Government & Public Affairs

The American Correctional Association works to shape public policy on correctional issues in manners consistent with the Association's founding principles, constitution and bylaws, vision statement, and public policies and resolutions. The Government & Public Affairs Department, in partnership with the Legislative Affairs Committee, develops the Association's position on public policy issues and represents the Association before the United States Congress, federal executive agencies, state and local governments, advocacy and interest groups, the media, and the general public. The department continually works to forge bipartisan contacts with lawmakers and administration officials and takes pride in its close relationship with the law enforcement community and numerous advocacy organizations. Government & Public Affairs is responsible for monitoring, tracking and analyzing legislative activity for the Association and disseminating information to policy-makers, advocacy groups and the media as well as ACA members. The ACA Federal Alert is designed to inform ACA members about federal legislation and critical developments that will impact the corrections profession.  Email Us

Resolutions and Policies

The Resolutions & Policies Committee met on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2020, in San Diego at the San Diego Convention Center. The committee meets at every ACA conference to amend and reaffirm the resolutions and public correctional policies of ACA, which are up for review every three and five years, respectively. The resolutions and policies discussed at the 2020 ACA Winter Conference included correctional employee wellness, fiscal responsibility and more.

Here are all the ACA Resolutions and Policies, updated to include the newly reaffirmed San Diego resolutions and policies.

Resolutions

DRONE USE AS IT RELATES TO THE SECURITY THREAT TO CORRECTIONAL OPERATIONS

MEDICATION ASSISTED TREATMENT FOR OPIOID USE DISORDER

OPPOSING LIFE SENTENCES WITHOUT POSSIBILITY OF PAROLE FOR YOUTHFUL OFFENDERS

RECOGNIZING THE UNITED NATIONS STANDARD MINIMUM RULES FOR TREATMENT OF OFFENDERS<

SUPPORTING CLARIFICATION OF THE ‘EXCLUSION CLAUSE’ IN SECTION 1 OF THE THIRTEENTH AMENDMENT OF THE U.S. CONS

SUPPORTING CORRECTIONAL EMPLOYEE WELLNESS

SUPPORTING FULL FUNDING FOR THE RESIDENTIAL SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT PROGRAM (RSAT) AND THE FLEXIBLE USE OF THOSE FUNDS

SUPPORTING FULL FUNDING OF PROGRAMS AUTHORIZED BY THE MENTALLY ILL OFFENDERS TREATMENT AND CRIME REDUCTION ACT

SUPPORTING REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE INCARCERATION OF UNDOCUMENTED ALIENS

SUPPORTING REPEAL OF THE ‘EXCLUSION CLAUSE’ IN SECTION 1 OF THE THIRTEENTH AMENDMENT OF THE U.S. CONSTITUTION

SUPPORTING THE AMENDMENT OF FEDERAL OMB CIRCULAR A-87 IN ORDER TO ALLOW CORRECTIONAL INDUSTRY PROGRAMS TO KEEP RETAINED EARNINGS

SUPPORTING THE CREATION OF THE OFFICE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE HEALTH CARE

SUPPORTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF TECHNOLOGIES THAT ELIMINATE THE ILLICIT USE OF CELL PHONES IN CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES

SUPPORTING THE ELIMINATION OF MANDATORY MINIMUM SENTENCES AND THE ENACTMENT OF “SAFETY VALVE” LEGISLATION

SUPPORTING THE PRISON LITIGATION REFORM ACT (PLRA)

SUPPORTING THE SECOND CHANCE ACT AND FULL FUNDING OF ITS AUTHORIZED PROGRAMS

THE UNITED NATIONS RULES FOR THE TREATMENT OF WOMEN PRISONERS AND NON-CUSTODIAL MEASURES FOR WOMEN OFFENDERS

URGING REPRESENTATION OF CORRECTIONS AT THE UNITED NATIONS CRIME CONGRESS

Policies

ADULT AND JUVENILE FEMALE OFFENDER SERVICES, PUBLIC CORRECTIONAL POLICY

CAPITAL PUNISHMENT, PUBLIC CORRECTIONAL POLICY

CHILDREN, YOUTH AND FAMILIES, PUBLIC CORRECTIONAL POLICY

CLASSIFICATION, PUBLIC CORRECTIONAL POLICY

COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS, PUBLIC CORRECTIONAL POLICY

COMMUNITY SERVICE AND RESTORATIVE JUSTICE, PUBLIC CORRECTIONAL POLICY

CONDITIONS OF CONFINEMENT, PUBLIC CORRECTIONAL POLICY

CO-OCCURRING MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS, PUBLIC CORRECTIONAL POLICY

CORRECTIONAL BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CARE, PUBLIC CORRECTIONAL POLICY

CORRECTIONAL INDUSTRY PROGRAMS, PUBLIC CORRECTIONAL POLICY

CRIME PREVENTION, PUBLIC CORRECTIONAL POLICY

CRIMINAL SENTENCING AND EARLY RELEASE FROM CONFINEMENT, PUBLIC CORRECTIONAL POLICY

DESIGN OF CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES, PUBLIC CORRECTIONAL POLICY

DRUG FREE WORK FORCE, PUBLIC CORRECTIONAL POLICY

EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS, PUBLIC CORRECTIONAL POLICY

