From May 20 to 24, more than 800 corrections professionals representing jails across the United States converged at the CHI Health Center in Omaha, Nebraska for AJA’s 42nd Conference & Jail Expo. Attendees had access to sessions on Saturday, workshops, the Jail Expo, and various other events designed to help them and the jails they work in. Among the attendees were front-line officers, jail administrators, sheriffs, and numerous other professionals who work in the field of corrections.
The 2023 Conference opened with Partnership Saturday, a new venture that brought together several of AJA’s federal agency partners for a day of education in their area of expertise. Later, attendees met at the Welcome Reception on Saturday evening to network and catch up with old friends.
The 2023 conference featured several special events, including a Plenary Session with keynote speaker Congressman Don Bacon, iConnect Live sessions, AJA’s Awards Banquet, and a closing session with a preview of the 2024 conference.
More than 50 workshops were led by the industry’s top professionals. Attendees learned about unfounded investigative findings, substance use disorders, transformational leadership, changing the culture in corrections, and more. There were no shortages of choices throughout the conference.
To learn more about AJA’s conference, Jail Expo, and all the events, keep turning the pages. Perhaps you will see your picture or recognize someone you know!
Wild West Welcome Reception Thank You to the Sponsor Wexford Health Sources Incorporated!
On Saturday, May 20 at 5:00 PM, the Western BBQ Themed Welcome Reception featured entertainers, hors d’oeuvres, drinks, and networking! Sponsored by Diamond Level Sponsor Wexford Health Sources, Inc., the Welcome Reception had a greater turnout than expected. Compared to the Long Beach opening reception, more than three times the amount of people showed up to enjoy pulled pork sandwiches, fried macaroni and cheese balls, and more! Then, Immediate Past President Darren Sieger was arrested on charges of Impersonating a Comedian, Gross Negligence, and Misuse of Microsoft Calendar. “El Bandito” went peacefully, and attendees resumed networking and enjoying the food and drinks available.
Sgt. Oghenetega Onoshirie
Plenary Keynote Speaker Congressman Don Bacon - Achieving Your Goals as a Correctional Professional Thank You to the Planary Sponsor AXON Corrections!
On Monday morning, in Ballroom A, the Douglas County Department of Corrections Honor Guard presented colors and the unit continued to stand at attention in front of the head table while The National Anthem was performed by Officer Charles Hollingsworth on his electric guitar. Then, Director Michael Myers led the audience in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.
President Quiñones then presented Director Myers with an Award of Appreciation for everything he has done as the host agency to support the success of the 42nd Annual Conference & Jail Expo. Quiñones then presented a Recognition of Service Award to President-Elect Shawn Laughlin a Recognition of Service Award for his dedicated service as Conference Planning Committee Chair.
Congressman Don Bacon then delivered an engaging keynote on achieving your goals as a correctional professional. He discussed the importance of recruitment and retention, and that correctional officers deserve a good pay, a good retirement plan, a good healthcare plan, and safe environments. He brought up overcrowding in jails and that what we need is more jail space, because overcrowding is not fair to those in this line of work. Overcrowding is another mental health challenge, and the lack of mental health care funding means that many do not have access to this care and it is correctional professionals who are taking the brunt of this lack of funding.
Congressman Bacon thanked President Quiñones for his two key priorities for his tenure as president: better mental health care to help deal with what correctional staff face every day and to also provide the right quality of life for correctional officers. After, he discussed some of the bills that he is either the author of or supported, including the Social Security Fairness Act and the Elimination of Dangerous Contraband in Postal Mail Act. Before beginning the Q&A with the audience, Congressman Bacon quoted Nelson Mandela, the former South African president who spent decades in a jail as a civil rights leader, “You can know a country the best by looking to see how they handle their jails and prisons…you don’t judge the people who are at the very top…you look at how we treat those who are in the jail system or prison system to really get a feel for what a country is like.” He went on to say that by showing compassion, believing in justice, wanting to protect the community, have a safe environment, and helping incarcerated people succeed when they reenter society, the correctional professionals in our nation are showing what this country really is.
