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Three years ago, when I stepped into the corrections space, I thought I understood what pressure looked like. I didn’t.
What I’ve learned since then didn’t come from a briefing or a boardroom. It came from walking the halls of facilities, from New York to New Orleans to Florida, standing beside officers during shift change, talking with leadership about staffing gaps and listening to men and women doing demanding work that rarely draws attention but always carries weight.
During National Correctional Officers and Employees Week (May 3–9, 2026), I want to reflect on four lessons corrections professionals have taught me. And I want to thank them for the reminder.
Real listening matters
Corrections is not a one-size-fits-all environment. What works in a large state system, where individuals may stay for years, might fall flat in a small or regional jail where beds turn quickly. I’ve learned that the people who understand these distinctions best are the ones working inside the walls every day.
The moments that stay with me most are not formal meetings. They’re unscripted conversations, like an officer explaining why a process slows them down during count or a supervisor describing what happens when staffing is stretched thin on a Friday night. Listening to those realities matters. Not just because it builds better partnerships, but because it leads to better outcomes: safer facilities, smoother operations and environments that can support rehabilitation in meaningful ways.
Corrections teams have reminded me that good intentions aren’t enough. Solutions have to reflect real life.
Resourcefulness isn’t optional – it’s survival
Over the past 18 months, our industry has faced unprecedented change. New regulations, evolving funding models and increasing expectations have landed on systems already operating with tight budgets and persistent staffing shortages. I’ve heard the same phrase repeated in different ways in different places: We’re being asked to do more with less.
Although people are understandably frustrated, I am struck by their ingenuity. Corrections professionals adapt. They reprioritize. They find ways to keep facilities running safely even when the margin for error is thin. That kind of leadership isn’t taught in textbooks. It’s developed over years on the job, learned from mentors, often passed down through generations of service.
That resilience deserves more recognition than it gets.
Safety goes far beyond what’s written in a job description
When we talk about safety in corrections, we often focus on the obvious. But experienced officers know the truth is much deeper. When a facility locks down, staff lock down too, physically and mentally. Corrections professionals are first responders in every sense, making real-time decisions that protect public safety while preserving dignity inside the walls.
Families and communities may never know their names, but they rely on these professionals every day. Not just to maintain order, but to create the conditions that allow individuals to return home prepared to build a different future. A future that includes housing, work and stronger family ties. That is the responsibility behind the badge – one every employee carries with purpose.
Leadership looks different up close
Spending time in facilities with corrections professionals has reshaped my definition of leadership. Inside the walls, leadership is often quiet. It shows up in presence, consistency and judgment calls made without recognition or applause.
I’ve watched supervisors steady teams during tense moments, officers deescalate situations that could have gone another direction, and seasoned staff step in to mentor new hires who are still learning how demanding their roles can be. None of it is flashy. All of it matters.
What stands out most is the accountability corrections professionals carry. They are responsible not just for what happens on their shift, but for what happens next, for the influence their decisions have on colleagues, on individuals in custody and ultimately on the communities where we are all neighbors. That kind of leadership requires discipline, emotional control and a deep sense of duty.
The best leaders don’t lead by command; they lead by example. They take responsibility when things go wrong. They give credit when things go right. And they show up, day after day, knowing the stakes never fully disappear.
It also requires humility. The best leaders I’ve met in corrections don’t lead by command; they lead by example. They take responsibility when things go wrong. They give credit when things go right. And they show up, day after day, knowing the stakes never fully disappear.
These lessons have shaped how I see this industry and my role within it. They’ve challenged my assumptions and reminded me that progress in corrections starts with respect for the people doing the work.
To every correctional officer and employee: Thank you for your leadership, your steadiness and what you’ve taught me by simply showing up, shift after shift. During this week and every week, your work matters more than most will ever see.
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About the author
Kevin Elder is president and interim CEO of Securus Technologies.