It's Time to Thrive: We're Here for You

Welcome to the May/June issue of American Jails and my first column as the 2024 American Jail Association President. As the son of a Minister, my father would regularly preach to my siblings and I about a wide variety of topics including self-care, our obligation to help those around us and making a positive impact in the world. Whether he was literally preaching to the choir or just the 4 of us, the message has resonated with me over the past 55 years.

As a 30-year corrections professional and like many of you, we’ve seen our share of the “ups and downs” of our profession to include the impact this noble profession can have on each of us. We’ve seen public sentiment swing widely, political influences creep deeper into our profession, and a significant increase in what is expected in each of us by society. We have become medical and mental health assessment professionals, security experts, drug addiction specialists, and most importantly a critical component of the first responder structure for the entire criminal justice system. All this despite shrinking budgets, hiring and retention concerns, and a shrinking workforce.

To that point, never has there been a need for more reflection, acknowledgment, and sound mental and medical self-care than there is now. Highlighting this critical need in this edition of your nationally recognized AJA magazine, is a focus on programming for both medical and mental health needs. This includes innovative and nationally recognized programming, adaptive technology, and examples of how corrections professionals are making an impact on their communities. You are not alone! We are here for you as the nation’s only voice for local corrections. How are we going to do that? I’ll get to that in a minute.

But first, I want to express how important you are not only to AJA but to our society. We often do not hear that enough, so I want each of you to know that you matter! You matter to each other, to your families, and to our society.

As the literal “hub” for the entire criminal justice system, local corrections is the only component in the multi-faceted American justice system that interacts with every other part of the system. With care and custody responsibility for over 600 thousand individuals annually and facilitating the processing of just under 10 million arrestees annually, you are the most critical part of the criminal justice system. I’m reminded of a quote from President Ronald Reagan regarding the role corrections plays in our country.

Forty years ago this month, the 40th President of the United States, Ronald Reagan gave a speech through presidential proclamation #5187 creating National Correctional Officers Week. In doing so, he highlighted this critical and evolving role in speaking about corrections professionals, “They are called upon to fill, simultaneously, custodial, supervisory and counseling roles.” In the same proclamation, he went onto to celebrate our role in the criminal justice system by stating, “…these demanding, and often conflicting roles deserve our utmost respect.” Just one year later, through proclamation #5337, President Reagan highlighted not only the challenges of the time, but our role in the law enforcement profession, “Without these officers performing demanding and often dangerous assignments, it would be impossible to carry out the primary law enforcement mission of protecting the law-abiding citizens of this country.”

Fast forward 40 years, our challenges have become even greater than anyone could have imagined along with greater scrutiny. Our role in the criminal justice system continues to grow as well, with a significant increase in responsibilities to address many of society’s ills. However, with great challenge comes great opportunity. Opportunities that I’m confident we can not only adapt to, but thrive in. This will be accomplished through awareness, partnerships, initiatives, and training the next generation of correctional officers.

As your president and on behalf of the AJA headquarters staff, we will spend the next year tirelessly advocating for you. We will collectively elevate your importance, provide comprehensive training, create national awareness, and be your “one-stop” source to support you. One place where you get this is AJA’s Conference and Jail Expo, which takes place in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, from May 18–22, 2024.

As you see in the pages of this magazine, correctional officers don’t just survive, we thrive. We take the worst of circumstances and create the best of innovative outcomes, in a profession that remains to this day one of the hardest in the world. We do this with little fanfare and zero expectation of recognition, day in and day out across our country. In large facilities and small alike, in urban and rural, in the best of times and in the worst of times. This sacrifice does come at a cost, as we are all aware. Your sacrifice will not go unnoticed, nor will your efforts to keep our communities safe.

My ask of each of you however is simple… please invest in yourselves and in those around you. Advocate for yourself and become your own champion for change as we lift each other up during these difficult times. Take advantage of the resources that are available to you or let us help you create them. Whether focusing on your own health to include mental health awareness, working conditions or personal safety, we’re here to support you.

Shawn C. Laughlin, MCJ, CJMI look forward to seeing many of you over the next year and I’m very excited to witness your triumphs to the challenges that we all face. Together we are stronger! Together we are AJA! Shawn C. Laughlin, MCJ, CJM President American Jail Association