Warden of the Year, Brian Fischer!

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1 North American Association of Wardens & Superintendents No. 36 NAAWS Grapevine Newsletter October, 2007 Warden of the Year, Brian Fischer! Brian Fischer has spent his adult life in the field of corrections, working his way up from parole officer in 1968 to Commissioner of the New York State Department of Correctional Services in But it is the culmination of six years of stewardship at one of the nation s best-known prisons for which Fischer was honored by NAAWS Aug. 13 as its 28th Warden of the Year. As Superintendent of Sing Sing Correctional Facility from 2000 to 2006, Fischer developed a well-deserved reputation as a fair but decisive hands-on manager, making him the best in the business. He accepted NAAWS award at a banquet at The Mark Twain Tower in Kansas City, Mo., during the American Correctional Association s 2007 summer conference. I am truly honored to receive this award, fully aware that I did not earn it on my own, Fischer told the attendees. No award like this should be seen as one person s accomplishment, but rather the efforts of those he or she works with as a member of a team. What I discovered at Sing Sing, Fischer told his colleagues, was an amazing number of small, yet very impressive programs, and a staff looking for positive changes. I saw how community-sponsored, non-institutional programs like higher education, theater arts, parenting and understanding domestic violence were not only creative but, more importantly, eagerly attended by inmates of various backgrounds. My contribution was to help such programs develop and grow stronger. I did what all the management text books tell you to do: let your best people do what they do best, support them and get out of their way. Just as he supported his staff, Fischer thanked his predecessor as commissioner of corrections in New York, Glenn Goord, for supporting his initiatives at Sing Sing. When approached by others about new programs for the mentally ill, my only question was, What do you need? Fischer said. When security staff complained about the condition of, and security over, the recreation yards, I sought funding to pave over dirt yards where weapons were constantly being buried, and was even able to add a tower long promised but never delivered. The fourth New Yorker to win NAAWS Warden of the Year award, Fischer was born in Brooklyn, has lived most of his life in the New York City suburb of Rockland County and has spent his entire career in New York. He started with the New York State Narcotic Addiction Control Commission, working as an Aftercare (Parole) Officer. Seven years later, in 1975, he transferred into the Department of Correctional Services as assistant director, Drug Treatment Center. During his initial years with the Department, he served as a Deputy Superintendent in several correctional facilities, including the newly-opened Downstate Correctional Facility, which provided separation From left: Luella Burke, NAAWS President ; Warden of the Year 2006, Brian Fischer from New York; Bill Haggett, President of CAYSA services to prepare inmates for their release. Beginning in 1981, Fischer spent a decade as the director of the Department s Division of Support Operations in the state capital, Albany. He was involved in several projects that involved regionalization. In 1991, he not only was promoted to his first Superintendent s job at the Queensboro Correctional Facility in New York City, but he was also appointed a Supervising Superintendent with oversight of daily operations at seven prisons in the New York City area. As head of Queensboro, Fischer coordinated the development of the inmate work release program and the conversion of the prison into a pre-release, re-entry facility. Fischer continued to serve as Supervising Superintendent for the state prisons located in New York City after his appointment in 2000 as Superintendent of Sing Sing. In nominating Fischer for NAAWS award last November, Lucien J. Leclaire Jr., the acting commissioner of the New York State Department of Correctional Services at the time, said: His knowledge and leadership skills are respected by staff and inmates alike in Sing Sing s daily operations. He is seen routinely since he is one of those Superintendents who regularly walks every location in his prison, stopping to listen to staff and inmates. He is a confident leader who considers all sides before implementing a policy. Once he has decided on a plan of action, his employees know that he expects his direction to be carried out fairly and consistently with the safety and security of the staff and inmates as an overriding concern. Fischer has been involved in a number of presentations and task forces dealing with issues related to correctional manage- continued on page 4

