National Institute of Corrections Report to the Nation FY 2013: Protecting the Promise: Serving America's Correctional Systems

“We’re in the people business. As much as we like to talk about numbers-rates of recidivism, caseloads, population growth, etc.-the real story behind the work we do is the lives we save, the people we help, and the communities we keep safe. That’s the nature of corrections. In this year’s annual report to the nation from the Nation Institute of Corrections (NIC), we hope that the stories of the lives we’ve touched and the jurisdictions we’ve helped come through. More than just the numbers, it’s the training, information, and technical assistance that we’ve provided throughout the fiscal year that truly matters, because it is those stories and those successes that best illustrate what we do ... Make no mistake, however, that while we’re sharing with you our proudest moments, we’ve weathered the same effects of the stormy economy that each of you have. We have been challenged by travel restrictions, training cancellations, and delays and denials of requests for technical assistance due to economic forces. In our Jails Division alone, 11 training events were canceled. But in this adversity, we continue to make a difference and serve the field of corrections. We have enjoyed being of service to the country this fiscal year, and we look forward to being part of more of the positive, inspiring stories in corrections that are still to come." These remarks were made by Robert M. Brown, Jr., Acting Director, National Institute of Corrections (NIC). Chapters of this report focus on: NIC's mission and strategic outcomes; operations; mission-focused training; outreach; evidence-based practices; information services; and technical assistance.