DOC and diversity: Connecticut's solution.

While the 1990s buzz word diversity often hovered in office hallways and fluttered in the air of meetings, the Connecticut Department of Corrections saw its effects first hand. Between 1992 and 2004, the Connecticut DOC saw a 38 percent increase in female staff, and at the start of 2005, 32 percent of the work force was comprised of minorities. With this change, the inevitable need to prepare executive, management and line staff to properly handle this shift soon followed. That is where the Equal Opportunity Assurance Unit came in.

With the sudden influx of female workers into corrections during the past decade came a less fortunate increase in sexual harassment issues. So the Connecticut DOC responded by hiring Robert C. Jackson Jr., now the current director of Equal Opportunity Assurance, in December of 2002. Jackson's background of human resources and diversity management made him well versed in the art of instituting a culture change. And he knew just where to start: with top management. "Top management support on an idea like this is definitely critical," Jackson said. Jackson's plan also included properly educating Connecticut DOC employees about the benefits of diversity and the clear-cut difference between the cousin issue of affirmative action. "Affirmative action is basically a legal component ... The concept of managing diversity is more of a business need, and not of a legal remedy, so to speak," Jackson said.

After training his eight-person staff, Jackson and the Equal Opportunity Assurance Unit began creating the cornerstone to Connecticut's diversity adjustment: diversity councils. There is now a diversity council at each of Connecticut's 18 facilities that includes the warden, Affirmative Action Unit representative, personnel officer and volunteers. Volunteers range from correctional officers and counselors, to teachers and doctors. The councils gather for meetings approximately once a month to discuss issues and policies relevant to diversity. These meetings also provide a forum for those wanting to voice concerns or ideas regarding diversity. The councils have also proved to be conducive to ideas that shine a spotlight on cultural differences. Facilities now hold potluck lunches, which may feature food or music from different ethnic backgrounds. The councils also sponsor minority speakers who come in to discuss issues relevant to their heritage such as being Native-American or speaking about the holocaust. Also, many facilities now produce newsletters, which keep employees up to date on certain cultural topics and spread awareness of upcoming diversity events.

To help offer guidance and consolidate the efforts of the various diversity councils, an executive diversity council meets every six weeks, according to Jackson. The executive council includes the commissioner, deputy commissioner, director of equal opportunity assurance, director of personnel, external consultant, and a representative from each of the facility's diversity councils. These meetings enable DOC personnel to gather ideas from other facilities and executive management as to how to solve particular diversity issues at their respective locations. Jackson also re-enforces the mission of the diversity councils at each meeting to ensure focus is maintained. He often assigns attendees small "homework" assignments, such as reading books that delve into diversity and watching movies that make a point of cultural differences.

Despite what Jackson has noted are huge advances in diversity management, he reminds DOC personnel that cultural change is a slow process. "You can't just develop this idea of diversity councils and start addressing issues, you have to get them [employees] to go through a team-building process, understanding what the missions are and understanding awareness." Jackson says there is a need to recognize that this shift in conscience in the work force will not happen overnight.

The Connecticut DOC has seen tremendous benefits from the diversity councils, according to Jackson. For example, before the diversity councils were put in place, employees who had an issue with diversity often felt the need to resort to outside resources because they did not know where to go to express concerns. But the diversity councils have allowed many employees to handle problems internally, saving DOC resources and potential cash. According to Jackson, there has also been a marked decrease in sexual harassment and discrimination complaints, be it regarding race, gender or age.

Connecticut corrections has also been able to adjust certain policies that some employees felt did not adequately address the differences among the work force. Specifically, there was a shift in the "five and two post assignment" policy, which determines where employees will be stationed in facilities. Recruiting has also seen a reformation, with the DOC now reaching out to neighborhoods and parts of Connecticut that can provide a more diverse applicant pool.

While Jackson feels that tremendous gains have been made, he thinks there is room for even more. "I don't that we are at the point where we can just say this is it. I think we have been so successful in the first couple of years, I think that we are now looking to go further than that."

Jackson expressed optimism that Connecticut will be able to continue on a path of expanded acceptance and increased awareness of diversity. "But I can see now in the three years that we have been doing this, people have seen change, and I think it is going to get better over a period of time, it is only going to improve."

Philip Comey is assistant editor of Corrections Today.