2 Page 2 Officers 2007 LEADERSHIP Officers 2007 (con t) Board of Directors The Grapevine Mark H. Saunders, President Southeastern Correctional Institute Warden, DOC Ohio Mel Williams, 1 st Vice President Willard C. F. Superintendent NYSDOCS Willard, NY Darrel Vannoy, 2 nd Vice President Louisiana State Penitentiary Angola, Louisiana Susan Davis, Secretary Huron Valley Complex Michigan DOCS Todd Thomas, Treasurer Coffee C. F. (CCA) Georgia Rick Veach, Sgt-At-Arms Illinois BOP Staff Charles Albino, Sgt-At-Arms New Jersey Jacqueline Thomas, Sgt-At-Arms North Coast Correctional Facility Warden, DOC Ohio Art Leonardo, Executive Director Gloria Hultz, Executive Treasurer Patrick Keohane, Vendor Coord. Pam Withrow, A View From The Trenches Coordinator Web Site Address: NAAWS Leadership Changes The August Business meeting in Kansas City marked a change in the leadership in our organization. Mark Saunders assumed his role as our new President. Luella Burke passed the powers of the PRESIDENCY to him and assumed the role of CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF DIREC- TORS. Mel Williams, Darrel Vannoy and Todd Thomas all moved up in the LEADERSHIP LADDER. The membership at the Business meeting elected two new officers as Secretary and a 3rd Sgt at Arms. The newly elected Secretary is SUSAN S. DAVIS, Ph.D., Warden at the Huron Valley Complex in Ypsilanti, MI. Sue has 27 years in Correctional Administration. She was formerly a Deputy Warden for the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction. In October of 2002 she became a CCE (ACA S Certification Program), the first Michigan Warden to do so. Warden Davis also served 5 years as a Correctional Program Specialist at the NIC S Correctional Academy in Longmont, CO. We also elected Jacqueline Thomas, Warden at the North Coast Correctional Treatment Facility in Grafton, OH, as a Sgt at Arms. Warden Thomas began her career in 1982 as a youth counselor. She advanced in the ranks of counseling and was the Deputy Warden at the Lake Erie correctional Institute. She is an active trainer and serves as an adjunct professor at two Ohio Colleges. President Saunders has appointed EDWARD H. BANKS, III to the Board of Directors. This is Saunders first official act and is testimony to his commitment to bring more younger WARDENS into our ranks. Ed Banks is currently a Deputy Warden at the Belmont Correctional Institution in St. Clairsville, OH. After 3 years as a police officer Ed became a Correction Officer in He moved steadily thru the uniformed ranks. He has a BS degree in correctional Administration from Bellevue University. He is active in both the ACA and NABCJ. On the membership front we welcome Terry Carlson, Moose Lake, MN and Don Webb, Benton, AR as new members. Luella Burke, Chairperson Judy Anderson, South Carolina Everett Perrin, Florida Pat Keohane, Missouri Cloid Schuler, Florida Pam Withrow, Michigan Janie Cockrell, Texas Gene Scroggy, Georgia Richard Stalder, Louisiana Sharon Johnson-Rion, Tennessee Melody Turner, Tennessee Charlotte Nesbitt, Indiana Tommy Norris, Kentucky Patricia Caruso, Michigan Stan Czerniak, Oregon Ron Jones, North Carolina Laura & Joseph Noonan, Mass. Dennis Breslin, New York City Larry Chandler, Kentucky Raul Banasco, Florida Peter Grande, Kansas (US Army) Burl Cain, Louisiana Kevin Myers, Tennessee Bob Brown, Michigan Mike Graziano, New York Harry Wilson, Pennsylvania Ed Motley, Indiana Victor Herbert, Florida Edward Banks III, Ohio Emeritus Board Bob Hannigan, Kansas Jim O Sullivan, Canada Tom Barry, Texas/NYC Don Erickson, Arizona/SD Anthony Brigano, Ohio Hal Whitley, Arizona/Oregon Robert Raines, Oklahoma Phil Coombs, New York Life Members Jim O Sullivan, Canada Rodger W. Crist, Arizona Tom Barry, Texas/New York City Don Erickson, Arizona/SD Sharon Johnson-Rion, Tennessee Melody Turner, Indiana/Ohio David Karrol, Illinois James Jameson, South Dakota Pat Keohane, Missouri/BOP Pam Withrow, Michigan Richard Stalder, Louisiana Art Leonardo, New York

3 The Grapevine Page 3 Playground Project Update Greetings Colleagues and Friends; President s Message Vice President Mel Williams continues to push ahead on our DREAM to build a playground in New Orleans to enhance the lives of children of Corrections Staff. Mel will team up with LADOC staff and Don Dease from CPO Foundation on a field trip to the area on October 8th. Contact Mel if you can help with funding and/or labor. His address is ZUKEY5@aol.com Information Needed I am the Warden of Louisiana Correctional Institute for Women. I am wondering if any of the state Departments of Corrections use the concept of an approved correspondence list for inmate correspondence? If so, I would like to get additional information. Contact WARDEN Mariana Leger PO Box Hwy74 StGabriel, LA,70776 mleger@corrections.state.la.us I am truly grateful to have lasted long enough as a warden to actually be the NAAWS President. I am also humbled to follow in the footsteps of so many great leaders of our organization. And I am excited about all that I have yet to learn, and pledge to you that I will do everything in my power not to let my learning process hurt the Association. It has been said by many people on many occasions, but I will say it again: Art Leonardo IS NAAWS. I will do nothing within my term to shift the credit (or work!) from our esteemed Executive Director. I promise to stay in close contact with Art and to include our past presidents and officers, especially our president-elect Mel Williams, in all our business between meetings. Obviously Art handles the day-to-day management of NAAWS, but he understands the role of the officers, as he once was also a NAAWS Officer (a long time ago in a far, far galaxy). I inherit an office of integrity, made that way by the past