Currently, Congressman Bacon is an American politician and former military officer serving as the US representative for Nebraska’s Second Congressional District since 2017. Congressman Bacon served nearly 30 years in the US Air Force, retiring as a Brigadier General, specializing in electronic warfare, intelligence, and reconnaissance.
AJA President's Initiative - Staff Mental Health, It's Time to TALK!
The President’s Initiative took place on Tuesday Morning, led by The President’s Initiative took place on Tuesday morning, led by President Louis Quiñones CCE, CJM, William Young, Linda McFarlane, MSW, LCSW, Brad Negrete, MA., and Michael Myers. In this dynamic session, the expert panelists discussed the identification, acknowledgement, and protection of correctional staff’s well-being. Correctional professionals are bombarded with critical situations constantly that they unknowingly carry with them. President Quiñones began the session with an incident that took place at his facility, where a law enforcement officer failed to restrain an inmate properly, and that inmate came into the booking area with a loaded weapon. He watched the situation and was severely impacted by it. “As a Chief of Corrections, I’m a human being. You have good days, and you have bad days just like our staff. And if our staff comes to us and tells us they’re not feeling good, we got to understand that it’s okay.” Since then, he was able to get a CIP to change his facility’s booking process to mitigate this incident from ever happening again.
When President Quiñones finished telling the attendees this story, he passed the discussion over to Michael Myers, who discussed his facility’s recent changes to “not just accept that this is the way it is, that this is the way it’s always going to be, that we can actually make it different.” While the Douglas County Department of Corrections was short-staffed not too long ago, they now have a staff of around 500 people that now recognize the need to help each other and themselves.
The next expert panelist was William Young of the Douglas County DOC, who was the first Wellness and Retention Coordinator. He went into detail about how working in corrections changed who he was; that he is not the same person now that he was when he first started. William talked about how he has become isolated from everyone, how his solution to family arguments is by separating people like they’re inmates in a bad situation. He became
progressively distrustful of people, judging them in public, always looking for that angle. “We think the inmates are the enemy and they’re not. It’s the environment, it’s the culture, it’s the way that we teach each other when we struggle: that’s the enemy.”
Correctional officers need help, so President Quiñones asked Linda McFarlane, MSW, LCSW, for advice. She discussed trauma and how these traumatic events cause feelings of terror. “When your nervous system is constantly activated…over time that changes your brain. It literally carves new neural pathways for how you react to the things…you can’t just override it.” Linda encouraged the attendees to seek help to relearn new ways.
The final panelist was Brad Negrete, who discussed his roles with the Douglas County DOC to improve the mental health of the facility. “You have to know now how to really take care of yourself, so that way when stress comes, you know what to do. You have something already planned to help relieve it or knowing when to reach out for that help.” As the panelists finished up their discussion, the session ended with a Q&A from the attendees.
Congratulations to the Graduates of the Jail Executive Institute (JEI)
Following Congressman Bacon’s keynote speech, President Quiñones congratulated the Second Class of the Jail Executive Institute held in conjunction with the University of Nebraska at Omaha and presented them with certificates of completion.
The Jail Executive Institute (JEI) is a cooperative venture between the American Jail Association (AJA) and the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s (UNO) School of Criminology and Criminal Justice. JEI is designed to enhance the knowledge and skills of jail executives as they navigate their responsibilities and the challenges in their facility, including politics and power, managing media relations, use of force, and officer wellness and resilience. Held in three segments, the classroom component took place from September 18-23 in Omaha, Nebraska at UNO.
The second component consisted of one 90-minute virtual class per month from October 2022 to April 2023. For the third component, JEI graduates delivered an oral presentation before a panel of jail experts on Sunday.
