VCU news

By Mike Porter

Henrico County Sheriff Michael Wade was searching for a creative solution to an overtime challenge in his operating budget.  

In March of 2010, the sheriff contacted Virginia Commonwealth University’s criminal justice program to discuss an idea that would both offer students a unique educational and work experience and help him reduce overtime costs.

“One of the challenges that sheriff’s offices are facing across Virginia is paying overtime wages to deputies to maintain the state-required inmate-to-correctional officer ratio at local jails,” said Robyn Diehl, Ph.D., associate professor of criminal justice in the College of Humanities and Sciences L. Douglas Wilder of School of Government and Public Affairs.

Diehl and Blythe Proulx, Ph.D. an assistant professor of criminal justice, worked with Wade and staff members in the Henrico County Department of Human Resources to create a “2011 Summer Basic Jailor Student Academy,” allowing rising junior or senior-level criminal justice students accepted into the academy to earn college credit, become certified as correctional deputies by the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services and become eligible for part-time employment in the Henrico County Sheriff’s Office.

“It’s an innovative program,” said Diehl. “This collaboration will not only produce better educated, more career-oriented and professional corrections staff but will also highlight the jail as an important resource for the community as a whole.”

In addition to training provided by the sheriff’s office, the students enrolled in an eight-week online special topics course that focused on jails and issues in short-term detention.

“Overall, what the students took away from CRJS 491 (the course) was a deeper understanding and appreciation of the uniqueness of the jail environment, the diverse jail population it serves and the challenges of working with both,” said Proulx, who taught the course. “I think jails are an overlooked but critical stage in criminal justice. They perform a variety of community services and serve a spectrum of offenders.”

Students explored issues often encountered by new correctional deputies working in jails, including Virginia’s unique system of jails and correctional facilities, the diverse nature of the inmate population, difficulties of pre-trial detention for offenders and staff, criminal thinking and how to avoid manipulation, inmates’ rights and civil liability, the importance of jail accreditation and managing job stress.    

“Students completed the course with a much richer understanding of the complexity of jails and jail populations, which will serve them well as they begin their criminal justice careers as correctional deputies,” Proulx said.

The first academy attracted 57 applicants; 19 students completed the nine-week academy.

A graduation ceremony on Aug. 3 featured remarks from state Sen. Ryan McDougle and Virginia Secretary of Public Safety Marla Graff Decker, who served as keynote speaker.

The graduates immediately started part-time jobs in the Henrico County Sheriff’s Office.

“It really is a win-win situation. It is a win for us, it is a win for the university and it’s a win for the students,” said Wade, a graduate of VCU’s criminal justice program. “When the students graduate from the academy, they are deputy sheriffs.”

To keep their jobs, the students must remain in good academic standing.

“Where else can you get a job that understands the importance of academics and supports you in your school work?” said Diehl.

The estimated savings of more than $200,000 to the sheriff’s annual budget has also attracted attention from jail officials in two other communities, who are interested in collaborating on similar programs.

Diehl said recruiting for next summer’s academy will begin this fall, with the successful students being notified in the spring.  The “Student Basic Jailor Academy” is open to juniors or seniors who are majoring or minoring in criminal justice or homeland security and emergency preparedness.