presidents. I inherit an organization that is looked to for training, leadership, and advice by those in our field, made that way by our members. But we have much to do the New Orleans playground project, the constitutional review, the Cleveland training conference, and more and we are equipped to accomplish everything on our plate, and do so with excellence. Of particular interest to me is that we forge new partnerships and nurture those we already have in my view, the wave of the future for associations that want to remain effective and successful. I would like to salute Secretary Richard Stalder from the great state of Louisiana. He has been an inspiration to corrections folk all over the country and is a true friend of NAAWS. I wish him the very best. I look forward to all that we will do together and I remain Your Partner and Friend, Mark From the desk of The Executive Director Arthur Leonardo Our Warden of the Year Banquet was a resounding success. The SAWYER ROOM was a beautiful venue and the food service by BRANCATO was top notch. Thank you to ACA s Litsa Deck for putting us in contact with great business people. Our main honoree BRIAN FISCHER is someone we can all be proud of 17 plus years as a SUPERINTENDENT, with a long record of accomplishments. Our tradition has also become an effort to recognize the valor of the men and women who work in our facilities. The Missouri Doc was represented by three line staff Sharon Gifford, Phillip Nixon and Freda Moore: who teamed up in a life threatening incident to overcome, and restrain a violent inmate. Two BOP staff, Roger Chaffin and Nathan Clark were honored for disarming a gun wielding felon on an elevator at a community hospital they were inspecting. These five people reacted as many others have done over the years. Their training and basic instincts took over and they protected the community as well as their fellow employees. We also had a solemn ceremony where we presented THE MEDAL OF VALOR to the widows of Col. James Harrison and Master Sgt. Wilberto Sabalu Jr. These two men were professional Military/Corrections killed in May at the Pol-E-Charki Prison in Kabul, Afghanistan. We were honored by a number of their family who attended along with a large number of uniformed US ARMY. GOD BLESS OUR TROOPS. The festiveness of the evening was also enhanced by the music provided by Warden Fred Lawrence and Chaplin Vickie Scrivner. I want to take the opportunity to thank ACA President Gary Maynard and Executive Director Jim Gondles along with their wives who made the effort to stop into the event, despite the fact that we conflicted with the PRESIDENTIAL RECEPTION. Finally a sincere thank you to all the vendors whose generosity makes our annual event affordable.

4 Page 4 The Grapevine Warden of the Year Brian Fischer ment and programmatic initiatives, including presentations on Tools Needed to Succeed and Community Orientation Preparation. He has spoken on New Horizon in Re-Entry, Collaboration to Strengthen Transitional Planning for HIV Inmates, Meshing Security and Program: Community-Based Organizations and Corrections and the need to encourage more women and minorities to make their careers in corrections. He moderated a panel on Changing the Mission of Corrections; Re- Thinking Hiring and Promotion Standards in Corrections. He served on a panel on Practical Issues in the Relations Between Wardens and Corrections Counsel. He also served on the Jail Advisory Committee on Mental Health in Rockland County, where he and his wife reside and raised two grown sons. Corrections is changing, becoming more sophisticated, more technical, more political, more dangerous, and yet, more important, more interesting, and more necessary, Fischer said in accepting his award. We re the ones most often leading the charge on what needs to be done, telling society what their role should be, educating our legislators about the law and most of all, providing new and better treatment for those in our custody. We, as a group, have led the way in providing drug treatment, education, re-entry services and specialized care for the mentally ill. Today, our systems are more complex, more subject to change and moving in new directions, he added. Issues like the civil commitment of sex offenders, the treatment of mentally ill inmates, the preparing of inmates to re-enter society, and the use of modern technology are all relatively new and clearly Corrections is changing, becoming more sophisticated, more technical, more political, more dangerous, and yet, more important, more interesting, and more necessary. Brian Fischer complicated. Each of us is asked to be multi-task oriented. Often we re moving onto new initiatives while still putting in place last year s. In the end, we, as the professionals we ve become, take on whatever is asked of us and just seem to get the job done. Before receiving NAAWS Warden of the Year award, Fischer was recognized with The Criminal Justice Award, in honor of Benjamin Ward, from the group New York State Minorities in Criminal Justice in 2006, by the New York Theological Seminary for special support of its Master s Degree in Professional Studies Program at Sing Sing, and by Hudson Link for Higher Education in 2006 with a scholarship in his name for former inmates who have used their education