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Guest Editorial
Continued from page 5

our perimeter for more than 10 One of the biggest concerns Show the Public We Exist
years. We lovingly named this of this generation is identity In conclusion, let’s put
cat “Misdemeanor.” and diversity. Throughout my ourselves out there. Let’s show
I can do a mean Running career, I have realized that I am the public that we exist, that
Man. Last year, we had a slew lucky enough to be working we are humans and that they
of officers humorously talking in a highly diverse field. Every do not need to be afraid of us.
about creating a lip-sync video day I am surrounded by Let’s show the community that
to a Britney Spears’ song with coworkers from different walks we do work in a noble field,
the hashtag #freebritney. These of life. We are comprised of a and we wear our badges with
are all things that would be fun team of individuals of varying pride, not shame.
to share with the world and can races, cultural identities, sexual Corrections is not just a job
help destigmatize our image. orientations, religions, and to us, but part of our identity.
We have the technology, the gender identities. I am proud to be a corrections
means, and the motivation. I I work with people whose officer. I would like to share
think it’s time to make that shift. hobbies include hunting and that with the world—and
fishing, video games, marathon perhaps we all should.
Don’t Start a Boy Band running, slot cars, and even
Now I’m not saying to jump ballroom dancing. Some of
in cold turkey and start a boy us are adult students who are Officer Anthony Schein, CJO,
band. Perhaps start small. still pursuing a degree. Some has been a correctional officer
at the Northwestern Regional
Create or revamp your social of us are the angry mom at the Adult Detention Center in
media pages. Millennials tend little league game who really Winchester, Virginia since 2011.
to favor Facebook. Generation disagrees with the umpire’s Working through numerous
Z (or “Zoomers”) tend to call. My point is this: Every one posts such as direct supervision,
gravitate toward Instagram, of us has a story to tell, and it is booking, special management,
and community corrections, he
and they are slowly creeping unique. But one thing brings us is currently the Home Electronic
into our work force as well. together, and that is our career Monitoring Officer. Corrections is
Everyone loves YouTube. in corrections. a part of him, and he hopes to do
Think about making a modern If we want to assimilate what he can to advance the field.
He is a lifetime member of AJA
recruitment video, showing all this generation into our ranks, and a Certified Jail Officer. He can
the opportunities and positions then we need to adjust to a be contacted at aschein@fcva.us.
your facility has to offer. Don’t new mentality. Veterans of
forget to mention competitive the industry may look at this
pay and retirement! Send your mentality as a weakness, and
staff to job fairs, and ask them this train of thought is an
to volunteer for charity events. adjustment for me as well.
The old ways of newspapers While this may be one of the
and word of mouth just do not biggest culture shocks yet, I
have the same effect anymore. see it as necessary. I also see
it as inevitable. So instead of
resisting this change, we must
embrace it and make it our own.

68 | JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2022 AMERICANJails