Joe Bouchard

Joe Bouchard is given this honor for the authoring and publishing of Icebreakers 101, Icebreakers and More, and the newly-published Icebreakers III on behalf of IACTP. In 2006, Joe proposed to the board creating a volume of training activities contributed by Association members that could be marketed to support IACTP. The Board approved it and Joe gathered activities from trainers across the country, edited them, added many activities of his own, illustrated and published Icebreakers 101 in 2007 in electronic form. It immediately began drawing attention. In 2008 he began Icebreakers and More, published in 2009. And this year, 2011, he published Icebreakers III. Joe's enthusiasm, energy and writing talent were generously given in service to his professional organization, with no personal gain other than our undying appreciation and support. For this, IACTP and its Board are truly grateful.

Joe Bouchard is a veteran correctional trainer. In the past ten years, he has been invited to speak in venues all over the country. He has presented on various topics.

Bouchard is a prolific writer in the field of corrections, with six books and nearly 800 articles to his credit. He has been featured in numerous corrections journals including his corrections website Foundations and Contraband and Communication.

Bouchard is an adjunct faculty member of criminal justice and corrections at the Gogebic Community College in Michigan. Since 1993, Bouchard has been a prison librarian at a state maximum security facility.

Bouchard is also the former editor of The Correctional Trainer (for the International Association of Correctional Training Personnel) and the Editor of MCA Today (for the Michigan Corrections Association).

Bouchard's specialty topics are recognizing and repairing staff divisions and contraband control. You can reach him at bouchard@up.net

Robert Krieg

The efficient delivery of statewide training for developing supervisors is a key objective for most but there are unintended consequences of success. It is also a testament to the quality of a program to be used by a mandating authority (State Civil Service) as the basic training requirements for target supervisors.

Due to efforts to streamline government and implement cost saving efficiencies the La. State Department of Civil Service established minimum instructional class sizes and reduced the frequency and distribution of a all training courses offered including their mandatory supervisor training requirements. Couple that circumstance with extreme budget cuts and the La. DOC was unable to implement specialized training for new correctional security supervisors for more than two years. The answer to the problem.

Suggested by the Department's Chief of Operations: Conduct training using compressed video (video conference) within the Departments closed/secure network. But, how to over come the bandwidth problem for dependable broadcasts when resources are stretched thin with Tele-medicine, Pardon and Parole Board hearings, Magistrate and other judicial hearings. The simple answer--hold the training sessions at night. Next step. Convince State Civil Service to deliver an entire curriculum by Civil Service Staff designed for traditional classroom delivery at night to distant locations. The successful result was an acceptance of thinking that was slightly outside the traditional box. It culminated in a series of 10 classes, two sessions each to reach both 12-hour shifts. This effort was the first time such classes were delivered after typical business hours by State Civil Service and utilizing video conferencing for successful delivery at the same time. The 12-hour shift personnel attended at five different locations on their day off to receive the broadcast from DOC Headquarter, conducted by Civil Service instructors.

Tammy Everson

The West Virginia Regional Jail and Correctional Facility Authority designed, developed, and implemented a three phase entry-level training program for new correctional officers. Phases One and Three are considered "field training" and are conducted at the facility by a certified Field Training Officer. All field training is competency based to allow employees to learn, comprehend, and demonstrate minimum proficiency necessary to perform essential functions and critical tasks at a pace unique to their ability to learn while maintaining compliance with the program. Phase Two requires successful completion of a six-week residential academy. The program must be completed within the first 12 months of employment.

The program addresses:

Attitudes of indifference towards training; Causative factors of staff turn-over within the first 18 months of employment; The lack of an objective evaluation process of the new employee's performance; Inadequate documentation of training received by the new employee; and The lack of a formal training program for designated field trainers. "Review of Program Surveys" indicate a "strongly agree" opinion that: the Field Trainers are more prepared; trainers were consistent when explaining and demonstrating tasks; answers to the questions were supported by policy and post orders; the information and tests in the training manual were useful; and the trainees felt they were better prepared to work independently upon completion of their initial training.