earned at Sing Sing in helping formerly incarcerated persons. A member of both NAAWS and ACA, Fischer has also been an adjunct professor at both Pace University and John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York. He holds a Bachelor s Degree in Psychology and a Master s Degree in Guidance and Counseling. He is Vice President of the New York Corrections Historical Society and a member of the New York Corrections and Youth Services Association. Until his appointment as commissioner this year by Governor Eliot Spitzer, he also served on the New York State Association of Correctional Facility Superintendents. Fischer now leads the nation s fourth-largest state prison system, overseeing an agency that employs 31,000 workers and houses approximately 63,500 inmates in 69 correctional facilities plus the 966-bed Willard Drug Treatment Campus. Coming Next Year! NAAWS 2008 TRAINING CONFERENCE April 9-12, 2008 Cleveland, Ohio Hosted by The Ohio Wardens and Superintendents Association This is no ordinary Mistake by the Lake! Highlights Exciting downtown location Free shuttle service to area attractions, restaurants and sporting venues $82.00 per night room rate Featured Workshops on Juvenile Corrections Featured Workshops on Institutional Security Large Exhibit Show Online room reservation system Free wireless internet EVERYWHERE! COMING SOON: Registration Information!

5 The Grapevine Page 5 NAAWS ANNUAL MEETING MINUTES KANSAS CITY, MO. August 14, 2007 Meeting 3:15 PM by President Luella Burke. Darrel Vannoy read the Meeting minutes of January 2007 that were accepted without change. Gloria discussed the Treasurer s minutes that were accepted without change. President Burke discussed lifetime members will do presentation at the January 2008 conference scheduled in Grapevine, TX. Secretary Stalder, Pam Whithrow and Art Leonardo will be inductees. Discussed what all (3) have done for NAAWS. The View from the Trenches is available. Pam discussed ACA ordering forms and the price. NAAWS Training Pam handed out fliers advertising Leadership training is ready to start. Only cost is Trainer Travel, Pat suggested tying in WIC (funding) and Pam will explore. Cleveland, Ohio (Conference) Mark Saunders discussed better version of fliers will be out soon. Vendor Committee is mobilized by Pat Strength and conferences programming (Good training Ops ) Nationally influenced (presenters). President Burke brought up 09. Todd talked about dates for Georgia to host with interest in Savannah. Todd will forward dates ASAP. Sponsor Guidelines Some vendors want to sponsor once per year. President Burke discussed fliers for vendor participation. THE FOLLOWING COMPANIES SUPPORTED THE HOSPITALITY SUITE and WARDEN OF THE YEAR BANQUET All State Distributing Canteen Correctional Services CCA Correctional Corporation America Creative Corrections, LLC Community Education Centers Cornell Corrections ESI Companies EMBARQ (Sprint) GEO Group Inc Keefe Supply Company Motor Coach Industries Norix New York State CAYSA Portion PAC SHAWN Tech Communications TELTRONICS TRANS COR America Wainright Judicial Wexford Health Sources, Inc. PLEASE REMEMBER THEM Constitution Do what Constitution says. President Burke will continue working on this. Executive Directors Report Art thanked everyone for help in the WOY Banquet (especially Todd & Tim). Thanked U.S. Army. Discussed Texas Wardens and Dept. Wardens getting back into NAAWS. Texas membership now is almost all private. Discussed price of WOY, good price on meals. Pittsburgh very profitable, hope to do well in Ohio. Playground Project Art discussed that this is still moving forward. La. Contingent, focus on 2 places in La. (Near WCC or on the grounds, New Orleans neighborhoods (explore possibility, buildings, something for teenagers). Election of Officers President Burke talked about vacant Arms. Pass out State of officers, motion passed to accept states. Mark Saunders, the new President of NAAWS. President Burke thanked everyone for applying to serve as President of NAAWS. Meeting PM. Darrel Vannoy, CCE Deputy Warden\Security Louisiana State Penitentiary Angola, LA Westville Case Study (concluded) has survived a new Executive Branch administration. The current Commissioner of the Indiana Department of Correction, J. David Donahue, and Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels has shown appreciation for the change realized at WCF, and understands and appreciates the effort made by staff to realize such environmental change. Keeping this change growing was certainly a factor when choosing the Facility s next Superintendent. The NIC, in consultation with Carol Flaherty-Zonis and Associates have written a guide, Building Culture Strategically. This guide gives great credit to WCF for piloting this as part of NIC s culture initiative. Over the last three years, the Westville Correctional Facility has seen many changes. The facility was accredited by the American Correctional Association (ACA), increased its population by nearly 500 offenders and changed its mission to the Department of Correction by incorporating a supermax unit on the grounds of the facility. Westville continues to nurture a functioning culture that meets IDOC goals. Building culture strategically allowed Westville to create a change environment.

