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American Correctional Association Conference (ACA)

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This is the resources page to support the American Correctional Association Conference.

This page gives you direct access to all our conference resources and helps you find the things we reference in our chatroom and videos easier.

NIC had a fantastic time connecting with all of our friends and new staff that visited our booth and sessions. If you missed any resources we brought to the conference, you can find them on the page below.

Highlighted Publications
NIC has created a collection of resources that set standards and win awards in the field of corrections. These guides, reference manuals, and training materials are useful to all corrections professionals from agencies big and small. Explore our library of publications and streaming content to find solutions to the problems your facility is facing.
Related Webinars and Broadcasts
NIC has created a number of streaming webinars and longer broadcast segments that cover key corrections topics.
Accession Number
033327

Are you striving to meet organizational goals and crucial deadlines, yet wondering why your team’s morale has decreased? Are you aware of the messages your supervisory performance sends in stressful circumstances and their impact on your team? Are you interested in increasing your self-awareness

Price
$0.00
Accession Number
033265

Webinar held December 19, 2019.

Relationships between staff and inmates can start to blur, and in doing so it can put correctional staff in harms way. This webinar is intended to equip correctional staff with the information needed to examine the precursors of staff and inmate interaction that

Amount in Stock
0
Accession Number
033158

Are you and your agency knowledgeable of commonly abused and/or misused prescription medications in correctional settings? Have you considered prescription drugs which can be used as weapons?

If you are interested in learning from pharmacists from the largest correctional system in the United

Accession Number
033127

Join the National Institute of Corrections (NIC), Federal Bureau of Prisons (FBOP) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to learn about how current community hepatitis A outbreaks are affecting correctional jurisdictions, and how you can prevent cases from becoming outbreaks in your own

Relevant NIC Microsites
These Micro-websites contain a variety of content from training guides to video series or landing pages for important corrections communities. They may prove useful if you are looking for more information on a topic they cover.
National Institute of Corrections Team

Ronald F. Taylor

Ron Taylor, Chief of NIC's Prisons Division
Job Title / Position
Chief
Division
Prisons Division
Agency / Business / Organization
National Institute of Corrections

Ronald Taylor has more than 30 years of public service experience in the corrections field. Before joining NIC in 2016, he served in various leadership positions in with the Alaska Department of Corrections, including Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner, Probation & Parole Director, and Parole Board Executive Director. Ronald has an undergraduate degree in Criminal Justice. He provides direction and oversight for management and supervision of the division, which includes program planning, and policy development, cooperative agreement and contract administration, personnel and fiscal management, operations and program evaluation, professional contacts with national state and local agencies and organizations, and contacts with the media and the public. Additionally, he is currently working to develop a Leadership Guide that will orient the new deputy directors of corrections to the critical issues and/or persistent correctional challenges of their position.

Evelyn Bush

Job Title / Position
Correctional Program Specialist
Division
Prisons Division
Agency / Business / Organization
National Institute of Corrections
Phone
202-514-0376

Evelyn Bush has more than 35 years of public service experience in the corrections field. Before joining NIC in 2002, she served as an NIC Consultant and in various leadership positions, including Warden, Regional Director, Deputy Commissioner in her 26 years with the Connecticut Department of Corrections. Evelyn has an Undergraduate Degree in Psychology and a Master’s Degree in Management Science. At NIC, she oversees and actively participates in the design, development, implementation, and evaluation of blended training, technical assistance and coordinating resources to enhance the knowledge and competencies of corrections professionals. Her portfolio includes Strategic Development of Executive Women, Correctional Leadership Development for Women in Management, Conducting Security Audits and Gender Informed Practices in the Management of Women’s Prisons. Additionally, the new initiatives she is currently working on include developing an e-course on Undue Familiarity: Maintaining Boundaries, and a project for the compilation and distribution of COVID-19 challenges and/or choices faced by the field.

Scott Richards

Job Title / Position
Correctional Programs Specialist
Division
Prisons Division
Agency / Business / Organization
National Institute of Corrections
Phone
202-616-2802

Scott Richards has more than 31 years of public service experience in the corrections field. Before joining NIC in 2019, he served in various leadership positions, including Warden and Director of Training in the U.S. Marine Corps Correctional System. Scott has an undergraduate degree in Psychology and a Master of Arts Degree in Management and Leadership. At NIC, he oversees and actively participates in the design, development, implementation, and evaluation of resources to enhance the competencies of corrections professionals. His portfolio includes Prison Staffing Analysis, Prison Rape Elimination Act, and Management of Restrictive Housing Populations. Additionally, he is currently working to develop an innovative micro-learning platform of "Expected Practices" as an on-demand training resource for the field. Scott is also the Technical Assistance Manager for the Prisons Division and can provide information on how agencies can submit requests.

