Introduction to Iowans in Poland 2009

Welcome to Iowans in Poland 2009. This blog is hosted by Lori Traeger, Cathy McGinnis and Sam Black. The purpose is to communicate by word and pictures with the our colleagues in Iowa's Sixth Judicial District Department of Correctional Services while the three of us participate in a staff exchange in the country of Poland. Our intent is that we will each post a short entry each day (with pictures as often as possible) relating the events of the day. We anticipate having web access (provided Sam's old laptop continues to work) in most of the places we'll stay. Time in Poland is approximately seven hours later than time in Iowa. So, 10 am in Iowa is 5pm in Poland. It will appear that we are posting entries to this blog at odd hours of the day and night. We'll do our best to answer your questions as you post to the blog. We intend for the blog to be informative and entertaining.

The Department of Correctional Services is a quasi-state (funding is a combination of state appropriations and local income) agency that provides offender supervision services for adults. The Sixth Judicial District in Iowa is comprised of the counties of Linn, Johnson, Tama, Benton, Iowa, and Jones. Our staff of just over 200 provides several types of supervision services to more than 4300 adult offenders. The three participants were selected based on written application to participate in the project. Lori Traeger is the coordinator of the court ordered classes for persons convicted of spousal abuse, Cathy McGinnis is the coordinator of a drug treatment court program and Sam Black is a supervisor at a residential corrections facility.

Now that I've said that, I must say that NO TAX DOLLARS are being used in this venture (aside from our salaries). Expenses for this venture are covered by the following entities: The Polish Ministry of Justice, Wielkopolskie Stowarzyszenie Kuratow Sadowych (WSKS -Polish Probation Officer's Association), and the Community Corrections Improvement Association (CCIA). The CCIA is a 501 (c)(3) private foundation. CCIA’s mission is to support community based corrections with community involvement, acceptance, and financial resources to establish and embrace pro-active programs that break the cycle of dysfunction for the family. We are extremely grateful for the generosity of our hosts.

History of the Polish/ Iowa staff exchange. A little more than two years ago, Gary Hinzman, Director of the 6th Judicial District Department of Correctional Services, and current President of American Probation and Parole Association (APPA) met Piotr Burczyk, then President of WSKS at a conference. The two worked to make the staff exchanges a possibility. In July of 2007 a delegation of Polish Corrections administrators, Probation Officers, Judges, and Educators came to the United states, attended the APPA conference in Philadelphia before coming to Iowa for several days. During that time we reviewed a number of our supervision practices and programs with the Polish delegation. In May of 2008 a delegation of administrators from the Sixth, two consultants and the US Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa went to Poland as part of an exchange. In October of 2008 two Probation Officers and a University Instructor from Poland came to Cedar Rapids to review some of our programming in more depth. Now, it is May 2009 and three staffers from the 6th DCS are going to Poland. While in Poland we will attend two conferences. We will visit several provinces in Poland, attending court and observing Polish Probation Officers conduct their business. We are also scheduled to visit a juvenile reformatory while in Poland. There are several appointments scheduled with Polish corrections administrators, Judges, and University Professors.

Why the Exchange? Primarily, we will be in Poland to observe and explore ways to implement helpful practices and strategies back in Iowa. The Sixth Judicial District is presently involved in several initiatives that enable the agency to provide more services to families. Polish supervision services have been family based for some time. Looking at the Polish approach to community based corrections should offer insight and direction as our initiatives in the Sixth unfold. Those of you unfamiliar with the Sixth Judicial District and the work taking place there are invited to explore the agency website in the attached link: Sixth Judicial District Website

We are expected to give a presentation on stress and burnout as well as several presentations about our respective programs to audiences in several Polish provinces while there. Lori has several years experience in working to address violence in intimate relationships. The model that the Polish began using two years ago is one she is well versed in. Cathy's Drug Treatment Court program is something of a novelty to the Polish. Probation and Parole supervision in Poland is structured to serve families, not just the convicted person, but the drug treatment curriculum is a direction that hasn't been explored in Poland yet. We understand that correctional residential facilities, such as HOPE house, the facility that Sam works in, do not exist in Poland. The idea of a residential correctional facility has generated a good deal of curiosity among the Polish people.

We anticipate that the remaining blogs will be much shorter and more interesting. We did want to share some detail about how this trip came to be and what it entails. Thanks for joining us.