The Committee has a long and rich history of encouraging research in corrections – particularly research that is likely better inform administrators about what works and what doesn’t work. With ever scarcer resource available o corrections, applying the most effective and efficient interventions has become all the more important. The Committee seeks to identify research topics of value to practitioners and researchers with interest and experience in studying corrections. Committee members represent a diversity of backgrounds, interests, and experiences while at the same time recognizing the value of research that produces results that can be applied in the real world of corrections.

To date the Committee has been instrumental in promoting a closer working relationship between both the academic research community and correctional administrators, as well as between researchers working in correctional agencies and their administrators. An example of the latter is the Institutional Corrections Research Network (ICRN) that was created with the support of the National Institute of Corrections that demonstrated the commitment of ASCA to improved sharing and application of research knowledge generated by researchers within correctional agencies.

Learning more about emerging technologies that might have application in corrections became a reality when the ASCA’s national Information Technology Conference was held in Denver in 2006, supported by the Bureau of Justice Assistance. It served as an example of how administrators and providers of information technologies for corrections can learn from each other for the betterment of correctional practitioners.

Methods Used for Committee Work

In order to carry out its work, the Reasearch and Best Practices Committee will employ a variety of methods to address its four major responsibility areas. Those four areas and methods are:

 Research: Promotes research ASCA believes will be of benefit to correctional practitioners by making recommendations to federal funding agencies and to academic researchers on issues to be researched; and forges closer ties between correctional agency researchers and correctional administrators through meetings attended by both groups.

 Best Practices: Encourages the application of validated intervention programs and strategies likely to produce desired results by sharing best practices with ASCA members.

Technology: Identifies and assesses emerging technologies by reviewing research results and conveying that information to ASCA members.

 Surveys: Collects information of interest to ASCA members by surveying members and disseminating the research results to all members.

Completed Work/Major Accomplishments

June 2011 Current Issues Document

The Association of State Correctional Administrators (ASCA) conducts a semi-annual survey of its membership to identify the current issues faced by correctional agencies and their relative priority.  In June and July 2011, ASCA conducted a survey of members to identify and rate the level of importance of the top four issues facing their agencies and to rate issues identified in previous surveys to determine the continuing relevance of these issues for their agencies.  Twenty-seven agencies responded to the survey.  Click here for the report of the June 2011 Current Issues in Corrections Survey.

ASCA December 2010 Current Issues Document

The most pressing issues facing corrections administrators are the subject matter of all ASCA's trainings and programs. All ASCA trainings feature sessions whereby administrators suggest and discuss issues that are currently challenging them, issues that are emerging for their jurisdictions, and issues that are apparently decreasing in significance. A living Issues document is maintained not only from these trainings, but also from surveys conducted during the year. The most current list of issues of concern to ASCA members was initially generated during the All Directors Training (ADT) program held in Charleston, SC in December 2009.  It has been regularly updated with further input from the membership, most recently from a Member survey conducted in November and December 2010 and through discussion of current issues at the 2010 All Directors Training held in San Francisco, CA December 3 and 4, 2010.  The final report of issues facing corrections may be viewed by going to this link.

Research Documents

Based on input from members, the Committee gleans from current issues of import to the members, those issues that would benefit from research.  The most current list of issues was collected using a member survey and discussion from the 2010 All Directors Training Program in San Francisco, CA December 3 and 4, 2010.

The Committee frequently reviews research reports on promising practices and programs that are posted on federal agency websites.  Sites that have proven to be of particular value are listed here with a link that takes you to the site.

For the past several years ASCA has worked closely with the PEW Foundation in the collection of current and relevant data about the number and types of prisoners in state and federal custody, as well as the rate in which they return to custody.  The data collected by ASCA is available for further study and use and may be obtained by going to the attached links.

Attached are the findings from a recent survey of the ASCA membership regarding recidivism. The attached questionnaire was completed by 37 agencies during July & August 2010. Out of those 37 responding agencies, 32 have a process for tracking recidivism.  Twenty-eight agencies track a cohort of DOC releases for a specific follow-up period to determine if and when they recidivated.  Twenty-two agencies have a process for tracking sex-offender recidivism. 

 The reports published by PEW that made use of portions of that data may be viewed by going to the attached links.

A complete listing of reports published by PEW, many of which relate to corrections and the criminal justice system may be found by going to PEW’s website, a link to which is included here.

The Committee has been working closely with NIC to bring together researchers working in correctional agencies to share their knowledge with the agency’s key administrators in an effort to better inform decision-making through the application research-based knowledge.  That work culminated in a report to NIC in which the results of the initiative are presented.   That report may be downloaded via the attached link.

ASCA has a long-establish goal of eliminating prison rape and staff sexual misconduct.  As a result ASCA has been vitally interested in research that attempts to determine the actual incidence of prisoner rape and staff sexual misconduct.  In furtherance of that objective ASCA continues to work closely with BJS in its research into these incidence, and is very supportive of that research.  Several BJS funded reports have been produced and links to them are included here.

ASCA has also been directly involved in conducting research.  Under the direction of The Urban Institute, and with funding from the NIJ, ASCA collected and assessed information on steps being taken by correctional agencies to eliminate prisoner rape and staff sexual misconduct.  A report on the findings was published and may be accessed via the attached link.

ASCA also researched the cost of implementing the PREA Standards by collecting and analyzing cost data provided by state department of corrections, the results of that research were submitted to the Department of Justice in May 2010. A report prepared by Booz/Allen/Hamilton on the estimated cost of implementing the PREA Standards has been released, the report on the Cost to Corrections to Implement PREA Standards is noted below.

Booz/Allen/Hamilton PREA Cost Study Report

Booz/Allen/Hamilton PREA Cost Study report – Click here for a direct link to the report.

Technology

ASCA interest in technology is very high.  Finding ways to be more efficient and effective frequently involves making more and better use of technologies.    Determining which technologies are best suited to corrections is not always an easy task.  To help provide correctional administrations with the most current information, the Committee seeks guidance and input from several sources.  They include state department of corrections with the capacity to test technologies, the Federal Bureau of Prisons, and the National Law Enforcement and Corrections.  

Of great concern to ASCA and significant interest to the Committee, are cell phone technologies that can be effectively used to detect, disrupt, or jam inmate use of cell phones.   Cell phones found in prisons and related strategies to detect them and other technology related issues are sought and reported in the results of surveys of members.  Information developed from those surveys may be found on the ASCA Surveys page.

Testing of cell phone technologies are reported based on field test conducted in state and federal prisons.  Testing of the jamming technology has been conducted by the South Carolina Department of Corrections, Maryland Department of Corrections and the Federal Bureau of Prisons.  Information on the results of the tests will be posted here when available.

ASCA member’s desire for robust automated inmate information systems at an affordable price led to holding a national Information Technology Conference at which administrators, correctional agency information technology specials and representative from information technology firms could interact and learn from each other.  For more information about the IT Conference, please go to the links below.

Best Practices

The Committee’s long-standing interest in best practices for corrections is reflected in two reports in which members described the best practices the results of which they were most proud.  Links to those two reports are included here.

Valuable information on best practices for corrections when contracting with or monitoring private sector providers are contained in two ASCA reports that were researched with funds provided by he Corrections Program Office.  Links to those reports are provided here.

The Committee puts to good use best practices research conducted by member agencies, as well as other agencies and researchers.  Among them are best practice research results reported by the Washington State Institute for Public Policy, the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections, and ASCA Executive Staff.  Links to sites at which this best practice information may be found are listed here.