Honoring the Best of the Best - The AJA Awards Banquet
A Career of Distinguished Service
Francis R. "Dick" Ford Distinguished Service Award
Sheriff Darryl Forte Jackson County Sheriff's Office, Kansas City, MO
Sheriff Darryl Fortè was born in the heart of Jackson County Missouri. He began his law enforcement career in 1985 with the Kansas City Missouri Police Department where he eventually became chief of police. He served nearly six years as chief of police before he retired in May 2017.
Sheriff Fortè was appointed sheriff of Jackson County Missouri in May 2018 and was re-elected by voters the same year, and was re-elected in January 2021 to his first full term as sheriff.
He earned an Associate Degree in Administration of Justice from Penn Valley Community College, a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice Administration from Park University, a Master of Liberal Arts with a concentration in management from Baker University,
and a Master of Law from the University of Missouri—Kansas City School of Law. Sheriff Forte attended the 197th session of the Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy.
Spending family time is important to Sheriff Fortè. He has been married almost 36 years and has two daughters, two granddaughters and a grandson.
"Though Sheriff Fortè’s career has been one of historic firsts and stellar professionalism and integrity, he is nominated for this award for his very personal efforts to bring awareness to prostate cancer. By telling his personal story and using his large social media following, the Sheriff has raised awareness, encouraged men to get tested, and even offered to accompany anyone for screening and testing who may need support."
Every agency has dedicated people who work long and hard to help their facility and staff grow. The 2023 Award recipients were nominated by their agencies for their exceptional dedication and service that went above and beyond the call of duty. Presented at AJA’s Awards Banquet on Tuesday night, these men and women were recognized by their peers for their outstanding contributions to the field of corrections.This conference marked the last official duties of Micael Harris, CJM, and Henry Reyes, CJM, as members of the Commission. Both men dedicated countless hours of service to ensure the success of our certification programs.
Volunteer of the Year
Roger Sickler
Volunteer Chaplain Reentry Services Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office Fort Worth, Texas
Civilian Employee of the Year
Wesley McDuffie
Chaplain Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office Fort Worth, Texas
Sponsor:
Correctional Officer of the Year
Eric Peters
Corporal Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office West Palm Beach, Florida
Sponsor:
Correctional Training Officer of the Year
LaToya Jackson, MCJ, BCJ
Administrative Lieutenant Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office Fort Worth, Texas
Sponsor:
Correctional Supervisor of the Year
Albert Mercado
Sergeant Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office Fort Worth, Texas
Sponsor:
Ray Coleman Correctional Administrator of the Year
Steven L. Elrod, CJM
Chief Deputy of Corrections Garland County Sheriff’s Office Detention Center Hot Springs, Arkansas
Sponsor:
Innovation Award—Medium Jail
Flagler County Sheriff’s Office
Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility Bunnell, Florida
Innovation Award—Large Jail
Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office Military Veterans Program
Fort Worth, Texas
Valor Award
David Kalendek
Deputy First Class Harford County Sheriff’s Office Bel Air, Maryland
Sponsor:
AJA's 2023 Opening Luncheon & Business Meeting
On Sunday, May 21, more than 500 people attended AJA’s Opening Luncheon & Business Meeting during the 42nd Annual Conference & Jail Expo in Omaha. Held in the CHI Health Center, attendees listened to President Darren Sieger, MS, CJM, discuss AJA’s accomplishments in the past year, watched the installation of the new Board members, and heard remarks from new AJA President Louis Quiñones, Jr., CJM, CCE.
AJA Executive Director Chris Daniels began the meeting by introducing the Executive Committee and welcoming the professionals who work hard every day to improve and elevate the corrections industry. Chaplain Linda Ahrens then offered the invocation before lunch was served. After the meal, Mr. Daniels introduced AJA President Darren Sieger, MS, CJM. Before officially beginning the meeting, he requested a moment of silence to remember those who are no longer with us: “They have been our friends and co-workers and have contributed so much to the profession and their communities. We will never forget them.”
