ASCA's Best Practices Publications
In 2000, 33 ASCA members submitted articles on a wide range of correctional practices they thought produced the best results. ASCA staff edited and organized the submission into a publication entitled Best Practices in Corrections. A copy of that publication may be downloaded by clicking on this link.
Under the leadership of then President Reginald Wilkinson, ASCA published in 2004 Reentry Best Practices: Directors' Perspective. Reentry best practices were submitted by member agencies and clustered into five substantive areas. They were: (1) Prison Programs; (2) Transitional Programs; (3) Mental Health/Substance Abuse Programs; (4) Community Supervision Strategies; and (5) Promising or Unique Services. A copy of the publication may be found by clicking on the link below.
Finding Best Correctional Practices
New Mexico Corrections Department Secretary Gregg Marcantel has requested that ASCA make Members aware of research where the Department has been collaborating with the Sandia National Laboratories whose mission is to address issues that impact national security. The discussions that New Mexico has had with Sandia National Laboratories has identified several areas that may be beneficial to corrections agencies including:
- Risk Assessment Methodology (RAM(
- Cognitive Science
- Drug and Contraband Detection
- Homemade Explosive Training (HME)
- Tagging, Tracking and Locating (TTL)
Click here for Secretary Marcantel's letter to ASCA Members with more information about the work with Sandia National Laboratories.
To assist you with planning future programs, NIC is seeking feedback from corrections practitioners through this survey. Completing the survey takes approximately 15 minutes, and your imput would be very valuable. Click here to access the NIC survey
Rhode Island's maximum security prison has experienced a rise in youthful offender violence including ganging up on each other with multiple attackers and increasingly using homemade weapons. In response to the increasing violence a new Youthful Offender Program (YOP) was created that includes three separate classes: Self Change, Nonviolence, and Anger Management/Cognitive Restructuring. Each of the classes is 12 weeks long and the program lasts between nine and ten months. Click this link to read the entire program description.
Practices Under Consideration for Adoption
ASCA will post here for review and comment best practices submitted by member agencies.
Rate a Submitted Best Practice
ASCA will post Surveys here that will allow members to rate best practices that have been submitted for review and comment by member agencies.
Recently Accepted Practices
Best Practices that have been vetted by members and accepted as best practices will be posted here.