Shelby County's training advisory committee

Abstract

Martin and Rosazza (2004) assert that staff training is one of the most powerful interventions available to corrections administrators. Unfortunately, in many facilities, training activities are essentially segregated from the overall management strategy. When this is the case, training is not based on needs but rather on staff preferences, institutional culture, training capacity, and historical precedence. Thus, corrections administrators often are charged with addressing policies and procedures that may have contributed to negligent hiring, training, management, and retention of under-performing staff.

Shelby County corrections agencies have joined together to create a cost-effective and innovative approach to addressing shared issues and concerns. Perhaps most important, this partnership is sustainable over time as long as the top administrators continue to participate. The Shelby County Advisory Committee for the Command College came together with a common problem, and through the commitment and innovation of the partici-pants, a fresh, new program has been developed and implemented in less than a year. A similar strategy of collaboration may have comparable benefits in other jurisdictions.