Correctional system citizens academy applications due March 24
The Delaware Department of Correction announced its Spring 2025 Citizens Academy will begin Tuesday, April 15, with sessions held from 6 to 8:30 p.m., Tuesdays, for six weeks, ending May 20. Sessions and tours will take place at the Sussex Community Corrections Center, Sussex Correctional Institution, and the Regional Probation and Parole office in Georgetown.
This free program gives community members a look inside the operations and programs of Delaware’s largest law enforcement agency and provides firsthand insight into how the DOC achieves its dual mission of public safety and offender rehabilitation.
Participants will meet with DOC leadership, uniformed officers, and treatment and program providers, and have opportunities to engage with individuals currently under DOC supervision.
“The DOC Citizens Academy gives you the opportunity to see for yourself how our prison, community corrections and probation systems operate, better understand how the Department of Correction impacts reentry and public safety, and be involved in strengthening the relationship between the DOC and our local communities,” said Terra Taylor, commissioner. “Apply today and join us starting April 15 in Georgetown.”
The DOC is seeking a diverse group of community member participants age 18 and above; attendees 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 online at doc.delaware.gov/assets/documents/DOC_Citizens_Academy_application.pdf. Completed applications should be returned to Jason.Miller@Delaware.gov by Monday, March 24. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis beginning immediately until the Citizens Academy class is filled.
The DOC Citizens Academy goal is to strengthen public engagement with the DOC through access, information sharing and dialogue, and to build strong partnerships with local residents. Sessions will focus on a variety of topics including officer and staff training, prison operations, probation 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 while individuals are under DOC supervision in order to support their reentry success and reduce Delaware’s recidivism rate.
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.
