Serving both as a Marine and later as a leader in corrections has taught me a critical lesson: the love for your country is shown by both defending it and fixing its problems. As America hits the milestone of its 250th birthday, political candidates will discuss essential themes like freedom, safety, and accountability. They should do so. However, corrections is a topic often avoided in political discussions.
Corrections remains a government responsibility that cannot be ignored. At the end of 2023, over 1.25 million individuals were in state and federal prisons. This issue is not solely federal; state leadership plays a significant role. Governors manage systems that use significant public funds, employ countless professionals, and influence whether released individuals are better prepared for life outside or return more damaged.
Corrections often leads to tightened policies in response to incidents like suicides, contraband, and escapes. While each decision may be justifiable, the accumulation leads to exhausted staff, poorly managed inmates, and leadership focused on avoiding mistakes rather than achieving results. This culture teaches government to overlook corrections, which is not conducive to public safety.
In corrections, many professionals deliver dignity in difficult conditions, while others become hardened or maintain harmful habits. I’ve encountered both dedicated and worn-down personnel, influenced by a broken system that fosters poor practices and teaches acceptance of issues previously challenged.
“What outcomes are governors requiring this system to produce?”
The focus should shift from merely controlling chaos to achieving beneficial outcomes. Presently, success is often measured by passing inspections and avoiding negative headlines, which doesn’t lead to substantial improvements. Governors should foster a culture that emphasizes outcomes like reducing violence, improving staff retention, enhancing treatment programs, and preparing inmates for successful reintegration.
Cultural elements, though often viewed as intangible, play a central role in corrections. They affect whether staff feel supported or expendable and whether facilities maintain order or descend into chaos.
Experience has shown that embracing humanity within corrections enhances safety rather than undermines it. Secure custody is necessary, but without focus on better outcomes, it is merely an expensive way to delay future offenses.
Governors need not campaign on “prison reform” as a mere slogan. Instead, they should mandate practical, outcome-based pilot programs within government facilities or in collaboration with non-profit and private partners. Independent research, live data, and publicly available results should measure these pilots. Successful models deserve expansion, while those that fail require modification or discontinuation.
Every year, approximately 600,000 people are released from state and federal prisons. The critical question remains: will they re-enter society as greater threats or as responsible citizens? This is not just about being lenient on crime; it is a question of public safety. Voters should scrutinize candidates on what they plan to do about corrections systems under their purview. Without change, no improvement can be expected. It’s imperative to develop and test superior approaches.
Brian Koehn is the CEO of Social Purpose Corrections and has previously served as a warden and security expert.