Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Printable Environmental Scan

By default, you are seeing this year's Corrections Environmental Scan. To see previous years' scans, simply enter the year (starting from 2018) that you would like to see, then click the Apply button.

It's also possible to filter the results by choosing options from the Perspective and Type dropdowns. Choosing these options will update the cover image to reflect the choice(s) that were made.

Print Advisory: The cover page background image may not print based on your browser's print settings if your browser defaults to hide background colors and images. For best print results, we suggest using Chrome to see the cover page and all the contents displayed accurately.

Print the CES / Save as PDF

2018 and newer
  • cover image for Recruiting and Retaining a Highly Productive Team

    Recruiting and Retaining a Highly Productive Team

    In this webinar, Ret. Col. Brenda Dietzman will share short- and long-term strategies for building a diverse and capable workforce, offer ideas for attracting younger generations, and provide a blueprint for participants seeking to develop a recruitment and retention plan.


    Publisher
    Bureau of Justice Assistance
    Publication Date
    Jan. 12, 2023
    • Correctional
    • (2022) Recruitment and Retention
  • cover image for Workforce Trends 2022: How Companies Are Building Digital Dream Teams

    Workforce Trends 2022: How Companies Are Building Digital Dream Teams

    While employees have their say about where, when, and how they want to work, company leaders are just as busy creating the post-pandemic workplace. From workplace flexibility to technology-driven individual and team augmentation, here are some top workforce predictions about how companies can craft the ideal employee experience (EX) for increasingly digitalized, sustainable business models.


    Workforce Trends 2022: How Companies Are Building Digital Dream Teams
    Author(s)
    Susan Galer
    Publisher
    Forbes
    Publication Date
    January 24, 2022
    • Domestic
    • Workforce
  • cover image for 11 Trends that Will Shape Work in 2022 and Beyond

    11 Trends that Will Shape Work in 2022 and Beyond

    We’ve been living through the greatest workplace disruption in generations and the level of volatility will not slow down in 2022. New Covid variants will continue to emerge and may cause workplaces to temporarily go remote again. Hybrid work will create more unevenness around where, when, and how much different employees are working. Many employees will be greeted with real wage cuts as annual compensation increases fall behind inflation. These realities will be layered on top of longer-term technological transformation, continued DE&I journeys, and ongoing political disruption and uncertainty.


    11 Trends that Will Shape Work in 2022 and Beyond
    Author(s)
    Brian Kropp and Emily Rose McRae
    Publisher
    Harvard Business Review
    Publication Date
    January 13, 2022
    • Domestic
    • Workforce
  • cover image for Corrections1 Reveals the Top Corrections Recruitment Videos of 2023

    Corrections1 Reveals the Top Corrections Recruitment Videos of 2023

    The nationwide corrections recruitment crisis has prompted agencies to adopt innovative strategies in their quest for new talent. Throughout 2023, correctional agencies turned to recruitment videos to attract fresh recruits and experienced officers looking for lateral transfers. These approaches, varying from humorous to heartfelt, aim to capture the attention of potential candidates. They showcase personal stories, promise thrilling experiences, and detail what it means to serve in the noblest profession in the world.


    Corrections1 Reveals the Top Corrections Recruitment Videos of 2023
    Publisher
    Corrections1
    Publication Date
    December 15, 2023
    • Correctional
    • (2022) Recruitment and Retention
  • cover image for Employee Retention and Attraction

    Employee Retention and Attraction

    We measure employee retention and attraction trends, and employee perceptions of their current job climate to help organizations more effectively retain and attract top talent.


    Employee Retention and Attraction
    Publisher
    Gallup
    • Global
    • (2022) Recruitment and Retention
  • cover image for World Prison Brief

    World Prison Brief

    The World Prison Brief is an online database providing free access to information on prison systems around the world. It is a unique resource, which supports evidence-based development of prison policy and practice globally.


    World Prison Brief
    Publisher
    Institute for Crime & Justice Policy Research
    • Global
    • Population Demographics
  • cover image for Staff recruitment and retention in corrections

    Staff recruitment and retention in corrections

    Recruitment and retention has been one of the toughest challenges in corrections historically because of several factors. The most important reason behind this challenge is the fact that an occupation in corrections involves violence and confrontations with incarcerated individuals. Agency culture and environmental factors are directly related to retention and recruitment. Evaluating facility cultures and being mindful of generational differences are key to understanding shrinking corrections workforces.


    • Correctional
    • (2022) Recruitment and Retention
  • cover image for Issues Facing Corrections Officers in 2022

    Issues Facing Corrections Officers in 2022

    Heading into 2022, officers and leaders in the corrections sector of law enforcement find themselves at the intersection of many familiar issues to the profession and law enforcement as a whole - recruitment and retention, officer wellness and readiness, and working conditions. While these intersecting issues in corrections have been documented and studied for decades, it is the second year of a global pandemic that has brought renewed attention and, in the best cases, an urgency to address these issues. In this article, we’ll look at how research into how these issues intersect and how unpacking those connections contributes to a more holistic understanding of corrections officers’ needs and experience on the job.