President Sieger then called the meeting to order. The first report was from AJA’s Treasurer, Eddie Lance. He reported, “Total revenues for 2022 were $2,141,069 compared to $1,558,643 in 2021.” For the full financial report for the year ending December 31, 2022, refer to page 68.
President Sieger recognized four individuals who have contributed to AJA’s ongoing success. He presented Captain Denise Diamond, CJM with the President’s Award, a Recognition of Service Award to Shaina Venek for her years of service to NIC, and Exemplary Service Award to Marc Stern, MD, MPH, and to AJA Executive Director, Chris Daniels. President Sieger then recognized the Chair of the Jail Manager Certification Commission, Jared Schechter, CJM, the Commission’s Vice-Chair, Amber Redmond, CJM, and Commissioners John Johnson, PhD, CJM, Reese Walker, CJM, and Danielle Frane, CJM, CCE, CCHP.
Colonel Schechter was happy to report that the current certification numbers are 485 CJOs, 28 CJSs, 282 CJMs, and 59 CJO Agency Liaisons. He then announced that Major Dorothy Harris from the Charleston County Juvenile Detention Center has been appointed as the new commissioner and will serve a five-year term and Amber Redmond will serve as the new commission chair.
In his final address, President Sieger emphasized AJA’s accomplishments over the past year, including the tenacity and dedication of the Board of Directors and the headquarters staff “who have worked hard to provide the support needed to accomplish all that we aspire to do.” He also praised AJA’s members and thanked them for their continued support and participation in AJA. President Sieger thanked the audience for their continuous contribution to the field of corrections. “Thank you for all that you do to ensure the safe and effective operation of our nation’s jails.”
After remarks from Director of Corrections Michael Myers, President Sieger completed his final duty in office, introducing the 2023-2024 Officers and Board of Directors, including his successor. After between sworn in, AJA President Louis Quiñones, CCE, CJM installed the new Board. Turn to page 70 to meet the 2023-2024 Officers and Board of Directors.
In his inaugural address, President Quiñones thanked the Douglas County Department of Corrections for serving as the host agency and AJA members for giving him the honor of serving the association as the 42nd president. He said the focus of his term in office would be to provide member agencies with the resources they need to address ongoing mental health needs for both the inmates and the professionals operating and staffing our nation’s jails.
Off to a Great Start - Certifications in 2023
The certification department has seen a lot of activity in 2023 and is off to a great start. As reported during the Opening Luncheon & Business Meeting, the current certification numbers include:
• 485 CJOs • 282 CJMs
• 28 CJSs • 59 CJO Agency Liaisons
AJA is pleased to announce the new JMCC commissioner, Major Dorothy Harris, who will serve a five-year term.
THANK YOU!
This conference marked the last official duties of Jared Schechter, CJM as a member of the Commission. Jared dedicated countless hours of service to ensure the success of our certification programs.
Connect & Achieve: 2023 Workshops
taff recruitment and retention, mental illnesses, and substance use disorders. These are just a few of the challenges facing our nation’s jails. Through more than 50 workshops, held over five days, attendees at the 42nd Annual Conference & Jail Expo learned from the industry’s top experts on how to address a myriad of issues and ways to overcome the obstacles they must tackle every day. Attendees of the conference could choose workshops from ten different categories, including Leadership Development, Jail Technology, Emerging Issues, Medical and Mental Health, Agency Culture, Staff Wellness, and Strategic Inmate Management.
Workshops began on Saturday morning with Partnership Saturday. This new event brought together experts and practitioners in the corrections field to delve deep into the pressing challenges facing this industry and discuss possible solutions. AJA partnered with the National Commission on Correctional Health Care (NCCHC), the Correctional Management Institute of Texas (CMIT), the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO), and Just Detention International (JDI).
