Ill treatment and torture of incarcerated individuals whether by military personnel, intelligence personnel, or civilian corrections staff is condemned by corrections professionals. Corrections professionals believe that the mistreatment of offenders must not be tolerated and we abhor human rights violations anywhere in the world, including in our own country.

We believe that the actions of a few individuals at Abu Ghraib prison is not a sign of widespread, systematic abuses in either United States military or American civilian correctional facilities. Any person or persons who violate the human rights of detainees should be held accountable for their actions and appropriate sanctions should be taken against those who abuse their authority.

We in the corrections profession are alarmed that a few individuals, who lacked adequate training and supervision, are being used to characterize corrections in the United States as being tolerant of human rights abuses. Abuses can occur in correctional facilities that lack transparency and accountability. By transparency, we mean openness in allowing the public, volunteer organizations and others into our nation's correctional facilities. We believe the best measures to prevent abuse are (1) training for staff at all levels of operations - line, supervisory and executive; (2) communication among all staff levels; (3) transparency or openness; (4) satisfactory working conditions with adequate wages and benefits for correctional staff; and (5) accountability for those who abuse their authority. Our profession believes that what makes a facility function properly is a clear understanding of rules by both staff and offenders, clear lines of authority, supervision, and accountability for staff and offenders.

In 2002, the number of Americans under some form of correctional supervision - parole, probation, community corrections, or detention in jails, prisons or juvenile facilities - totaled more than 7 million individuals, with the number of individuals incarcerated in America's jails and prisons surpassing 2.1 million. From 1997-2002, the average daily population of America's prisons rose 30 percent.

While these numbers are alarming, corrections is not responsible for the increase of the American offender population. In the American justice system, state and federal legislators, judges and juries, and police - not corrections - make the determination of who should be arrested, whether they should be sent to a correctional facility, and how long they should be housed within a correctional facility or under some form of supervision.

Corrections professionals in our nation are dedicated to ensuring that offenders who are placed in our charge are effectively supervised in safe, secure and humane environments. They work to instill in offenders a sense of responsibility and the ability to become law-abiding, productive members of society. Corrections professionals perform in a very challenging and, sometimes, adversarial environment, providing for the care and treatment of individuals who are being held against their will and are sometimes uncooperative, dangerous or agitated. A correctional facility is more unique than any other institution of society. Correctional staff have a tremendous amount of authority over the offender population. Because of this authority, we can not overemphasize the importance of training, proper supervision, communication, accountability and openness.

The hundreds of thousands of Americans who work in correctional facilities and programs are well trained, disciplined, and professional women and men. They strive to treat every individual who enters their programs and facilities with dignity and respect. We do not deny that there is abuse in America's correctional systems. We believe that correctional operations are transparent and that allegations of mistreatment are investigated and dealt with swiftly and appropriately according to the laws of our country. We also believe that those who work in American correctional systems are decent, honest and hard-working citizens.
We commend the women and men in the armed services of the United States for defending our freedom and we salute the overwhelming majority who do so in a professional manner.

We, the undersigned organizations, are proud to represent the professionals who make their living in corrections. We are proud to represent the profession of corrections.

Charles J. Kehoe, President
American Correctional Association

Stephen J. Ingley, Executive Director
American Jail Association

Carl Wicklund, Executive Director
American Probation and Parole Association

Reginald A. Wilkinson, President
Association of State Correctional Administrators

Stephen J. Steurer, Executive Director
Correctional Education Association

Mel Grieshaber, President
International Association of Correctional Officers

Denise M. Robinson, President
International Community Corrections Association

E. L. Dunlap, CEO
National Partnership for Juvenile Services Council for Educators of At-Risk and       Delinquent Youth
Juvenile Justice Trainers Association
National Association of Juvenile Correctional Agencies
National Juvenile Detention Association

Thomas N. Faust, Executive Director
National Sheriffs' Association
Arthur Leonardo, Executive Director
North American Association of Wardens and Superintendents