6 Page 6 The Grapevine Accredited Training with a Click? ACA s Online Corrections Academy By Tonya Brooks With more correctional personnel wanting to expand in their careers, and with more training departments wanting to offer training in a cost-effective and efficient way, online training, is becoming the technological solution to addressing these issues. This method of training and education is appealing to correctional professionals because it is convenient, affordable, and challenging. That is why the American Correctional Association s Online Corrections Academy (OCA) launched the Basic Correctional Officer series. This new series of online courses addresses the training needs of individuals who have recently entered the correctional workforce and who need a basic understanding of the key duties of correctional officers who work in jails or prisons on the federal, state, and local levels. The courses in the series cover topics on understanding ethics and ethical behavior, supervising and disciplining offenders with mental illness and special needs, and maintaining security and offender management All of the courses within this series have been accredited for in-service training hours. Additional Benefits in E-learning The Academy has been a good resource of high-quality, online training and education for hundreds of correctional personnel by offering training that meets pre-service and in-service training requirements; providing asynchronous (individual self-paced) and synchronous (instructors control and navigate student instruction) e-learning; offering convenient and accessible training (24-hours-a-day, 7 days a week); and providing affordable training to both individuals and agencies. Designed for the working corrections professional, the Academy provides each student with easy-to-follow and interactive courses. Staff can expect to spend 10 to 20 hours per week on completing each course requirements and studying the material. The American Correctional Association s staff are continuously looking into delivering the topics that impact corrections everyday, such as juvenile medical and mental health, suicide prevention, and legal issues. That is why OCA was created to serve correctional facilities throughout the nation, from jails to prisons to probation and health care. The Association believes that the Academy will provide a proactive approach to delivering high-quality and effective training and education to correctional staff. For more information, visit the Online Corrections Academy, or contact our office at ocacustomer@aca.org. Click. Connect. Learn with OCA. Tonya M. Brooks, MPA, is the administrator of Online Corrections Academy for ACA s Professional Development Department. Management Training Are your Employees/Members ready for a change of pace in training? North American Association of Wardens and Superintendents (NAAWS) has two (2) new, flexible training sessions in Management and Leadership. These can be delivered as back to back sessions in a four (4) hour block or expanded to a whole day (recommended). The trainers are highly experienced Correctional Administrators from different parts of the country with diverse backgrounds. Trainers will be selected to meet your individual organization s needs. NAAWS provides the trainers; you provide the site and trainees. The only cost is reimbursement for trainers expenses. Course 1 Leadership Strategies So you want to be a Leader Course work will revolve around responsibility of leadership, accountability of leaders, strategies in being a leader and different leadership styles. Different approaches on getting tasks accomplished. It will be highly interactive between participants and trainers. Course 2 Effective Management Everything you want to know about management but were afraid to ask Sometimes staff are not exposed to the different aspects of managing other than their own area of responsibility. This course will focus on strategies and models of management, running facility operations. It will be highly interactive between participants and trainers. For more information contact Pam Withrow or Mel Williams Ext

7 The Grapevine Page 7 North American Association of Wardens and Superintendents PAST PRESIDENTS L. F. Utecht Minnesota G. Norton Jameston South Dakota Joseph L. Ragen Illinois L. F. Chapman Florida George Alexander Oregon Roy Best Colorado Ralph N. Edison Missouri Robert P. Balkcom, Jr. Georgia Orel J. Skeen West Virginia C. L. Farber Illinois Percy A. Lainson Iowa James B. Gaffney Alabama (U.S. Bureau of Prisons) Arthur T. Prasse Pennsylvania Allan L. Robbins Maine L. E. Clapp Idaho Harry C. Tinsley Colorado Frank C. Johnston Pennsylvania E. V. Nash Missouri Ross V. Randolph Missouri John A. Gavin Massachusetts Maurice H. Sigler Nebraska William H. Bannan Michigan Paul J. Eubanks Connecticut Park L. Hancock New Hampshire Wayne K. Patterson Colorado Don R. Erickson South Dakota John R. Gagnon Wisconsin John W. Turner Utah Vernon G. Housewright Illinois Lou Brewer Iowa Roger M. Crist Montana Ed Pogue Nevada Glen R. Jeffes Pennsylvania Jacqueline Crawford Arizona Lester Beaird Texas Jim O Sullivan Canada George Sumner California Gene Scroggy Kentucky Tom Barry New York Lester Beaird Texas Jim O Sullivan Canada Sharon Johnson New Mexico H. L. Hal Whitley Arizona Everett Perrin, Jr. Florida Art Leonardo