    Author(s)
    Nicholas Frankel
    Publisher
    Benchmark Analytics
    Publication Date
    January, 2022
    • Correctional
    • (2022) Recruitment and Retention
  • cover image for The Cybercrime Inferno 2022 Annual Report on Ransomware, Extortion, and Network Access Sales

    The Cybercrime Inferno 2022 Annual Report on Ransomware, Extortion, and Network Access Sales

    Ransomware and extortion attacks have been a growing concern for individuals and organizations alike in recent years. These types of attacks involve hackers gaining unauthorized access to a computer system or network and either holding the system hostage by encrypting the data until a ransom is paid, or threatening to release sensitive information unless a ransom is paid. In addition to these types of attacks, particular attention was focused on the sale of network access on cybercrime sources, which can potentially be used by hackers to carry out ransomware and extortion attacks. This report will provide an overview of the state of ransomware and extortion attacks and network access sales in 2022, as well as evolution of trends and ways to prevent and mitigate these types of attacks.


    • Global
    • Technology
  • cover image for Global Prison Trends 2022: Role and use of technologies

    Global Prison Trends 2022: Role and use of technologies

    Prisons and wider criminal justice systems have continued to invest in building their digital capacity, accelerated by need in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. In a context where digital literacy is recognised as critical to development and following the UN’s recognition of it as a human right in 2016, there is a growing trend to improve digital literacy among people in prison. People being released from prison must be equipped with the digital skills required to reintegrate into their communities to access social security, jobs, healthcare, and insurance, among other things. Moreover, the pandemic has driven even more parts of daily life online.


    • Global
    • Technology
  • cover image for Leveraging Technology to Support Prisoner Reentry

    Leveraging Technology to Support Prisoner Reentry

    The corrections sector increasingly uses technology to provide supervision services and programs for individuals reentering the community after incarceration. Experts identified strategies for employing technology to improve reentry outcomes.


    • Correctional
    • Technology
  • cover image for Transparency at CBO: Future Plans and a Review of 2022

    Transparency at CBO: Future Plans and a Review of 2022

    Transparency is a top priority for the Congressional Budget Office, and the agency continues to bolster its efforts to be transparent. Those efforts are intended to promote a thorough understanding of its work, help people gauge how estimates might change if policies or circumstances differed, and enhance the credibility of its analyses and processes. This report fulfills CBO’s requirement to report on its plans for such efforts.


    • Domestic
    • Economy
  • cover image for The 2022 Long-Term Budget Outlook

    The 2022 Long-Term Budget Outlook

    The U.S. faces a challenging fiscal outlook according to CBO's extended baseline projections, which show budget deficits and federal debt held by the public growing steadily in relation to gross domestic product over the next three decades.


    • Domestic
    • Economy
  • cover image for Annual Survey of State Government Finances 2021

    Annual Survey of State Government Finances 2021

    In 2021, combined state and local government total revenues were $5.7 trillion, up 33.9 percent from the 2020 value of $4.3 trillion. At 71.1 percent of the state and local government total revenues, the state and local government general revenues totaled $4.1 trillion in 2021 compared to $3.6 trillion in 2020, an increase of 12.4 percent. Insurance trust revenue ($1.5 trillion), utility revenue ($176.9 billion), and liquor store revenue ($12.8 billion) accounted for 28.9 percent ($1.7 trillion) of total revenues.


    • Domestic
    • Economy
  • cover image for Racial Disparities Persist in Many U.S. Jails

    Racial Disparities Persist in Many U.S. Jails

    Despite narrowed gap in incarceration rates, Black people remain overrepresented in jail populations, admissions—and stay longer on average.


    • Correctional
    • Population Demographics
  • cover image for Train to Retain — Developing Corrections Staff

    Train to Retain — Developing Corrections Staff

    Staff development is a broad subject, but we can begin to tackle it by breaking it down into three areas: Training: How innovative training can develop staff not only in basic recruit training, but also in on-site and online training. Mentoring: How officers can serve as role models — and they do not all have to be training instructors, supervisors, and Field Training Officers (FTOs). Building the future: How everyone can work together to develop and retain staff — as retirements happen, staff members are prepared to take their place. Training and supervisor involvement are critical.


    • Correctional
    • (2022) Recruitment and Retention
  • cover image for World Economic Situation and Prospects 2022

    World Economic Situation and Prospects 2022

    The global economic recovery is facing significant headwinds amid new waves of COVID-19 infections, persistent labour market challenges, lingering supply-chain challenges and rising inflationary pressures. After expanding by 5.5 per cent in 2021, the global output is projected to grow by only 4.0 per cent in 2022 and 3.5 per cent in 2023, according to the United Nations World Economic Situation and Prospects (WESP) 2022.


    • Global
    • Economy
  • cover image for The World's 100 Most Valuable Brands in 2022

    The World's 100 Most Valuable Brands in 2022

    When looking at where these brands are based, we see that the United States and China account for 73 of the top 100 brands on the ranking. Even more surprising—just six countries make up 94% of the list. The growth of Chinese companies on the global stage is reflected in this visualization. As a point of comparison, a decade ago, only six Chinese companies made Brand Finance’s Top 100 ranking, and none of them were in the top 30 for brand value.


