programs and Succession Planning
              Hitting the Recruitment Bull's-eye
              How to Use Competencies for Performance Management and Succession Planning
              Individual Behavior in Organizations
              Leading Your Team through Change
              Managing Employee Development
              NIC Learn Center E-Courses Category: Staff Recruitment, Development, and Retention
              Managing Employee Development
              Using Communication Strategies to Bridge Cultural Divides
              Your Role in Workplace Diversity

Contacts for this content
          Archie Weatherspoon IV
      
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              Correctional Program Specialist

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              Academy Division

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              National Institute of Corrections

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            Contact the NIC Helpdesk

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  Topics
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                    Correctional staff
                    Diversity
                    Recruitment
                    Corrections stress

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