New York Robert Hannigan Kansas Melody Turner Ohio Patrick Keohane Federal Bureau of Prisons Patricia Caruso Michigan 2000 Joe Booker Federal Bureau of Prisons Burl Cain Louisiana Victor Herbert Florida, New York Luella Burke Michigan Wardens of the Year Roger Crist Montana George Sumner California Carl Robinson Connecticut Phillip Coombe, Jr. New York Pierre Viau Canada Bobby D. Morgan Texas Thomas R. Barry New York Dale E. Foltz Michigan Hilton Butler Louisiana Wayne Estelle California Judy Anderson South Carolina Gene Scroggy Georgia Jerry Peterson Texas Jim O Sullivan Canada Patrick Keohane Missouri (FBP) Robert Hannigan Kansas H. L. Hal Whitley Arizona Everett Perrin Florida Tim Schuetzle North Dakota Walt Kelly New York Ron Edwards Ohio Pam Withrow Michigan Emmitt Sparkman Mississippi Burl Cain Louisiana Dale A. Brown Texas (Cornell) Fredric A. Rosemeyer Pennsylvania Mike Samberg CCA Brian Fischer New York The Executive Director s cell phone (518) is provided by LAW, Louisiana Association of Wardens, and Burl Cain.

8 Page 8 Silent Victims Of Crime Children of Incarcerated Parents A Growing Concern The Grapevine Our columns in The Grapevine have become a forum for discussing the issues surrounding children of prisoners. Though we may not all have the same solutions, everyone s experience is helpful. We thank you for the input and welcome further insights. Based on your responses, we all agree that these children are underrepresented and need protection. On a national level, there has been a lot of attention paid to this issue over the last few years: In Louisiana, Assistant Warden, Jolene Constance, started a literacy program after attending our NAAWS 2006 Silent Victims of Crime seminar. She wrote, I came home determined to make a difference. I was able to start a new literacy program here at my prison, the C. Paul Phelps Correctional Center, that improves the literacy of not only our inmates, but our visiting children of inmates as well. We call it the MR- Men Read program. President Bush said during his State of the Union Address in 2003, I ask Congress and the American people to focus the spirit of service and the resources of government on the needs of some of our most vulnerable citizens boys and girls trying to grow up without guidance and attention, and children who have to go through a prison gate to be hugged by their mom or dad. For over 100 years, Big Brothers Big Sisters has been mentoring many children but since 2003, they received hundreds of thousands of dollars in federal grants for the sole purpose of mentoring children of incarcerated parents. There also has been an influx of organizations created specifically to analyze the issues of children of prisoners. The U.S. Conference of Mayors (USMC) recognized the significance of children of offenders. One of the 2005 USMC Resolutions was to, convene and spearhead a broader effort through its Mayors Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives to create a National Mentoring Children of Prisoners Consortium comprised of several national public interest groups, community advocacy associations, faith and religious leaders, city governments, universities and other experts representative of the Children of Prisoners field to do the following in a broad based national manner: 1) educational and media outreach; 2) technical assistance to help localities implement Best Practice models; 3) information exchange and dissemination; and 4) advocacy and policy outreach on children of prisoner issues. The issues for children of prisoners are magnified when the parents are arrested for Immigration violations. The question of where the child will go is left to local agencies because rarely other family members are able to take the child. After a federal raid at a Massachusetts business this past March, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick wrote a letter requesting that local Department of Social Services staff be allowed access to the detained workers. Governor Patrick wrote, they may be fearful about disclosing the existence or whereabouts of their children given their history with government agencies. We want to provide as many opportunities for safe disclosure as possible to better ensure children s safety. While this issue could be brushed aside because the detainees may not be citizens, it is estimated that 3.1 Million children who are U.S. citizens have at least one undocumented parent, according to Jeffrey S. Passel, Senior Research Associate, Pew Hispanic Center. As citizens we need to look at all these issues concerning children very seriously, not only for the criminal repercussions but also as the bankrollers for government spending. During a five-year-period, state prison expenditures doubled. For just state prisons, each resident went from paying $49 in 1986 to paying $104 in It has been another six years since that report, what are we paying today? Is this money well spent? Would the tax money be better spent on programs that promote College Bound-Not Jail Bound? Intervening at the very earliest stage of major trauma is our best hope, such as seizing the opportunity when the parent (primary care giver) becomes incarcerated. Recidivism and multi-generational crime within families seems like a loosing battle. As a country we spend dollar upon dollar to house and feed people who have turned against our society and it s laws. We are not talking about reducing correction s budget. We are talking about getting more money to the prison system funding for education, training and programs for the inmates and their children. Wardens and superintendents have proven that they can run efficient prisons. With the right support, such as mentoring and training we can change the direction of some of these children s lives in the process. Comments and suggestions are welcome. Please contact: Heather Thompson or Paulette Pfeiffer Silent Victims Of Crime PO Box 489, Townville, SC Ph Fax info@silentvictimsofcrime.org