EMPLOYEE WELLNESS, PUBLIC CORRECTIONAL POLICY

EMPLOYMENT OF OFFENDERS, PUBLIC CORRECTIONAL POLICY

EMPLOYMENT OF WOMEN IN CORRECTIONS, PUBLIC CORRECTIONAL POLICY

ENVIRONMENTALLY RESPONSIBLE AND SUSTAINABILITY-ORIENTED PRACTICES, PUBLIC CORRECTIONAL POLICY

FAMILY-FRIENDLY COMMUNICATION AND VISITATION, PUBLIC CORRECTIONAL POLICY

FIREARM CONTROL, PUBLIC CORRECTIONAL POLICY

FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR CORRECTIONAL LEGISLATION, PUBLIC CORRECTIONAL POLICY

HIGHER EDUCATION, PUBLIC CORRECTIONAL POLICY

INFORMATION SYSTEMS, PUBLIC CORRECTIONAL POLICY

INTERNATIONAL STAFF EXCHANGE, PUBLIC CORRECTIONAL POLICY

JUSTICE SYSTEM PARTNERSHIPS, PUBLIC CORRECTIONAL POLICY

JUVENILE JUSTICE, PUBLIC CORRECTIONAL POLICY

LEGAL ISSUES AND LITIGATION, PUBLIC CORRECTIONAL POLICY

MINORITY OVERREPRESENTATION IN JUSTICE SYSTEMS AND PROGRAMS, PUBLIC CORRECTIONAL POLICY

OFFENDER ON OFFENDER SEXUAL ABUSE, PUBLIC CORRECTIONAL POLICY

OFFENDERS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS, PUBLIC CORRECTIONAL POLICY

PAROLE, PUBLIC CORRECTIONAL POLICY

POPULATIONS AND WORKLOADS IN CORRECTIONS, PUBLIC CORRECTIONAL POLICY

PRIVATE SECTOR INVOLVEMENT IN CORRECTIONS, PUBLIC CORRECTIONAL POLICY

PROBATION, PUBLIC CORRECTIONAL POLICY

RELIGIOUS AND FAITH PRACTICE, PUBLIC CORRECTIONAL POLICY

RESEARCH AND EVALUATION, PUBLIC CORRECTIONAL POLICY

RESTORATION OF VOTING RIGHTS FOR FELONY OFFENDERS, PUBLIC CORRECTIONAL POLICY

RESTRICTIVE HOUSING IN ADULT LOCAL DETENTION AND CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES, PUBLIC CORRECTIONAL POLICY

ROLE OF CORRECTIONS, PUBLIC CORRECTIONAL POLICY

SENTENCING, PUBLIC CORRECTIONAL POLICY

STAFF RECRUITMENT AND DEVELOPMENT, PUBLIC CORRECTIONAL POLICY

STAFF SEXUAL MISCONDUCT WITH OFFENDERS DETAINEES, PUBLIC CORRECTIONAL POLICY

STANDARDS AND ACCREDITATION, PUBLIC CORRECTIONAL POLICY

SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER, PUBLIC CORRECTIONAL POLICY

THE TERM “CORRECTIONAL OFFICER”, PUBLIC CORRECTIONAL POLICY

THE TREATMENT OF OPIOID USE DISORDERS FOR JUSTICE INVOLVED INDIVIDUALS, PUBLIC CORRECTIONAL POLICY, PUBLIC CORRECTIONAL POLICY

TOBACCO-FREE POLICIES, PUBLIC CORRECTIONAL POLICY

USE OF APPROPRIATE SANCTIONS AND CONTROLS, PUBLIC CORRECTIONAL POLICY

USE OF FORCE, PUBLIC CORRECTIONAL POLICY

USE OF RESTRAINTS WITH PREGNANT OFFENDERS, PUBLIC CORRECTIONAL POLICY

VICTIMS OF CRIME, PUBLIC CORRECTIONAL POLICY

VIOLENCE REDUCTION, PUBLIC CORRECTIONAL POLICY

YOUTHFUL OFFENDERS TRANSFERRED TO ADULT CRIMINAL JURISDICTION, PUBLIC CORRECTIONAL POLICY

POLICY DEVELOPMENT PROCESS

• Policies can be proposed by any member, committee, or organization in the Association. Any proposal must be consistent with the Declaration of Principles of the Association.
• The proposed policy will be reviewed and formatted by the Resolutions and Policy Development Committee. The Committee may refer the proposed policy to another committee for review and comment prior to further action. When this is done, the receiving committee should act on the proposed policy at the time of referral.
• The Resolution and Policy Development Committee will bring a recommendation on a proposed policy to the Executive Committee, Board of Governors, and Delegate Assembly for review and action.
• Upon action by the Executive Committee, Board of Governors, and the Delegate Assembly, the staff of ACA shall redraft the proposed policy incorporating any recommended changes.
• The proposed policy will be submitted to the general membership and all chapters and affiliates for review. This will be accomplished through publication in Corrections Today or On the Line. Inherent in this policy is the presumption that a policy introduced at one conference/Congress may not be ratified or rejected until the following conference/Congress.
• After review and comment by the general membership, the policy may be refined by the Resolutions and Policy Development Committee and forwarded to the Executive Committee for review and action as they deem appropriate. The Executive Committee will then submit the final version of the proposed policy, with its recommendation, to the Board of Governors and Delegate Assembly for ratification or rejection.
• To be considered, Resolutions must be submitted to staff for presentation to the Committee not less than 72 hours prior to the Committee meeting.
• A ratified policy will be reviewed at least every five years by the Resolutions and Policy Development Committee and the governing bodies of the Association. 
• A ratified resolution will be reviewed at least every three years by the Resolutions and Policy Development Committee and the governing bodies of the Association.