Answering your questions about research and directories.

Editor's note: This is the fifth in a series of articles intended to answer questions members often ask about ACA. This article discusses the Association's research, directories and statistics department.

ACA's research, directories and statistics department operates within the Association's publications department. A staff of three full-time employees solicit and compile information to use in the five directories and statistical publications ACA produces and updates. These employees also answer phone queries and letters seeking information on corrections and correctional issues.

What directories do you publish?

ACA annually publishes the Juvenile and Adult Correctional Departments, Institutions, Agencies and Paroling Authorities (commonly known as the JAD). The JAD lists the names and addresses of most operating prisons in the U.S., Canada and U.S. territories, as well as the names and phone numbers of wardens, administrators and other staff. The book contains information on more than 4,000 adult and juvenile state correctional departments, institutions, programs, and probation, parole and aftercare services. It also includes statistical summaries on capital expenditures and projects, inmate populations, adult programs, personnel and other relevant information.

The National Jail and Adult Detention Directory is published every two years. It is a compilation of U.S. jails and detention centers, listed state-by-state. This directory also includes statistical tables.

In addition, ACA produces the National Juvenile Detention Directory, the Probation and Parole Directory and Vital Statistics in Corrections, which uses tables and charts to summarize information about corrections as a profession with a focus on comparative salaries and benefits. These publications are published every two years.

How are the directories produced?

After the information is collected and verified, staff update names, addresses and telephone numbers on the computer using WordPerfect, dBase and Ventura software programs. Statistical information is computed and formatted into tables, charts and graphs using Lotus, dBase and Ventura.

How do you gather this information?

Research staff create questionnaires and mail them to target agencies and institutions. If there is no response by mail, staff gather information by telephone or fax.

Who uses the directories?

The directories are mainly geared toward people in the corrections field---listings in the JAD, the Probation and Parole Directory, the National Jail and Adult Detention Directory and the National Juvenile Detention Directory are meant to facilitate communication between agencies and institutions. Statistical information is used by corrections professionals as well as the media, students, facility planners and government agencies.

Are staff receptive to suggestions on how to improve the directories?

Yes. We strive to make the information in the directories as clear and easy to use as possible, so suggestions from users are welcome. One directory user called to tell us that she often looks for institutions by city, and this led to us listing entire addresses in boldface.

Besides the directories, what is the research function of ACA?

The research department is the primary resource at ACA for members and the public to find out about a variety of correctional issues. Research staff handle numerous calls and letters daily from corrections professionals, students, police officers, the public and the media requesting information about corrections, crime and a myriad of related topics.