National Institute of Corrections Library

“Declining state revenues and other fiscal factors are putting a serious strain on many states’ criminal justice systems, often putting concerns about the bottom line in competition with public safety. Strategies tested in numerous states and local jurisdictions, however, show that there are effective ways to address the challenge of containing rising corrections costs while also increasing public safety” (p. 1). Any agency looking for ways to reduce costs while maintaining public safety should look at this report. These strategies are: conduct a comprehensive data analysis; engage diverse constituencies; focus on the people most likely to reoffend; reinvest in high-performing programs; strengthen community supervision; and incentivize performance. SOURCE: Council of State Governments. Justice Center (New York, NY).

“If there’s one thing small business owners know, it’s that nothing creates success like hard work. Anyone who’s willing to work hard should have the chance to earn a living, contribute to our nation’s economy, and provide for themselves and their families. Inequities facing lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) workers in the U.S. workplace not only hurt millions of hardworking Americans, but they also take a toll on small business owners, our primary job creators. [This report] provides a first-of-its kind look at the ways inequitable laws impose across-the-board hardships that undermine both the economic security of millions of workers and the ability of businesses to recruit, employ and retain the best and brightest” (p. i). Sections of this publication following an executive summary include: introduction to issues about LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) workers in the United States; discrimination without legal protection—bias in recruitment and hiring, on-the-job inequality and unfairness, wage gaps and penalties, lack of legal protections, and recommendations and solutions to address this discrimination; fewer benefits and more taxes—unequal access to health insurance benefits, denial of family and medical leave, denial of spousal retirement benefits, unequal family protections when a worker dies or becomes disabled, inability to sponsor families for immigration, and recommendations and solutions for equalizing pay and benefits; and concluding observations. SOURCE: Movement Advancement Project (MAP) (Denver, CO); Center for American Progress (Washington, DC); Human Rights Campaign (HRC) (Washington, DC).

If your agency needs to develop a security audit program, then this guide is an excellent resource for you. It explains the security audit process and provides a detailed model security audit tool. “A security audit is a process for determining the extent to which policy, procedure, standards, and practice combine to provide a safe and secure institutional environment. Included in this process is a detailed evaluation of every major aspect of an institution’s security program” (p. i). Chapters address: the development of a security audit program; how to perform a security audit; the audit report; and the security audit instrument. The security audit instrument is made up of twelve sections--armory/arsenal, control centers/communications, hazardous materials management, inmate courts, controlled movement (internal and external), inmate work assignments, key control, perimeter security, physical plant, searches, segregation (special management), and tools and sensitive item control. Addendum guidelines cover use of force, emergency plans, and security inspections. SOURCE: National Institute of Corrections (Washington, DC). Authored by Martony, Eva; Reid, Larry; Smith, Cornell; Reynolds, Cecilia; Upchurch, James; Parrish, Carroll; Hobbs, Ray; Palmateer, Joan; Harvey, Annie.