Six weekly evening sessions start April 18; applications due March 31
Dover, DE – The Delaware Department of Correction (DOC) is taking applications from community members to participate in its Spring 2023 Citizens Academy which begins April 18 in Dover. This free program gives community members a first-hand look at the operations and programs of Delaware’s largest law enforcement agency and provides an insider’s view into how the DOC achieves its dual mission of public safety and rehabilitation. Academy participants engage one-on-one with DOC leadership, uniformed officers, treatment and program providers, and a wide range of professional staff. Academy sessions feature informational presentations, a review of treatment and educational programs, specialized unit demonstrations, class discussions and interactive tours of a prison facility, community corrections center, and Probation and Parole district office.
“Community engagement is a priority for the Department of Correction and our Citizens Academy provides a valuable opportunity for local residents and our correctional staff to collaborate, share information, and deepen understanding of how Delaware’s prison system, community corrections facilities, and probation and parole work day in and day out,” Commissioner Monroe B. Hudson Jr. said. “This is your opportunity to join us if you want to learn more about the treatment and training we offer in our facilities, how the DOC supports public safety and offender rehabilitee, whether a law enforcement career may be right for you, of if you just want to be a more informed citizen. I welcome you to complete your application today.”
The DOC Citizens Academy will meet from 6:00 – 8:30 p.m. on six Tuesday evenings from April 18 through May 23. Sessions and tours will take place at the DOC Administration Building in Dover, the Probation and Parole District Office in Dover, the Community Corrections Treatment Center in Smyrna, and James T. Vaughn Correctional Center in Smyrna.
The DOC is seeking applications from a diverse group of community member participants who do not need to have any corrections or law enforcement experience. Class size is limited and interested participants must complete a short application and pass a simple background check that is attached and posted online HERE. Completed applications should be returned to Jason.Miller@Delaware.gov by March 31, 2023.
The Citizens Academy goal is to strengthen public engagement with the DOC through information-sharing, access, and dialogue and to build a strong partnership with local residents. Sessions will focus on a variety of topics, including organizational structure, officer and staff training, prison operations, community supervision methods, medical and behavioral health treatment, vocational training and education as well as the DOC’s role in coordinating Delaware’s statewide reentry initiative. Participants will gain an understanding of how DOC assesses offender needs and risks and leverages technology, training, communication, and collaboration to meet their needs, mitigate those risks, support reentry success and reduce Delaware’s recidivism rate.
Members of the media are encouraged to attend and participate in Citizens Academy sessions.
Statewide, more than 4,000 individuals are currently incarcerated in Department of Correction facilities and approximately 10,000 individuals are currently being supervised by the DOC on probation or court-ordered pretrial supervision. DOC Citizens Academy programs are organized twice each year and previous Academies have taken place in New Castle County (Spring 2022), Sussex County (Fall 2021) and Kent County (Spring 2021).
For more information and to submit an application please contact Jason Miller, Chief of Communications and Community Relations at Jason.Miller@Delaware.gov or call 302-379-4048.