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2021 Virtual

Workshops

he workshops at AJA’s 40th
Virtual Conference & Jail Expo
Tdefinitely had a different look
than workshops of the past. No
speakers at lecterns upon a dais;
no crowded rooms with rows and
rows of attendees seated in chairs;
no choosing between two much-
needed workshops that meet at the conference, registered attendees can
same time. continue to access the workshops
For the first time in the associa- and special sessions for one year
tion’s history, all conference work- after the event.
shops—60 of them—were presented Several workshops focused on
in a virtual format. Most of the the topic of Staff Wellness, which is
sessions were pre-recorded and the AJA’s President’s Initiative for
streamed at 11 preset times over 4 2021–2023.
days. Several workshops were held Brenda Dietzman, who spent
live in a town hall format. more than 28 years—including the
Attendees could choose from 10 last 3 as undersheriff in charge of
tracks—Classification/Housing; jail operations—with the Sedgwick
Direct Supervision/Strategic Inmate County Sheriff’s Office in Wichita,
Management; Emerging Issues; Kansas, presented “Building helpful suggestions and tips about
Leadership; Legal Issues; Medical Resiliency: The Dawn of the staff wellness in “Not Your Average
and Mental Health; Programs; Mentally Strong Employee.” Officer Wellness Course.”
Security and Technology; Staff Ms. Dietzman said many people Dr. Don Kern and public health
Wellness; and Tribal. think resiliency is the ability to get professional Alison Jordan dis-
Each of the virtual workshops back up after you’ve been knocked cussed the “heads and tails” of jail
contained a chat box where attend- down or to bounce back from a dif- healthcare and reentry.
ees could engage with one another ficult experience. But it’s more than Rick Hodsdon, an assistant
or—in many cases—the presenter, that, she said, defining resiliency as county attorney from Minnesota,
who was available to answer ques- “the capacity to prepare for, cope reviewed legal issues with regard to
tions just as if the event had been with, and grow through adversity.” physical plant operations, medica-
held in person. Some workshops “I understand that sometimes tion-assisted treatment, and gender
also offered attendees a post-record- things happen to us, and it’s really identity.
ing opportunity for a video chat hard to find an answer sometimes,” Five public information officers
with the presenter. Ms. Dietzman said. “And I get that. from three different agencies pro-
One advantage to the virtual But seek out the answer the best vided a detailed approach to public
workshops was the opportunity for that you can.” relations and social media for jails.
attendees to move from one work- All workshop presenters are This highlights just some of the
shop to another with ease. If the experts in the field, and they offered training and information for jails
content of a given workshop wasn’t valuable insight from their varied that was offered at this year’s con-
what the attendee expected, he or backgrounds. ference. Because it is available until
she could easily switch to any of the April 2022, registered attendees can
other workshops being held at the Sergeants Justin Beetz and Javier access it whenever they need—and
same time with a simple click of a DeJesus of the Hernando County without the travel time. 
mouse. Because this was a virtual Sheriff’s Office in Florida offered

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