Corrections_Today_September_October_2019_Vol.81_No.5

Professional Development

certification Spotlight

Recognizing experience and knowledge An interview with Army Corrections Command’s 2019 Correctional Professional of the Year

By Casandra DePalma

R esumes may note your credential verifies it. An ACA certi- fication combines the achievement of passing an exam with recogni- tion for your work and educational experience, providing you with the credibility you need to advance in your career. Our certification program is nationally accepted and recognized, and it allows individu- als to prove to employers that they have what it takes to add value to their corporation. In fact, many organizations and governmental agencies across the country recog- nize ACA’s certifications. Some organizations, like the United States Army, are significantly involved with ACA’s certification program. In fact, a recently Certified Correctional Manager (CCM), 1 st Sgt. James Russell of the 256 th Mili- tary Police Company, 40 th Military Police Battalion (Detention) in experience and knowledge, but an ACA certification

[his] knowledge and skills as a cor- rections NCO for the Army,” and feels that “through [his] certification, [he is] able to provide better services in support of the facility’s mission. This includes management of the facility’s staff and inmates.” Not only does Russell discuss the positives of his experience, he urges other agencies and organizations to partake in the program as well. “Through my studies I no- ticed there are many correctional theories and procedures I was not entirely familiar with,” he said. “This includes legal precedents that influence correctional policies and laws. Notably, it enhanced my knowledge in handling personnel matters in a correctional setting, and also my knowledge base of the new restrictive housing concept. Truly professional-minded agen- cies should look to establish and promote a credentialing/certifica- tion program such as ACA to better

Truly professional-minded agencies should look to establish and promote a credentialing/certification program such as ACA to better prepare their staff and to maximize their facility’s effectiveness.

— 1 st Sgt. James Russell

Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas, was named the 2019 Correctional Professional of the Year by Army Corrections Com- mand. We took some time to reach out to Russell to understand why he chose ACA for his certification. When we inquired about his choice and overall experience, Russell shared that he “wanted to refine

74 — September/October 2019 Corrections Today