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AJA Industry AffIlIAte MeMbers
American Correctional Association
President’s Commentary
American Federation of State, County, and
Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Continued from page 4
Association of Women Executives in
Corrections (AWEC) Over the past year, we con- mandatory; we had to do more
Bill Glass Behind the Walls fronted a global pandemic that with less; publicity was never
Catholic Charities required us to social distance in our favor; and we lost sleep
and provide masks to staff and from worry over our families,
Colorado Jail Association inmates in a setting that was brothers, and sisters—and,
Companions Journeying Together not designed to keep a virus at yes, even those in our care and
Correction Captains’ Association, Inc. bay, let alone allow our popula- custody. Stress was infiltrating
tion to cover their faces. But we our safe places. Although we
Freedom Forever Ministries managed and did so fearlessly. managed all this fearlessly, we
Good News Jail & Prison Ministry There is light—a bright light— now need to address the toll
GreenPrisons.org at the end of a very long tunnel. that these battles have taken on
Did we get bumps and our corrections professionals.
IAHV Prison Program/Formally
Prison Smart bruises along the way? Yes, we
did. But we continued to do Our Journey
Institute for Higher Education Policy what we do best, and that is to I envision a very different
Law Enforcement Officers Regional maintain safety and security landscape ahead of us, and I
Training Commission and keep our staff and those imagine you do as well. AJA
Michigan Sheriffs’ Coordinating & in our care and custody at the and the Board of Directors are
Training Council forefront. We transitioned from deeply committed to you. Your
in-person meetings to Zoom role is vital to public safety,
Middle Atlantic States Correctional
Association (MASCA) calls and WebEx’s. We encour- and our role is to be your voice.
aged those staff who could to Together we can influence
Missouri Sheriffs’ Association work from home. change. Whether that change
New Jersey County Jail Wardens We continue to take tem- is through training, resources,
Association peratures and triage everyone or legislative support, together
North Carolina Jail Administrators’ coming into our facility, and we can make a difference—and
Association stopped programs and in-per- we will.
Policy Research, Inc. son visits. We rely on technol- Our journey will be an
ogy to continue court processes awesome one. We have much
ReGen Hope Initiative, Inc. and meetings with attorneys. to look forward to, and as
The Rape Crisis Center We carry a letter that per- your president, I look forward
San Joaquin County Correctional Officers mits us to be out after curfew to serving with you. I want
Association because we are essential to the to thank all of you for your
safety of the public at large. Yet service to your community and
The Securus Richard A. Smith Foundation
we continue to move forward your representation of the cor-
South Carolina Jail Administrators’ without fear. rections industry, but especially
Association your confidence in me to serve
If ever a year was filled with
Story Chain unknowns, it was 2020; and as your president.
Texas Jail Association these unknowns have crawled
into 2021. The stress has
Virginia Association of Regional Jails AMANDA LAMBERT, CJM
become different. Last year, our President
WTS Medical STAFFING, LLC retention rates were moving in American Jail Association
Wisconsin Jail Association the wrong direction; staff were
ill; people were dying; shifts
were short; overtime was
66 | MAY | JUNE 2021 AMERICANJails