9 The Grapevine Page 9 BUILDING CULTURE STRATEGICALLY The Westville Correctional Facility Case Study Ed G. Buss, Superintendent WCF William K. Wilson, Superintendent WCF 2006-present In today s changing correctional climate it is imperative that administrators and managers take the time to understand the environment and culture in their care. Correctional facilities can have the best practices, policies and procedures in place. However without recognizing and addressing the culture of the facility, the institution may still not meet expectations. Below is the story of how the Westville Correctional Facility utilized culture building to create an environment to meet the challenges that face many correctional facilities today. The Westville Correctional Facility (WCF) is a medium security level institution with approximately 3300 offenders and 950 staff members. The facility was converted to a correctional institution in Previously, the facility housed mental health patients. In the first 30-year period, Westville confronted serious problems in its attempt to operate as a correctional facility. During this time, the Indiana Department of Correction (IDOC) and Westville attempted to respond in various ways. Several facility staff attended security training seminars offered by the National Institute of Corrections. Numerous security assessments and audits were conducted. The facility added several security features including a motion detection fence whose technology quickly became obsolete. In 2001 Westville faced one of its most challenging years since becoming a correctional facility. The facility had multiple escapes/escape attempts, its first homicide, and a serious disturbance on one of its housing units. Another assessment of the facility by internal and external stakeholders was conducted that year. That assessment recommended the IDOC close the facility or greatly reduce the population. In November 2002, the Department of Correction asked the National Institute of Corrections (NIC) to select Westville to participate in an assessment of its institutional culture. The assessment was conducted and the results documented and presented to the Superintendent and Commissioner. The results determined Westville s existing culture differed significantly from its desired culture. The assessment showed staff suffered from trauma, demoralization, fear and lack of trust among coworkers and management. The facility suffered from inconsistent policies/procedures, isolated departments, and poor communication between line staff and management. WCF commenced a Strategic Planning and culture initiative in November 2003 to address culture and operational challenges. At the first organizational meeting conducted by Ms. Carol Flaherty-Zonis, staff teams were formed to address the questions posed by her Rubik s Cube Strategic Planning Model. Facilitators were chosen by each team, and the work of answering those questions began in January Ms. Flaherty-Zonis met with facility staff, facilitators, leadership, and team members approximately once each month during the process. The strategic planning process was uncomfortable in the beginning. Facilitators struggled to find ways to lead the groups through the process. Team members tended to focus on quick and simple fixes. This reaction was expected since corrections is accustomed to fighting fires, but rarely gets to the underlying root of the problem that started the fire in the first place. Staff initially had difficulty implementing a process that required them to build trust and share responsibility in addressing those deep-seated underlying issues. After a few months the process became extremely valuable in its inherent methodology that creates teams of staff who begin to think and learn together in the team learning concept. The interaction among team members created a strong bond of teamwork and belonging that has stimulated open and honest communication among team members. All team members were volunteers, cross-representative of all facility disciplines and position descriptions, and numbered ten percent of the facility s staff total. Of paramount value were the open lines of communication that team members established with the entire staff population. Through focus groups, individual one-on-one interviews, and questionnaires, the entire facility was able to participate in the process. Regular meetings were initiated with inmate representatives to address their concerns. A stronger sense of our Shared Vision has thus been created. In January of 2004, the Superintendent met with all staff in small groups to present Value the Vision. During this presentation, the result of NIC s culture assessment was explained. The results