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Notice:

The National Institute of Corrections is currently assessing its website and materials in accordance with recent Executive Orders and related guidance. During this review, some of NIC’s webpages and publications may be temporarily unavailable. Please revisit this web page for updates.

About NIC

NIC Logo

Our Mission

To advance public safety by shaping and enhancing correctional policies and practices through leadership, learning, and innovation.

Our Vision

Just Processes, Effective Systems, Safe Communities

 

NIC Office Locations

  • NIC Main Office

    901 D Street Southwest
    3rd Floor
    Washington, DC 20024

  • NIC Training Academy & Information Center

    11900 East Cornell Avenue
    Unit C
    Aurora, Colorado 80014

Director's Office

Administrative Staff

Agency Overview in Brief

The National Institute of Corrections (NIC) stands as a pillar of public safety in America, embodying a mission critical to the well-being of our communities and the integrity of our justice system. As the only federal agency with a legislative mandate Public Law 93-41.5 to provide specialized corrections services on a national scale, NIC plays an indispensable role in shaping practices that protect citizens and uphold justice.

 

Unlike other agencies, NIC doesn’t simply allocate funds, it delivers direct, hands-on expertise to address the pressing needs of correctional practitioners at every level. Whether working with state and local correctional facilities, the Federal Bureau of Prisons, or policymakers in Congress, NIC’s focus is clear: to ensure that corrections systems operate efficiently, effectively, and with the highest regard for public safety. Its leadership is evident in its partnerships across federal agencies and its ability to respond to emerging challenges in corrections with innovative solutions.

 

NIC’s work is grounded in practical outcomes that make a tangible difference. From aiding in the planning and operation of jails and prisons to establishing best practices in pretrial, probation, and parole, NIC’s efforts drive cost-effective improvements that enhance security and accountability. These initiatives don’t just benefit correctional facilities. They contribute directly to safer neighborhoods by ensuring that systems are built to rehabilitate offenders while protecting the public.

 

Respected across the corrections community for its professionalism and results-driven approach, NIC is a model of what government agencies can achieve when they prioritize service. Its commitment to raising standards nationwide has earned it recognition as a trusted partner in safeguarding American values and ensuring justice for all.
 

Public safety isn’t just a talking point, it’s the foundation of our society. Through its unwavering dedication to this principle, NIC exemplifies what it means to serve the common good. 

NIC Divisions

NIC has four public-facing divisions that cover the breadth of the corrections field. Each division creates materials, provides on-site technical assistance, and hosts trainings on topics related to its area of the industry.

  • Jeff Hadnot
    Chief, Academy Division

    an image of the Academy Division Chief

    National Institute of Corrections

  • Stephen Amos
    Chief, Jails Division

    an image of the Jails Division Chief

    National Institute of Corrections

Financial Management Division

Who does NIC Help?

NIC's primary audience is anyone employed in a federal, state, local, or tribal corrections agency in the United States. Our secondary target audience is anyone in the US who is interested in the field of corrections.

To remain responsive to the field NIC continuously monitors the needs of correctional practitioners. This is done through various formal and informal strategies. Among these are online needs assessments, surveys, environmental scans, plus general and topical hearings.

Monitoring NIC's online forums, the proceedings from network meetings, and feedback through training and technical assistance evaluations is another source of assessment information.

three correctional officers walking out of a BOP facility

Special thanks to the Federal Bureau of Prisons for the image

How do we strive to fulfill our mission?

Most staff at NIC are former directors of departments of corrections, wardens, deputy wardens, jail administrators, and probation chiefs, which equates to a wealth of corrections experience and knowledge under the umbrella of one agency. NIC serves its customers by:

We also provide research and evaluation guidance and data collection.

History of the National Institute of Corrections

In September 1971, a major riot at New York's Attica prison focused national attention on corrections and the practice of imprisonment in the United States. In response to public concern and recognizing the problems in corrections facilities and programs at the State and local levels, Attorney General John N. Mitchell convened a National Conference on Corrections in Williamsburg, Virginia, in December 1971.

Chief Justice Warren E. Burger, in his keynote address before the 450 conference participants, expressed support for the establishment of a national training academy for corrections. The training academy would:

  • Encourage the development of a body of corrections knowledge, coordinate research, and formulate policy recommendations.
  • Provide professional training of the highest quality for corrections employees and executives.
  • Provide a forum for the exchange of advanced ideas in corrections.
  • Bring about long-delayed improvements in the professionalism of the corrections field.

The National Institute of Corrections was created in 1974. It first received funding in 1977 as a line item in the Federal Bureau of Prisons budget.

a correctional officer observing a cell block while standing at the top of a set of stairs

Photo credit: the Scott County Sheriff's Office, Minnesota

Sept. 1971

Attica Prison Riots

A major riot at New York's Attica prison focused national attention on corrections and the practice of imprisonment in the United States.

Dec. 1971

Attorney General's Conference

In response to public concern and recognizing the problems in corrections facilities and programs at the State and local levels, Attorney General John N. Mitchell convened a National Conference on Corrections in Williamsburg, Virginia. The result is a recommendation for the establishment of a National Training Academy for corrections.

1974

Legislative Results

In 1974, the National Institute of Corrections was created through an act of Congress from the recommendations of the conference in 1971 and a meeting of the Citizens Advisory Committee formed by the Federal Bureau of Prisons and Law Enforcement Assistance Administration in 1972.

1977

Federal Bureau of Prisons Funding Approved

In 1977, funding was created in the Federal Bureau of Prisons budget for the creation of a new government agency called the National Institute of Corrections.

1980

Establishment of the NIC Information Center

The National Institute of Corrections Information Center was founded in 1980 in Colorado.

1981

NIC Training Academy Founded

The National Institute of Corrections Academy division was established in Colorado.

Mar. 2023

NIC Website relaunch

In order to enhance its portfolio of services, features, and brand; NIC relaunched its website.

2024

NIC celebrates its 50th anniversary

The National Institute of Corrections (NIC) stands as a cornerstone of innovation and leadership in correctional practices across the United States. Since its establishment in 1974 as a federal agency under the Department of Justice, NIC has championed evidence-based policies, workforce development, and the advancement of correctional management and operations. It has been instrumental in promoting rehabilitation and recidivism reduction strategies, equipping correctional professionals with cutting-edge training and resources, and fostering safer, more humane correctional environments. From pioneering offender reentry programs to supporting the development of leadership within correctional institutions, NIC's contributions over five decades have been crucial in shaping a more effective and equitable criminal justice system.

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