1. Staff selection
Identify who is best qualified to carry out the intent of the curriculum. Beyond academic credentials, certain characteristics should be part of the staff selection process (e.g., respect for those in need, knowledge about the community of their return, and open-mindedness).
2. Pre-service and in-service training
Training is an efficient way to provide knowledge of background information, theory, and values to staff and to introduce and reinforce the core components of a new curriculum and the rationale for key practices.
3. Ongoing consultation and coaching
Typically, most of the skills needed by staff for the successful implementation of a new curriculum are learned on the job with the help of training and a consultant or coach who is familiar with the core concepts of the curriculum, as well as the organizational or system culture in which the curriculum will be delivered. Such a presence helps to diagnose misdirection and missed opportunities and maximizes scarce resources. In cases where errors in implementation or delivery are identified, remediation in the form of coaching and consultation has proven to be quite beneficial.
4. Staff evaluation
Assessment of staff progress provides useful feedback to administrators and curriculum developers regarding the progress of implementation, the quality of training and coaching, and strengths and weakness in the intervention itself. Care, however, should be taken to ensure that evaluations are based upon objective criteria that all understand and agree with.
5. Facilitative administration
A leadership team that is oriented as an action learning team uses data to inform decision making to support the overall process. Such a team also uses systems of objective evaluation to keep staff organized and focused on desired outcomes, as well as program fidelity.
6. System interventions
Develop strategies to work with external stakeholders and resources to ensure diffusion of complementary messages throughout the jail and the community. Mixed messages from different parts of the system will impede individual change.