DAY 1 - August 16, 2022

The Opening Session of the conference began with a flag ceremony presented by the Honor Guard from the Madison County Sheriff's Office.   A beautiful rendition of the national anthem was performed by Lieutenant Stephen Anderson of the Huntsville Police Department (AL). Welcome remarks were then given by host agency representatives: Sheriff Kevin Turner, Madison County (AL) and Warden Aaron Dawson, Warden at Morgan County Sheriff's Office (AL), Chief Deputy Mike Haley (Washington Parish Sheriff's Office (LA), and President of the Alabama Jail Administrators' Council (AJAC). Following the opening session, individuals attended three 1.5 hour break-out training sessions with the option of five topics during every session.  Training sessions were taught by top corrections experts from across the country, including: Dr. Steve Sampson (Founder, Institute for Social Intelligence; Chief Deputy Mike Haley, Ph.D. (Washington Parish Sheriff's Office, LA);  Chris Sharp (Director, Chelan County Regional Justice Center, WA); Rachel Love (Partner, Struck Love Bojanowski, Acedo, PLC); Blake Hamilton (Partner, Dentons Durham Jones & Pinegar P.C.); Barbara Gould (Onwer, Gould Consulting, LLC); Nick Morisani (Phelps Dunbar LLP); Todd Butler (Phelps Dunbar LLP); Aaron Dawson (Warden, Morgan County Sheriff's Office, AL); Rob Yantis (Jail Commander, Pennington County Sheriff's Office, SD); Sean Stewart, NCCE (Consultant, Stewart Criminal Justice Consulting);  Keith Hoskins (Central Region Administrator, NIJO and Ret. Jail Administrator, Boone County Sheriff's Office, MO);  Jeanne Anderson and David Simpson (Cryptanalysis and Racketeering Records Unit, FBI); Joshua Arnold (Director of Operations, NIJO); and Tate McCotter (Executive Director, NIJO). Topics during the break out sessions ranged from the "Navigating Consent Decrees" to "Incarcerated Individual Incentive Program" and a 4-person Panel on "Emergin Legal Issues" in corrections.  The panel consisted of NIJO Executive Director, Tate McCotter, attorneys Blake Hamilton (Partner, Dentons Durham Jones Pinegar) and Rachel Love (Partner, Struck Love Bojanowski & Acedo PLC), Nick Morisani and Todd Butler (Phelps Dunbar LLP). Sessions throughout the conference were targeted for all levels of corrections from sheriff and jail administrator to line level staff, including a special session just for medical professionals in corrections. During the afternoon session, sponsors and exhibitors set up in the Exhibit Area, then everyone attended a Welcome Reception at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center where attendees explored one of the largest collections of rockets and space memorabilia on display anywhere in the world.

DAY 2 - August 17, 2022

The second day started with an inspiring Keynote Session with Retired Navy Seal and best-selling author, Jason Redman.  Jason shared his amazing story of 21 years serving with the U.S. Navy SEAL Teams.  In 2007, Jason was severely wounded when his team came under heavy machine gun fire outside of Fallujah, Iraq.  Attendees were motivated and inspired by Jason's story and message on how to overcome failure and adversity by getting off the "X".

After the conclusion of the Keynote Session, attendees gathered in the Exhibit Area to visit with 29 corrections-specific vendors to learn more about their products and services.  Jason Redman also joined everyone on the stage in the Exhibit Hall where he met attendees and signed books.  NIJO and all conference attendees, express our gratitude to all of our sponsors and exhibitors for their support at JAILCON which helps provide over 30 hours of legal-based training for corrections professionals. The afternoon of the second day consisted of two more 1.5 hour training sessions offering five topics per session.  Topics during the afternoon training consisted of titles such as "A Jail Officer's Guide to Managing Detox Protocols",  "Assertiveness & Self Confidence" and "Policy Writing - Verbose Manifestos".  Training sessions on the 2nd day were taught by:  Rachel Love (Partner, Struck Love Bojanowski & Acedo PLC); Keith Hoskins (Central Region Administrator, NIJO and Ret. Jail Administrator, Boone County Sheriff's Office, MO); Joshua Arnold (Director of Operations, NIJO); Steve Sampson, Ph.D. (Retired, College of Justice & Safety, Kentucky State University); Megan Kennedy, RN, CCHP (Director, Detention Health Services, Cochise County Sheriff's Office, AZ); Chief Deputy Mike Haley, Ph.D. (Washington Parish Sheriff's Office, LA); Barbara Gould (Owner, Gould Consulting LLC); Johnny Knatt (Chief People Whisperer, JJK Workplace); Blake Hamilton (Partner, Dentons Durham Jones Pingar);  Rob Yantis (Jail Commander, Pennington County Sheriff's Office, SD).

Wednesday evening many attendees and sponsors/exhibitors attended a minor league baseball game at Toyota Field where we watched the Rocket City Trash Panda's play the Chattanooga Lookouts from Tennessee.  Those who attended the game were given a $10 voucher to use for concessions or merchandise by our generous Platinum Sponsor, Legacy Commissary Services.

DAY 3 - August 18, 2022

The final day of the conference started off with two 1.5 hour training sessions offering five topics per session.  Sessions during the morning included such topics as: "In-Custody Death Investigations", "Key & Tool Control",  and "Staffing/Schedule Analysis Revisited".  Training sessions during these sessions were taught by:  Keith Hoskins (Central Region Administrator, NIJO and Ret. Jail Administrator, Boone County Sheriff's Office, MO); Josh Arnold (Director of Operations, National Institute for Jail Operations); Mike Haley, Ph.D. (Chief Deputy, Washington Parish Sheriff's Office, LA); Sean Stewart, NCCE (Consultant, Stewart Criminal Justice Consulting); Aaron Dawson (Jail Commander, Morgan County Sheriff's Office, AZ); Rob Yantis (Jail Commander, Pennington County Sheriff's Office, SD); and Kenneth Bradshaw (Jail Commander, Cochise County Sheriff's Office, AZ).  

The final event of the conference was an inspiring Awards Ceremony and Luncheon where correctional professionals and agencies from the region were recognized for their dedication and excellence in the corrections profession throughout their careers, especially during this past year.  NIJO Executive Director, Tate McCotter, presented the JAILCON22 Southern Region Corrections Professionals Awards.

(Read more about the Awards Ceremony: JAILCON22 Southern Region Corrections Professionals Awards).