Send us a text

What happens when a police officer's career evolves into revolutionizing corrections technology? Alisha Shoates-James takes us on her remarkable journey from patrolling Nashville streets to developing innovative tablet solutions that transform prison environments nationwide.

Drawing from her seven years in law enforcement and extensive experience as a federal probation officer, Shoates-James intimately understands the complexities of our justice system. Her work creating pre-sentence investigation reports for federal judges provided deep insights into the human stories behind criminal cases. "The person is not their lowest moment," she emphasizes, a philosophy that guided her leadership of Tennessee's Probation and Parole Division, where she supervised 1,200 staff responsible for 78,000 individuals reentering society.

Now at Aventive Technologies, Shoates-James pioneers secure tablet solutions that are deployed to 1,200,000 incarcerated individuals in America's prisons and jails. These devices deliver far more than entertainment—they provide critical education, rehabilitative programming, and family connection for incarcerated individuals while creating calmer, safer environments for staff. Correctional administrators report significant reductions in facility tension and behavioral incidents after implementing this technology. "When we introduce tablets into the environment, suddenly everyone has equal access to education," Shoates-James explains, describing how digital learning eliminates waiting lists for limited classroom seats.

Subscribe to the Prison Officer Podcast for more insights into the evolving world of corrections and innovative approaches to rehabilitation and reentry.

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/alishasjames

Aventiv https://aventiv.com/

Securus Technologies https://securustech.net/

Support the show

Contact us: mike@theprisonofficer.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThePrisonOfficer

Take care of each other and Be Safe behind those walls and fences!

Send us a text

When was the last time you heard a positive story about what happens inside America's jails? For most of us, these facilities only make headlines when something goes wrong—an escape, a use-of-force incident, or a facility failure. But as Major Shaun Klucznik reveals in this compelling conversation, corrections professionals save lives, change futures, and demonstrate extraordinary leadership every single day, largely without recognition.

Major Klucznik's remarkable journey from a 19-year-old corrections cadet to the 45th President of the American Jail Association offers a window into how corrections work and builds exceptional leaders. Starting at $5.60 an hour in 1997, he rose through the ranks while witnessing the profession's transformation. His pivotal role in transitioning Hernando County Jail from private to public operation showcases the complex management challenges correctional leaders navigate.

"Every position is a position of leadership," Klucznik emphasizes, noting how correctional officers develop crucial skills managing challenging situations with minimal resources beyond their communication abilities. This crucible of leadership development explains why so many officers become community leaders outside work—coaching youth sports, leading religious programs, and serving their communities.

The conversation delves into the critical role Field Training Officers play in shaping agency culture, the need for transparent communication with the public about both successes and failures, and how leadership philosophies like Jocko Willink's "Extreme Ownership" create empowered, accountable correctional teams. Klucznik also addresses the profession's fight for recognition as first responders, noting correctional officers are first on scene for suicide attempts, medical emergencies, and facility crises.

Whether you work in corrections or simply want to understand this essential but often invisible profession, this episode provides invaluable insights into the leadership, professionalism, and dedication that define America's correctional workforce. As Klucznik powerfully argues, corrections isn't a stepping stone—it's a legitimate career where professionals make life-changing differences every

E-mail Shaun at shaunk@aja.org

American Jail Association https://www.americanjail.org/

Mentioned by Shaun - Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win

Also, check out Michael's newest book - POWER SKILLS: Emotional Intelligence and Soft Skills for Correctional Officers, First Responders, and Beyond

Support the show

Contact us: mike@theprisonofficer.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThePrisonOfficer

Take care of each other and Be Safe behind those walls and fences!

Send us a text

This is a Re-Broadcast of The Silence Crisis in Corrections with Michael Cantrell from The Independent Voter Podcast -

https://olasmedia.com/blogs/behind-the-bars-beyond-the-badge-the-hidden-struggles-of-correctional-officers

Think the justice system only affects the incarcerated? Think again. In this episode of the How It Really Works series of the Independent Voter Podcast, Chad Peace sits down with corrections expert Michael Cantrell to unpack the hidden mental health crisis facing correctional officers across the country.

Cantrell, a former officer and host of the Prison Officer Podcast, reveals how burnout, PTSD, and emotional isolation have become normalized in a profession that rarely makes the headlines. From training culture to administrative neglect, this conversation peels back the layers on a system that’s breaking the very people we expect to hold it together.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone serious about justice reform—and it’s just one chapter in a much bigger story.

Chad Peace chad@ivc.media

www.olasmedia.com

Support the show

Contact us: mike@theprisonofficer.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThePrisonOfficer

Take care of each other and Be Safe behind those walls and fences!