The facilities that hosted the pilot entry-level training program reported a reduction in staff turn-over.

Mary O'Connor

All Community Corrections' Officers in Arizona attend the basic Correctional Officer Training Academy and annual in-service training, which focuses on officer safety inside an institution.

To increase the safety of the Community Correction Officer a Community Correction Officer academy was created specifically dealing with self defense, communication, motivational interviewing, and other specifics of working with offenders in the community as opposed to the institution.

Using on-line training to cover most of the technical aspects of the job such as, release process, sex offender registration and monitoring, due process, warrants, case management, and more. The Community Correction Officer completes the on-line training and then comes to a two week academy, which focuses on skills practice through role plays and simulations. The first week of the academy covers motivational interviewing, evidence based practices, conducting risk assessments, and three days of specific self defense training for the community setting to include Taser, weapons retention, and self defense techniques. The second week of the academy courses include making safe field visits; Board of Executive Clemency; Interstate Compact; and simulations running through a case load with simulated visits to sponsors, offenders and other contacts.

Community Correction Officers have come away from the training more prepared and confident to go out into the community and work with the offenders.

The Nomination Process The International Association of Correctional Training Personnel 's Awards of Excellence Program strives to identify and celebrate the accomplishments of outstanding individuals and programs in the field of criminal justice training.

Any IACTP member may either apply for an award or nominate another member, agency, or private sector company for an award.

Submit a title page with all of the following: the identity of the intended recipient, agency name, program title, and the category for which the program, agency or individual is being nominated.

Nominations can be submitted for any of the following Award categories:

Specialized Topics Award - given for high quality training in a particular course, program or subject.

Innovative Approaches Award - given for high quality training which advances the state of the art in correctional training.

Training System Award - given for high quality training throughout an entire system or training department.

Commercial Program Award - given for a high quality training offered by a commercial vendor.

President's Award - presented by the IACTP President for outstanding contribution to the Association and/or the field of correctional training.

The Awards Committee reserves the right to determine the category for which an award is ultimately awarded.

CRITERIA FOR IACTP AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE IN CORRECTIONAL TRAINING

To be eligible for any of the above awards, please respond to the following five questions in a total of 1,000 words or less. The questions should guide but not limit your response. Do not attach any supplemental material to your responses. Include the text of each question immediately before each response.

1. Describe the program\contribution.
   A. What challenges\problems does the program\contribution address?
   B. What are the primary purposes, clients, and methods?
   C. In what ways does the program\contribution represent a creative departure from previous practice?
   
   
2. Describe the results of the program\contribution.
   A. What has the innovation accomplished?
   B. To what degree has the program\contribution achieved its aims?
   C. Cite any evidence that supports your claims.
   D. Have there been unexpected results?
   
   
3. Describe the beneficiaries of the program\contribution.
   A. Who are the primary clients of the program\contribution?
   B. How many clients does the program\contribution currently serve?
   
   
4. Discuss the transferability of the program\contribution.
   A. How were challenges to the program\contribution overcome?
   B. What obstacles would others confront in replicating the program\contribution?
   C. Has the program\contribution been replicated?
   
   
5. Detail the budget for the program\contribution.
   A. How is program funded?
   B. Provide details of any unusual financial features.
   C. Were funds saved as a result of the program\contribution? If yes, how?
   
   

Support those organizations or individuals who have made a difference in training by submitting them for recognition with an IACTP Award of Excellence through the following link: IACTP Awards of Excellence form or by completing the prescribed description portion on 8.5 by 11 inch paper and submit a typed original and four copies to the Awards Chair, c/o of the IACTP Membership Office no later than August 1st. Include a cover page which clearly indicates the name(s) of the person submitting the nomination, the intended recipient, mailing addresses, and phone, fax, and e-mail contacts. Submissions will be reviewed and selections will be awarded by mid August. All nominated individuals, agencies, and vendors will be notified in writing of selections no later than September 1st.