Dear 2015,
Welcome. We've been anxiously awaiting your arrival. We know you have some exciting projects and programs for the New Year. But before we talk about that, let's review your predecessor, 2014.
For AJA, 2014 was a year filled with activity. Our Annual Conference & Jail Expo, held in Dallas, was a huge success. Attendance was the highest in five years and the Expo Hall was sold out. A special thanks to Dallas County SheriffValdez and her stafffor an amazing welcome to the "Big D."
AJA also was active in Washington, D.C., and on Capitol Hill. We visited congressmen and their staffs, providing insight into jail operations they might not otherwise have received. We were represented on panels concerning PREA, and co-sponsored a workshop on justice-involved women. In addition, Inmate Calling Services, high on the list of FCC concerns, was a focus of AJA during the year. We visited with commissioners and their staffs to explain our concerns and to help shape the conversation as it moved forward, and we were wellrepresented on a public panel on the issue.
Last year saw the start of a two-year grant from the PREA Resource Center to provide training and technical support exclusively for jails. This was a first for AJA, and we are honored to have been chosen to provide these vital services to our Nation's jails. In addition, we began compiling a list of PREA Coordinators across the country to aid in communications.
In 2014, we provided training to hundreds of jail officers through workshops and webinars. We also had a presence in more than 12 States, where we met with and supported State and regional jail associations, as well as the American Correctional Association and National Sheriffs' Association. Connecting at all levels of corrections was a focus in 2014 and will continue into the New Year.
Last but not least, we added the "Life Member" category to our membership. As of December, we have welcomed 19 Life Members to AJA.
Now, let's look ahead to you, 2015.
Starting soon, AJA is launching a new service to connect AJA members with the association and each other. We're calling it iConnect, and all AJA members will be a part of this new online community. This is their channel to interact with fellow jail professionals in real time. Have a question about a policy or procedure? Log onto iConnect and start the conversation. Or, dive into our knowledgebase of answers to many topics. We know members will find this service invaluable.
Several years ago, we updated our website, aja.org, giving it a faceliftand adding new features to make it more user-friendly and useful. Traffic on the site has increased and usage shows continual improvement. But we are not stopping there. We've heard the requests of our members and in mid-year we are rolling out a refreshed aja.org with easier-to-use interfaces, more information about jails and the issues we face, and a simpler interface into personal and professional profiles online. The update is part of an upgrade that will provide members and staffwith a richer online experience. Watch for more details as the year unfolds.
One last thing, 2015, we want to point out. AJA is bringing its Annual Conference & Jail Expo to Charlotte this coming April. This conference promises to be the biggest and best yet, with more than 50 workshops covering topics of concern to all jail professionals. This issue of American Jails magazine provides information about the conference. Turn to page 44 to "Discover Charlotte." and then refer to our special 2015 Conference Preview included with this issue.
We at AJA are looking forward to you, 2015, and the promise you hold. A big thankyou to all our members for their support in the past year and this New Year.
Author affiliation:
Sincerely,
ROBERT J. KASABIAN
Executive Director
American Jail Association