Belinda D. Stewart

Job Title / Position
Correctional Program Specialist
Division
Prisons Division
Agency / Business / Organization
National Institute of Corrections
Phone
202-616-2683

Belinda has 40 years of Corrections experience in Oklahoma and Washington State. Before joining the National Institute of Corrections (NIC) in 2019, she served in various leadership positions, including assistant superintendent for two community corrections centers with the Oklahoma Department of Corrections from 1981-1992. She moved to Washington in 1992 and became superintendent of Cedar Creek Corrections Center, McNeil Island Corrections Center, Washington Corrections Center for Women, Stafford Creek Corrections, Re-entry Implementation Project Administrator, Communications and Outreach Director, and Executive Prisons Program Administrator. Belinda has a bachelor’s degree in corrections from Oklahoma State University.

At NIC, Belinda oversees Executive Training for New Wardens and Justice-Involved Women: Developing an Agency-Wide Approach. Her portfolio of work also includes the development and enhancement of resources in staff trauma and organizational stress, communications, and diversity, equity and inclusion.

Dena M. Owens, Psy.D.

Job Title / Position
Correctional Program Specialist
Division
Prisons Division
Agency / Business / Organization
National Institute of Corrections
Phone
202-305-4080

Dr. Dena M. Owens has over 19 years of experience in Correctional Mental Health. She began her career in Corrections at the Cook County Jail in Chicago, IL. Before joining NIC in 2021, she served in various leadership positions, including Director of Behavioral Health, Religious Services, and Enrichment Programs at Cook County Jail. She also served as Director of Behavioral Health Services at the Lafourche Parish Correctional Complex in Thibodaux, LA. Her expertise includes issues related to occupational stress and burnout, trauma-informed care, stress management, resiliency, and emotional intelligence. Dr. Owens has an undergraduate degree in Psychology, a Master of Arts Degree in Forensic Psychology, and a Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) in Clinical Psychology. At NIC, Dr. Owens oversees crisis intervention teams training (CIT), staff trauma, and the Mental Health Network for the Prisons Division. Her portfolio of work also includes competency restoration, management and oversight of persons with mental illness in corrections, and support and instruction of mental health first aid.

Christopher Smith

Job Title / Position
Correctional Program Specialist
Division
Prisons Division
Agency / Business / Organization
National Institute of Corrections
Phone
202-307-2864

Christopher Smith has been working in the Corrections field for almost 20 years. His experience includes working in a private juvenile facility, a county jail, the Indiana Department of Corrections, and the Bureau of Prisons. Mr. Smith joined the Bureau of Prisons in June of 2008. His Bureau of Prison experiences include working as a Correctional Officer, Case Manager, Unit Manager, Case Management Coordinator (also permanently had Executive Assistant duties) and now as a Correctional Program Specialist at the NIC.

Mr. Smith only recently arrived at NIC as a Correctional Program Specialist. Since his arrival, he has begun assisting with both the Restricted Housing Video Project and Senior Leadership Competencies Project. He is currently researching future projects in the areas of bullying, mental health, and leadership.

Tashima Ricks

Job Title / Position
Correctional Program Specialist
Division
Prisons Division
Agency / Business / Organization
National Institute of Corrections
Phone
202-451-7623

Dr. Ricks has over 20 years in providing oversight of population health and performance improvement initiatives in community and correctional health settings. Prior to joining NIC in 2021, she has served as a Director of Nursing, Health Services Administrator, Clinical Director of Population Health, Senior Correctional Program Specialist, and Strategic Compliance Manager in metropolitan Baltimore and Anne Arundel County community health and correctional agencies in Maryland. Tashima holds Doctoral, Master, and Bachelor-level degrees in Nursing and maintains board certifications as a Registered Nurse and a Public Health Clinical Nurse Specialist.

At NIC, Tashima supports Mental Health First Aid, Healthcare Administrator's Network, Infection Prevention Network, and Aging in Corrections programs.

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