Facilitated dialogue, also referred to in corrections as victim-offender dialogue, is a structured meeting between the people who have perpetrated crimes and those affected by them, including individuals and communities. When overseen by a trained facilitator, these meetings can be key to removing the emotional and psychological barriers that prevent people on both ends from finding healing and closure after traumatic events.

In response to a dual agency request for technical assistance, the National Institute of Corrections provided support to the Oregon and Washington State Departments of Corrections with facilitated dialogue training. The two agencies hosted the training on March 13–17, 2023, at the Oregon Department of Corrections. Twenty-four agency employees and local volunteers were prepared to work in facilitated dialogue programs. Participants throughout each partnering state received funding from NIC to allow them to be part of this program.

CJCC Essential Elements is a companion to the recently released National Standards for Criminal Justice Coordinating Councils. CJCCs are established bodies of key criminal justice, government, and community stakeholders that convene regularly to identify systemic challenges and work collaboratively to improve the local criminal justice system. National Standards for Criminal Justice Coordinating Councils and CJCC Essential Elements are two publications that outline the components of effective CJCCs and present a list of the key features found in most high-performing councils.

The national standards guide both existing and planned councils in the process of establishing a strong organizational structure complete with staff and operating procedures. With these guides, CJCCs have a framework by which they might improve the information sharing and decision-making capabilities of their council. Use of the standards will help councils address areas such as consensus building, strategic planning, research, community engagement, and leadership.

Visit NIC’s CJCC microsite for more information and related resources.

On March 24, 2023, the National Institute of Corrections (NIC) Director (A) Dr. Alix McLearen provided the commencement speech for the 119th class of the National Sheriffs' Institute (NSI) at the Federal Bureau of Investigations Academy in Quantico, VA. First developed and delivered in the 1970s, the NSI is the only executive leadership program designed specifically for sheriffs. There are over 3,000 sheriffs nationwide operating 85% of the 3,500 jails in America.

The office of sheriff is multifaceted and can include a combination of responsibilities and lines of service, including patrol services, court security, civil process, jail operations, prisoner transportation, and/or criminal investigation. Now, more than ever, sheriffs are called upon to navigate community conversations about justice, equity, and accountability. They must allocate resources strategically, engage and convene diverse community stakeholder groups, and provide healthcare and treatment for justice-involved individuals in their care while ensuring that public safety remains paramount. The NSI prepares sheriffs for matters that affect them the most.

The criminal justice coordinating council (CJCC) is a mechanism for increasing communication among criminal justice stakeholders, such as law enforcement, court officials, social services agencies, and victim advocacy groups, by facilitating the sharing of information, data collection, and the setting of common goals. The
National Standards for Criminal Justice Coordinating Councils, and its companion document
Essential Elements: A Companion to the National Standards for Criminal Justice Coordinating Councils, give these working groups a framework for developing a formalized council structure and for managing their activities.

National Standards for Criminal Justice Coordinating Councils covers the following core elements of effective CJCCs:

• Vision and mission
• Bylaws
• Membership
• Officers
• Executive committee
• Standing committees and workgroups
• Meetings
• Decision-making
• Strategic planning
• Data and research
• Community engagement and outreach
• Administration
• Support staff

Following each standard is related commentary with information about the standard’s purpose or helpful guidance for its implementation. Where applicable, the standards are cross referenced to facilitate one’s full understanding of how a standard informs part of a whole.

Essential Elements covers ten attributes of high-performing CJCCs, including 1) systemic focus, 2) participation, 3) leadership, 4) consensus building, 5) organized meetings, 6) committees and workgroups, 7) strategic planning, 8) data and research, 9) community engagement, and 10) director and staff.

Each essential element is described and a set of key factors is presented. The key factors are items that indicate the presence of an essential element, and they are drawn from the guiding principles of CJCCs and the national standards.

NIC has a growing collection of resources on forming and managing CJCCs. Visit NIC’s CJCC microsite for more information.

For correctional systems throughout the country, staffing shortages, loss of trust among community members, and disruptions to programming and services were among the greatest challenges faced by prisons and jails, according to respondents of a national study about the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on state and local correctional systems. The study also signaled progress in corrections. Systems throughout the country adopted new technologies and increased collaboration with system partners. Together, they engaged in information-sharing and health-related activities in efforts to comply with frequently changing public health guidelines. A summary of these and further results are published in Effects of COVID-19 on Prison Operations, a report funded by the National Institute of Corrections (NIC) and produced in partnership with the Correctional Leaders Association and the National Sheriffs’ Association.

Organized with summaries of key topics and takeaways, Effects of COVID-19 on Prison Operations features survey and focus group insights from corrections leaders, healthcare providers, line staff, human resources professionals, and training providers. Of particular interest are the accounts from these professionals that reveal how the pandemic affected them personally and throughout their local criminal justice system. Lessons learned and shared in the report can help systems improve approaches to public health emergencies in the future and the long term.