FORSYTH, Ga. – The Women Working in Corrections and Juvenile Justice (WWICJJ) National Conference Committee has announced its 2020 Conference will be hosted by the Georgia Department of Corrections and will be held at the Savannah Convention Center in Savannah, Ga., October 18 - 21, 2020.
The goal of the WWICJJ National Conference is to provide tools, strategies and resources that will help empower women who work in a correctional environment and enable them to identify and strengthen their leadership qualities. It is open to all women (though not exclusively) who work in the corrections and juvenile justice professions in any discipline, including peace officers, health care professionals, educators, administrators and executives.
This year’s theme is “Future in Focus,” and will feature speakers and subject matter experts in the field of corrections who will carry that theme into topics such as leadership training, best practices in corrections, juvenile justice and correctional healthcare, strategies to transcend gender-related barriers in the workplace, conflict management, mentoring, employee wellness, resiliency, and more.
The WWICJJ Host Committee is also proud to announce some dynamic keynote speakers you won’t want to miss, including best-selling author of On My Own Two Feet, World Class Snowboarder & Founder of Adaptive Action Sports, and runner-up on Dancing With the Stars, Amy Purdy.
Corrections professionals who are interested in registering for the WWICJJ National Conference may do so by visiting www.wwicjj.com. Follow us on social media to stay connected to our latest news and updates on Twitter, @wwicjj, facebook.com/wwicjj, and Instagram at wwicjj2020.
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About the WWICJJ National Conference
Women have been involved in correctional work in the United States since the 1700’s. Their early efforts were primarily focused on system reform and work with adult and juvenile female offenders and engaging in charitable acts toward prisoners. During the late 19th century and early 20th century, women could only work in female institutions.
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 outlawed discrimination in the workplace based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin and in 1972, the prohibition of sex discrimination in employment was expanded to cover state and local governments. The 1970s saw ever-increasing numbers of women entering the corrections workforce.
According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, an estimated 445,000 people were working in state and federal correctional facilities in 2005, and men outnumbered women by a ratio of 2 to 1.
In 1979, the American Correctional Association president Norman Carlson announced the formation of the Women’s Task Force which evolved into the Women Working in Corrections Committee. The committee provided workshops and networking opportunities.
As the number of women in the field increased, Dr. Bruce Wolford, Department of Correctional Services, Eastern Kentucky University, recognized the need for more developmental experiences for women, and he organized a group from the Kentucky Corrections Cabinet and the Department of Social Services to develop what became known as the first National Conference for Women Working in Corrections and Juvenile Justice (WWICJJ). The first program was held at Eastern Kentucky University in 1985.
Since 1985, the conference has been held every even-numbered year in a different state. It has previously been held in Arkansas, Arizona, California, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Nebraska, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas. The 2020 conference will mark the first year the conference has been held in Georgia.