Before Barry County Sheriff Dar Leaf gave his monthly report to the County Board of Commissioners Tuesday, he noted this is National Correctional Officers and Employees Week. The time to recognize the men and women who work in jails, prisons and community corrections, to raise awareness of the duties, hazards and sacrifices made by correctional workers.

Leaf said corrections officers work behind the scenes without a lot of publicity and suggested sending a card to a corrections officer to let them know they are appreciated.

The American Correctional Association (ACA) issued a proclamation saluting the thousands of women and men working in corrections, in administration, security or health care, in the federal system, a state system, a local facility, a private facility, or in a military facility, in an adult facility or a juvenile facility, in a prison, a jail, or a community-based program, saying the officers and workers are owed a tremendous debt of gratitude.

“Corrections professionals put their health, safety and lives on the line every day to maintain public safety, to reform and rehabilitate our nation’s offenders and perform many other duties. Our highly devoted corrections personnel do more than ‘guard’ offenders. They treat, counsel, train, teach and rebuild lives. They give hope,” the ACA message said.

The ACA encouraged correctional administrators and leaders as well as public officials to present awards and/or send letters of commendation and recognition to all those who have served in corrections dutifully, honorably and/or with distinction.