CMIT presented a deep dive on leadership programs that make a difference in the corrections industry, featuring Dr. Randy Garner, Dr. Matthew Bills, and Susan McCampbell. Dr. Garner began the workshop by sharing his expertise on the utilization and shortcomings of common training evaluations. Then, Dr. Bills continued by presenting his findings from an extensive and comprehensive training evaluation to highlight the importance of evaluating your training program. McCampbell wrapped up the session by discussing why and how jails need to prioritize leadership development.
JDI presented a comprehensive nine-hour session on the weaponization of the Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003 (PREA). Captain Denise Diamond, CJM of the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office presented this session alongside Linda McFarlane, MSW, LCSW of JDI. McFarlane stated that “sexual assault is one of the most underreported crimes,” and that an increase in reports does not necessarily mean that the crimes are happening more, but
rather that more inmates are comfortable coming forward. With correctional facilities across the country working to implement PREA Standards and putting new sexual abuse reporting mechanisms in place, incarcerated people can feel much safer coming forward and reporting their assaults. Later in the day, JDI continued the session by discussing ways in which you can protect your staff from false allegations and how you can ensure that non-legitimate reports are identified.
UNO and NCCHC delivered several presentations throughout Partnership Saturday. In the morning, UNO speaker Andrew Monteiro discussed why solitary confinement and restrictive housing language is important. Later, William Young of the Douglas County Department of Corrections and Brad Negrete, M.A. of UNO presented the various issues that can impact correctional staff, including compassion fatigue, empathic strain, fatigue, trauma, burnout, depression, and stress. They presented statistics that prove ignoring issues cannot happen. “Correctional officers face 50% greater risk of PTSD than US military veterans…and 37% of correctional officers may present symptoms of burnout.” In the afternoon, NCCHC representatives Wendy Habert, MBA, PHA, CCHP and Richard Forbus, Jr., CCHP led an informative session for jail leaders to understand the benefits associated with NCCHC accreditation for their facility’s medical and mental health operations: “Collaboration is key, leadership sets the tone…leaders must foster and expect a collaborative situation.”
Several workshops also covered medical and mental health challenges and solutions in correctional settings.
On Sunday morning, Krista Chick, LPC and Christie Estes, Esq., CCHP of Quality Correctional Health Care led a lively and interactive Q&A on the trends and traps surrounding mental health care of inmates. They explored issues such as suicide prevention, mental health referrals, and legal issues related to correctional health care. Later that same afternoon, William Young covered staff wellness, and, more importantly, why your staff wellness plan will fail. According to Young, there are five reasons that your plan may fail, including a lack of trust between frontline officers and administrators and that there will be no follow through with the plan.
Squirrel Cage Jail Tour
AJA provided several tours to the Squirrel Cage Jail in Council Bluffs, Iowa—a short drive from the CHI Convention Center. The Squirrel Cage Jail is one of only three remaining “rotary jails,” and the only three-story one. After its closure in 1969, the jail was taken over by the Historical Society of Pottawattamie County and was designated as a museum site. The jail has been featured on several ghost hunting shows for its haunting history, including Ghost Adventures.
2023 American Jail Expo
Robotic dogs, security solutions, food service equipment, smart technology, and the list goes on. More than 170 exhibiting partners participated in AJA’s Jail Expo over three days in the CHI Health Center. The Jail Expo doors opened for the reception on Sunday night after the ribbon was cut by AJA President Louis Quiñones, Executive Director Chris Daniels, and Douglas County Director of Corrections Michael Myers. The Jail Expo was open again Monday from 10 AM to 2 PM and Tuesday from 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM.
Conference attendees were issued lunch vouchers for meals in the Jail Expo during those days.
Several exhibiting partners participated in the prize drawings on Tuesday at this time. Prizes included Apple Air Tags, gift cards, a $100 bill, a Yeti cooler, and more. Together, AJA President Louis Quiñones and President-Elect Shawn Laughlin chose the prize-winners at random.
