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.
The Executive Directors' report presented at the August 2011 ASCA Business Meeting in Kissimmee, FL covered the period of January 28, 2011 through August 7, 2011.
The report includes updates on:
- ASCA Executive Committee Meetings
- Use of Restraints on Pregnant Women Behind Bars
- Collaboration with the Association of Paroling Authorities International
- ACA Legislative and Government Relations
- PEW Charitable Trusts Collaboration
- PREA Standards
- National Forum on Recidivism Reduction
- ASCA/CSG Substance Abuse and Mental Health Collaboration Project
- Byrne Clearinghouse Grant
- Byrne Reentry Information Sharing Project (2007) & Justice Information Sharing Project (2009)
- Justice Information Sharing Law Enforcement Implementation Project
- Performance Measures Update
- ASCA Survey Activity
- ASCA Committee Reports
- ASCA Regional Updates
- Executive Committee Mission Statement
- Program and Training Committee Mission Statement
- Racial Disparity Committee Mission Statement
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Committee Mission Statement
- Policy: Resolution, Legislation and Legal Issues Committee Mission Statement
- Performance Measures Committee Mission Statement
- Reentry and Community Corrections Committee Mission Statement
- Nominating Committee Mission Statement
- Research and Best Practices Committee Mission Statement
- Clearinghouse Committee Mission Statement
- Past Presidents' Committee Mission Statement
The Research and Best Practices 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. Click here for the ICRN report
The Executive Directors' report presented at the August 2010 ASCA Business Meeting in Chicago, Illinois covered the period of January 2010 through July 2010.
The ASCA Constitution states that eligibility for Associate Membership shall be at the discretion of the Executive Committee.
Eligibility of Associate Membership shall be limited to individuals who have served at least three years as the person directly responsible for the administration of the total correctional system of a state (or the head of the correctional systems of Cook County (Chicago), the District of Columbia, New York City, Philadelphia) the Federal Bureau of Prisons, the heads of each province of Canada, and any United States territory, possession, and/or commonwealth are eligible for active membership.
Associate members are not eligible to vote, and Associate members shall pay annual dues of $100.
In order to become an Associate member, an eligible individual shall be sponsored by an active member of the ASCA. who shall place the eligible individual's name in nomination (and in writing) to the Executive Committee for consideration and action.
While each jurisdiction represented in our Association has its own unique characteristics and issues, all of our member agencies share more in common about their work than that which is different. In ASCA, united members can do more to advance the corrections progress than each one alone.
Click here for the ASCA Committees and Members and Associates who serve on the Committees updated January 25, 2012.
Click here to view the most recent ASCA Current Issues in Corrections document developed in December 2010.
The resource manual includes an introduction to PBMS; responses to frequently asked questions; ASCA Constitution; history and mission of PBMS: counting rules for the key indicators; glossary of terms; data entry guidelines; sample reports; template for data uploads; PBMS users guide; and training handouts and presentations.
The PEW Research and ASCA collected data regarding prison population and developed this report on prisoner population in May 2010.
Pandemic Plans
The Association of State Correctional Administrators is pleased to provide ASCA's Corrections Response to Pandemic Flu Manual. This project was supported by Corrections Response to Pandemic Flu (BJA grant #: 2006-CV-BX-K003) awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance to the Association of State Correctional Administrators. The Planning Guide includes a Corrections Planning Checklist intended as a tool for Corrections Planners to review their continuity of operations plans to see if they address the areas recommended by ASCA’s Pandemic Planning Workgroup. Some of these areas include:
1. Sufficiency of Medical Equipment, Medications and Supplies at your Institution(s)
2. Ensure that your Medical Procedures are in Order
3. Ensure that Your Institution Can Continue Operations During a Pandemic
4. Ensure that Your Plan Effectively Manages and Motivates Staff During a Pandemic
5. Plans for Managing Inmates & Visitors at the Onset and throughout the Medical Emergency
The manual also includes:
- The History of Pandemics and Their Impact on Prisons
- The Response of Departments of Corrections’ to the 2009 H1N1 Influenza
- ASCA’s Survey of Pandemic Preparedness
- Experiences of Corrections Agencies with their Medical Emergency Plans
- Planning for Pandemics: General Considerations
- Corrections Staff and the Pandemic Response
- What Was Learned Concerning Antivirals, Personal Protective Equipment
- The 2009 H1N1 Influenza Experience: Conclusions and Recommendations
- ASCA’s Corrections Pandemic Planning Checklist
- Annotated Bibliography of Pandemic Influenza Documents and Resources
- Documents and Resources Relating to Other Potential Pandemic Diseases
Click here to download the Corrections Response to Pandemic Flu Manual.