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every area to ensure every need spiritual well-being, they incor-
or situation is addressed. porate a chaplain as part of the
As the issues of the pan- leadership to ensure if there is a
demic, mental health, an aging spiritual need it will be met.
population, and public percep- As both a pastor and a jail Do you have a story to
tion—just to name a few—con- professional, it is an honor share? An experience
tinue to infiltrate our jails, I feel to serve you. I have been in that can help others?
spiritual well-being is critical the ministry for more than For every success, for every
to our success both inside and 17 years and understand the failure, for every lesson
outside the jail. There are so spiritual needs we all have at learned, there is a story to
many different avenues we can different points in our careers. be told.
follow to nurture our spiritual I currently serve as pastor at Innovative approaches and
well-being. But be warned, it Fellowship Baptist Church in solutions that address opera-
tions, staff training and reten-
takes active participation to Baxter Springs, Kansas. tion, inmate programming,
accomplish a positive spiritual With my years of blended healthcare, and other equally
well-being. experience, I hope I can be of important issues are being
developed in jail facilities
service should you ever need across the Nation.
Resources for Growth my assistance. I look forward
AJA has been at the forefront In fact, your own facility may
have put into place a successful
of providing jail professionals to this year as we celebrate our policy, procedure, or program
40th year of serving wonderful
with all the tools and resources jail professionals like yourself. that could be replicated by
to assist in our growth of jail other correctional agencies.
Here’s your chance to tell
professionals. As a longtime Many Blessings. your story.
member of AJA, I can speak Now is the time to consider
with confidence that there is PASTOR SHANE DOTSON, MS, CCE penning an article in American
a plethora of resources to aid Chaplain Jails magazine to tell how you
went from having a problem to
in our spiritual well-being. By American Jail Association finding a solution. Your experi-
the simple fact that AJA under- ences and expertise can greatly
stands the importance of our assist individual agencies in
particular and the field of local
corrections in general.

For more information about
article submissions or guest
editorials, contact Joel Huffer
at 301–857–2224, or
joelh@aja.org.

AMERICANJails MAY | JUNE 2021 | 71