    • Global
    • Economy
  • cover image for Chief Economists Outlook: September 2022

    Chief Economists Outlook: September 2022

    The September 2022 edition of the Chief Economists Outlook launches at a time of significant economic danger. Inflation has surged to levels not seen in a generation and expectations for growth have been pared back in all regions. Real wages and consumer confidence are in freefall, adding further headwinds to growth and even raising the prospect of social unrest. Domestically and globally, we are in uncharted waters.


    • Global
    • Economy
  • cover image for World health statistics 2022

    World health statistics 2022

    The World health statistics report is the World Health Organization’s (WHO) annual compilation of the most recent available data on health and health-related indicators for its 194 Member States. The 2022 edition features the latest data for 50+ indicators from the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and WHO Triple billion targets. A total of 35 indicators present at least 2020 data (from comparable estimates and primary data) and 16 indicators include data between 2017 and 2019.


    • Global
    • Population Demographics
  • cover image for Global Financial Stability Report, April 2022: Shockwaves from the War in Ukraine Test the Financial System’s Resilience

    Global Financial Stability Report, April 2022: Shockwaves from the War in Ukraine Test the Financial System’s Resilience

    Financial conditions have tightened and risks to the global economy have increased as a result of the war in Ukraine. Soaring commodity prices pose challenging trade-offs for central banks. Many emerging and frontier markets are facing especially difficult conditions. In China, financial vulnerabilities remain elevated amid ongoing stress in the property sector and new COVID-19 outbreaks. Central banks should act decisively to prevent inflation from becoming entrenched without jeopardizing the recovery and address financial vulnerabilities. Policymakers should intensify their efforts to implement the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) road map while taking appropriate steps to address energy security concerns.


    • Global
    • Economy
  • cover image for Global Financial Stability Report, October 2022: Navigating the High-Inflation Environment

    Global Financial Stability Report, October 2022: Navigating the High-Inflation Environment

    Financial stability risks have increased amid the highest inflation in decades and the ongoing spillovers from Russia’s war in Ukraine to European and global energy markets. Amid poor market liquidity, there is a risk that a sudden, disorderly tightening in financial conditions may interact with preexisting vulnerabilities. In emerging markets, rising rates, weak fundamentals, and large outflows have pushed up borrowing costs, particularly for frontier economies, with a heightened risk of additional defaults. In China, the property downturn has deepened as sharp declines in home sales have exacerbated pressures on developers, with heightened risks of spillovers to the financial sector.


    • Global
    • Economy
  • cover image for World Economic Outlook, October 2022: Countering the Cost-of-Living Crisis

    World Economic Outlook, October 2022: Countering the Cost-of-Living Crisis

    Global economic activity is experiencing a broad-based and sharper-than-expected slowdown, with inflation higher than seen in several decades. The cost-of-living crisis, tightening financial conditions in most regions, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and the lingering COVID-19 pandemic all weigh heavily on the outlook. Global growth is forecast to slow from 6.0 percent in 2021 to 3.2 percent in 2022 and 2.7 percent in 2023. This is the weakest growth profile since 2001 except for the global financial crisis and the acute phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. Global inflation is forecast to rise from 4.7 percent in 2021 to 8.8 percent in 2022 but to decline to 6.5 percent in 2023 and to 4.1 percent by 2024. Monetary policy should stay the course to restore price stability, and fiscal policy should aim to alleviate the cost-of-living pressures while maintaining a sufficiently tight stance aligned with monetary policy. Structural reforms can further support the fight against inflation by improving productivity and easing supply constraints, while multilateral cooperation is necessary for fast-tracking the green energy transition and preventing fragmentation.


    • Global
    • Economy
  • cover image for World Economic Outlook, April 2022: War Sets Back The Global Recovery

    World Economic Outlook, April 2022: War Sets Back The Global Recovery

    The war in Ukraine has triggered a costly humanitarian crisis that demands a peaceful resolution. At the same time, economic damage from the conflict will contribute to a significant slowdown in global growth in 2022 and add to inflation. Fuel and food prices have increased rapidly, hitting vulnerable populations in low-income countries hardest. Global growth is projected to slow from an estimated 6.1 percent in 2021 to 3.6 percent in 2022 and 2023. This is 0.8 and 0.2 percentage points lower for 2022 and 2023 than projected in January. Beyond 2023, global growth is forecast to decline to about 3.3 percent over the medium term. War-induced commodity price increases and broadening price pressures have led to 2022 inflation projections of 5.7 percent in advanced economies and 8.7 percent in emerging market and developing economies—1.8 and 2.8 percentage points higher than projected last January. Multilateral efforts to respond to the humanitarian crisis, prevent further economic fragmentation, maintain global liquidity, manage debt distress, tackle climate change, and end the pandemic are essential.


    • Global
    • Economy

Check out previous Environmental Scans

The National Institute of Corrections publishes this compilation of resources each year as an overview of what research indicates to be the trends in the corrections industry each year.
Accession Number: (2018) 033176, (2019) 033431, (2020) 033563, (2021) 033670, (2022) 033086, (2023) 033087