AJA 2023 - 2024 Officers and Board of Directors
President Louis A. Quinones Jr., MS, CJM, CCE, CPM
Chief of Corrections Orange County Corrections Dept.
Treasurer Eddie K. Lance, CJM
Jail Administrator (Retired) Transylvania County Sheriff's Office Internal Sales Specialist. Southern Software, Inc.
2 - Year Term Laura Bedard, PhD, CJM
Chief of Corrections Seminole County Sheriff's Office
3 - Year Term
Mark Foxhall, PHD, CJM
Community Services Associate University of Nebraska Omaha School of Criminology & Criminal Justice
President-Elect Shawn C. Laughlin, MCJ, CJM
Commander Broomfield Police Detention & Training Center
Immediate Past President Darren Sieger, MS, CJM
Director Broward Sheriff's Office
2 - Year Term Sonja J. Gillespie
Chief, Employee Relations Denver Sheriff Administration
3 - Year Term Denise Diamond, CJM
Captain Multnomah County Sheriff's Office
1st Vice President Leslie Hood, CJM
Lieutenant Shelby County Sheriff's Office
1 - Year Term Stefanie Bush, CJM
Assistant Jail Administrator Scott County Sheriff's Office
2 - Year Term Elsie Judon, MS
Major, Assistant Director of South Operations Broward Sheriff's Office
Parlamentarian Fred W. Meyer, MA, CJM, CCHP
Deputy Chief (Retired) Managin Director, NCCHC Resources National Commission on Correctional Healthcare
2nd Vice President Anthony Yeber, MPA, MSCJ, CJM
Captain/Facility Supervisor Miami-Dade Corrections & Rehabilitation Department
1 - Year Term Kevin Jones, CJM, CCE, CJE, NCCE
Major/Detention & Court Services Bureau Commander Richmond County Sheriff's Office
2 - Year Term Henry Reyes, MAM, MPA, CJM, CCE, NCCE
Chief Deputy Detention Bureau Housing Tarrant County Sheriff's Office
Sergeant-at-Arms Jared Schechter, MS, CJM, CCM
Colonel, jail Administrator Sedgwick County Sheriff's Office
3rd Vice President Shaun Klucznik, CJM, CCE
Major/Jail Administratorn Judicial Services Bureau Commander Hernando County Sheriff's Office
1 - Year Term Lisa Peck, CJM
Lieutenant, Detention Division Mesa County Sheriff's Office
3 - Year Term
Diana Knapp, MS, CJM, CCE
Director Jackson County Department of Corrections
Chaplain Linda Ahrens, BA, MBA, BGEA
Founding Volunteer Chaplain for Staff Cook County Dept. of Corrections
Secretary Sam Davis, MA, CJM
Major Jail Administrator (Retired) Ingham County Sheriff's Office Adjunct Staff, School of Criminal Justice, Michigan State
1 - Year Term Mane Martirosian
Executive Administrator Louisville metro Department of Corrections
3 - Year Term Jonathan Ede, MSCJ, CJM
Captain Travis County Sheriff's Office
Executive Director Chris D. Daniels, MPA, CAE
Executive Director American Jail Association
AJA Conference Closing Session
The Closing Session took place on Wednesday from 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM, featuring a short presentation on leadership, communication, and personal development by Dr. Randy Garner, followed by a fun close-out of the Omaha conference and lead-in to Ft. Lauderdale 2023. The Omaha Street Percussion Band gave a brilliant and fun performance, engaging the audience to dance along. Then, a T-Shirt toss featuring the Ft. Lauderdale 2024 conference took place and one lucky winner received a free registration to next year’s conference after finding a pink flamingo taped underneath their chair. With that, the 42nd Conference & Jail Expo in Omaha, Nebraska came to an end.
Thank You to Our Sponsors!
Thanks for a Great Conference - See You Next Year in Fort Lauderdale!