indicated staff s desire to move toward a family culture. Westville later modified this to reflect a community culture. The presentation also showed staff how valuable the Strategic Planning Model would be in moving away from the existing hierarchical culture towards the desired community culture. In February of 2004, 250 leaders attended a presentation on Leadership in the Participative Strategic Planning Process. This presentation addressed challenges facing leadership, managing with a shared vision, and navigating through the process. These leaders included executive staff, department heads, custody supervisors and other informal leaders throughout the facility. This presentation has proven important to the process as management had to search for their new identity. The culture changed steadily throughout this initiative. The change is viewed as positive and uplifting. It is attributed, in good part, to a combination of examination of Organizational Cultural and the Strategic Planning Initiative that occurred simultaneously at WCF. Several benchmarks were established which provided evidence that this initiative was measured successfully. The benchmarks included, but were not limited to, staff call offs, staff grievances, offender grievances, use of physical force, critical incidents, and staff/offender disciplinary actions, which have all drastically reduced since the commencement of strategic planning and addressing culture issues. The strategies used to build correctional facility cultural awareness, when successful, make for lasting change. Although started at WCF in 2003, this change has continued to build, and concluded on page 7, see Westville Case Study

10 Page 10 The Grapevine Order Your Copy Today! A View From the Trenches: A Manual for Wardens by Wardens Some may say the sequel is never as good as the original. However, in this case, the second edition of A View from the Trenches encompasses everything that made the first edition great and expands on it. This edition contains the original essays but also many new offerings. Developed by the North American Association of Wardens and Superintendents, A View From the Trenches provides thought-provoking insights and encourages its readers to assess and increase their competencies in the field of correctional management. Prepared in a looseleaf manual format, it allows you to expand the contents with information you feel will be useful in developing your executive plan. The manual is divided into seven diverse sections which examine the issues facing anyone in a correctional management position. Whether you are already a warden or aspire to a management role, A View from the Trenches is a must own resource! Sections include: Leadership What is a Warden? Management External Environment Internal Environment Staff Training and Development Planning for Emergencies Practical Advice Reflections New Edition! Written by the experts, each section contains articles written by individuals who have served as, or currently hold the position of warden or superintendent. (2007, 390 pages, ) Complete Second Edition #284-F1 $54.95 no discount Supplement (Does not contain binder or materials from previous edition.) #285-F1 $27.95 no discount To Order By Phone, Call , ext or Fill Out Order Form and Return! American Correctional Association P.O. Box 201 Annapolis Junction, MD

11 The Grapevine Page 11 Dear Correctional Wardens, American Correctional Association Online Corrections Academy Survey The American Correctional Association s Online Corrections Academy (OCA) needs your help to determine the subjects for future courses. Please complete the following survey and fax or mail it to ACA. The information obtained from the survey will remain confidential and will not be distributed to anyone outside of ACA or used for marketing purposes by ACA or any other party. Name and Title: Agency: City and State: and Phone Number: Yes, a course should be developed on the following subject(s):! Riots and Disturbances! Staff Safety! Security for Juvenile Staff! Emergency Preparedness! Food Service! Religion in Corrections and Juvenile Justice! Substance Abuse Offenders! Infectious Diseases! Sexual Harassment! Stress Management for Correctional Staff! Chronic Medical Diseases! Community Corrections! Legal Issues and Liability! Supervising Juvenile Offenders! Adult! Juvenile! Institutional! Community Additional Subjects: Thank you for your help! Please return the survey to Diane Geiman, ACA Professional Development. Fax to: ; Mailing Address: 206 N Washington St., Suite 200, Alexandria, VA

12 NAAWS Arthur A. Leonardo P.O. Box Albany, NY Editor s Note Check your mailing label. It now contains important information. Immediately behind your name is the year and month your membership expires. DON T FORGET we are strong because of our numbers; please keep your membership current. We also lose membership because members fail to notify us or the post office of changes of address. Remember to notify NAAWS on your next move. Stay in touch! North American Association of Wardens & Superintendents Membership Application Name Title Address City/State/Zip Phone Fax Please remit check or money order, payable to NAAWS in the amount of: (check one) New Member Renewal for one year 1 year ($25 US) 2 years ($45 US) 3 years ($65 US) Send to: NAAWS P.O. Box Albany, NY