Correctional Officers and Employees Deserve Our Gratitude

Let’s face it. Jails are complicated, 24/7 operations and there is no shortage of challenges. Our populations show up at all hours. Many offenders lead extremely disorganized lives˛but the moment they enter jail, we become responsible for their well-being. And suddenly we’re challenged on-the-spot with determining how to house them, and whether they need medical or psychological care. We see a complete cross-section of criminal offenders˛from the most-hardened murderers to the homeless offenders with mental health issues. And we all know that jails have become society’s primary mental institutions. We also all experience those familiar faces who cycle through repeatedly.

Taking all that into account, that’s why it’s so important that we pause and take time to recognize the essential duties admirably performed by staff in jails all across this country. And for the last 39 years, we have done exactly that. In 1984, Former President Ronald Reagan established the first full week in May as National Correctional Officers Week. Then, in 1986, the Senate changed the name to National Correctional Officers and Employees Week to honor the full scope of employees working in our profession.

The theme for this issue of American Jails Magazine is “Honoring Correctional Officers & Employees.‚ Correctional officers are highly trained public servants dedicated to maintaining secure correctional facilities and ensuring public safety. Beyond officers, correctional employees serve commendably in many different capacities,, including jail administrative and support staff, medical staff, chaplains, volunteers, supervisors, teachers, and managers. Simply stated, all these roles are critical to running an efficient and effective detention facility.

For most members of the public˛unless they become personally involved with the jail˛we remain out of sight and out of mind. And the difficulties of running a jail are something most citizens can’t fathom. It is an unseen public service. Correctional employees are the ones who step into the shadows of society to perform a job not many are willing to do. Since our staff members’ place of work is in a secure location, we often don’t see them as part of our public life. However, it is important to remember that they play a key role in ensuring public safety. They do important work and are truly the “Hidden Heroes‚ in the criminal justice system.

Moreover, our employees perform their duties in the face of a difficult and often dangerous work environment. Stress and safety concerns are things correctional staff deal with on a daily basis. To say that corrections is a mentally taxing job would be an understatement. Officer burnout is not uncommon. It is most fitting and appropriate that we honor the many contributions and accomplishments of the men and women who are a vital component of the field of corrections.

Leaders of local jails are also no strangers to challenges. We find ourselves at the intersection of many familiar issues to the profession˛recruitment and retention, officer/employee wellness and working conditions.

National Correctional Officers and Employees Week provides a well-deserved opportunity to highlight the hard work and dedication our correctional professionals demonstrate daily. So during the first week of May, we celebrated our employees’ unwavering commitment to public safety and recognized their efforts to selflessly serve our communities through excellence, integrity and innovation.

We all know that running a jail is not a single-handed task. It takes a talented and dedicated staff, and this annual event affords us the occasion to thank them for their commitment and dedication to the job and their service to our communities. As you thumb through this issue of American Jails, you’ll see the many and diverse ways National Correctional Officers and Employees Week was celebrated at our respective agencies.

Despite the many and difficult challenges of running a jail, I have always believed that meaningful work is never wasted. Positive things can and do happen at jails. We see offenders who turn their lives around and inmates who beat powerful addictions. Our staff members are making a positive difference˛day in and day out. It is their work that makes those success stories possible. We need to take great pride in those victories.

As I stated earlier, jails have become primary mental health providers. Every day, staff are challenged with looking for mental health signs and doing everything possible to stop self-harm and/or suicide. It’s not an easy task. That being said, I hope to see many of you at AJA’s 2023 Mental Health Summit for Jail Professionals. This important and timely Summit will provide a forum to discuss the challenges that come with working in corrections and what some jails are doing to provide the support their staff needs. The event will take place October 3fi5, 2023 in Charleston, South Carolina. I encourage you to register today.

Thank you again for hosting celebratory events at your jails for National Correctional Officers and Employees Week. I am extremely proud to be part of AJA˛the only national association that focuses exclusively on issues specific to the operations of local detention facilities. AJA would like to extend a sincere “thank you‚ to correctional officers and employees who serve in our jails across the United States. We appreciate your commitment to operating safe and secure facilities.

One week out of the year, the correctional officer and employees have more than earned a thank you. Let’s make a commitment to express our gratitude for those who serve as a crucial pillar in enhancing public safety˛not just during May but every day. Louis A. Quiñones, Jr., CJM, CCE President American Jail Association