NIC resources for the American Jail Association (AJA) Conference

P. Elizabeth Taylor is a National Programs Advisor with the National Institute of Corrections - currently serving as Program Manager for the Correctional Industries, Evidence-based Workforce Series, and the Jail to Community Reentry Initiatives. An advocate for evidence-based practices, Ms. Taylor actively supports criminal justice programs that effectively assess risks while meeting the needs of justice involved adults.

As a former employee of Montgomery County, Maryland, Ms. Taylor dedicated 20 years to public service working for both the Department of Health and Human Services and Department of Corrections.  Throughout her career, Ms. Taylor has actively challenged the myths, misconceptions and fears associated with individuals involved in the criminal justice system. 

Ms. Taylor is a member of the American Correctional Association, and International Community Corrections Association. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the American University in Washington, DC, and a Master in Human Services from Lincoln University located in Oxford, Pa.

Sandy Cathcart is a National Programs Advisor with the National Institute of Corrections – Jails Division, and has been in this capacity since September 2014. She manages Crisis Intervention Teams (CIT) training, Mental Health Systems in Jails, Mental Health First Aid training, Being Trauma Informed, Implementing Case Management for Jails, Management Development for Women and Minorities, and additional mental health and medical technical assistance requests for jails. Sandy worked in local corrections for 27 years between the Baltimore City Jail and the Anne Arundel County Department of Detention Facilities in Maryland. She has a Bachelors Degree in Social Work (with licensure), a Master’s Degree in Correctional Administration, and a Certificate in Human Services Management. She has served as a member of a New Jail Transition team, a Unit Manager of female housing, a manager of classification, a policy and procedure writer, a certified trainer, a Social Work Associate, and a Criminal Justice and Social Work Adjunct Professor for the Anne Arundel Community College. Sandy was instrumental in developing a jail-based Case Management System for Anne Arundel County, Maryland. Before her employment with NIC, she served as the Assistant Correctional Facility Administrator of Inmate Services for the Jennifer Road Detention Center in Annapolis, Maryland.

Mike Jackson is a National Programs Advisor with the Jails Division at the National Institute of Corrections and has been in this capacity since July 2007. He is currently responsible for the National Sheriffs’ Institute, the Large Jail Network, the New Jail Planning Initiative and serves as the Technical Assistance Manager for the division. He has served the National Sheriffs’ Association as the Jail Operations Training Manager. He started his career in corrections with the Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office in Virginia and retired as the Commander of the Correctional Services Division.

Glenn Watson is a National Programs Advisor in the Jails Division of the National Institute of Corrections. Prior to joining NIC more than nine years ago, Glenn spent over twenty-one years as a U.S. Marine in the corrections field. His last post in the military prior to retirement was Commanding Officer of the Marine Corps correctional facility on Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. At NIC, Glenn oversees and actively participates in the design, development, implementation, and evaluation of resources to enhance the corrections field. He currently manages the Jail Division's Staffing Analysis and Restrictive Housing programs, as well as the National Sheriffs' Institute.