Nominations Open for 2026 Industry Awards

Correctional News is now accepting nominations for its annual Industry Awards, with the 2026 program featuring new and expanded categories recognizing the people, products and projects making an impact across the corrections and justice industry. 

Industry professionals are invited to nominate peers, colleagues and leaders representing architecture, engineering, construction, vendors, subcontractors, manufacturers and correctional facility owners and operators. 

Winners will be announced during the 2026 Corrections Summit, which will be held Nov. 1–4 in Southern Pines, N.C., and featured in the first 2027 issue of Correctional News. 

Nominations are open through Sept. 30. Explore the 2026 award categories below and follow the links to submit a nomination. 

• The Emerging Leaders Award recognizes rising corrections and justice professionals with fewer than 10 years of industry experience who are already demonstrating exceptional leadership, innovation and influence. Nominees are evaluated on leadership and initiative, problem-solving and innovation, industry engagement and professional growth, and measurable contributions to projects, operations or industry practices. Two recipients are selected: one from the Corrections Professionals category and one from the A/E/C and Vendor category. 
• The Lifetime Achievement Award honors individuals who have made a lasting impact on the corrections and justice industry through at least 30 years of service. Nominees must demonstrate sustained leadership, innovation and commitment to advancing the industry, along with contributions through mentorship, association leadership, presentations, publications or other efforts. Two recipients are selected annually: one from the Corrections Professionals category and one from the A/E/C and Vendor category. 
• Leading off with the first of the new categories to 2026, the Product of the Year recognizes innovative products and solutions that improve safety, security, efficiency, resilience, wellness or performance in corrections and public safety environments. Eligible entries span technology, security, facility operations, building products, FF&E, behavioral health, communications and related solutions. Products are evaluated on innovation, industry relevance, measurable impact, lifecycle benefits, implementation and long-term value. Eligible products must have been introduced, significantly updated or deployed between July 1, 2025, and June 30, 2026. 
• The Correctional Leader of the Year Award recognizes a county or state corrections leader whose sustained leadership and service have measurably improved correctional operations, safety and outcomes. Nominees must hold their agency’s top leadership position and demonstrate excellence in administration, planning or program delivery. Candidates are evaluated on operational leadership, commitment to safety and outcomes, innovation, professional integrity and public service, as well as their influence on staff development, mentorship and organizational culture. 
• The Correctional Staff Member of the Year Award recognizes a state or county corrections or detention professional who has made significant contributions to their department. Nominees must demonstrate sustained excellence in operations, administration, planning or program delivery. Candidates are evaluated on leadership and operational excellence, contributions to safety and positive outcomes, innovation, professional integrity and public service, and their influence on colleagues, staff development and organizational culture. 
• The Design Firm of the Year Award recognizes an architecture or engineering firm demonstrating excellence, leadership and sustained impact in corrections and justice facility design. Eligible firms must have a strong portfolio of corrections-related work from the past five years. Nominees are evaluated on design excellence and technical rigor, innovation in justice design, client collaboration, industry leadership and influence, and the breadth, consistency and measurable success of their corrections-focused project portfolio. 
• Lastly, the Facility of the Year Award recognizes an outstanding corrections or justice facility demonstrating excellence in planning, design and construction. Eligible projects must have been featured as a 2026 Correctional News Facility of the Month. Readers evaluate nominees based on design and planning, innovation, construction quality and performance, operational effectiveness, and broader justice system and community impact. Voting opens after the final Facility of the Month is announced in the final Technology edition of Correctional News. 

2025 Award Winners 

For the 2025 Emerging Leader Awards, Nick Tuggle, Senior Project Manager at JE Dunn Construction, received the A/E/C and Vendor honor. With more than 7,000 correctional beds completed, Tuggle has advanced facility design and delivery while improving prefabrication and system coordination through JE Dunn’s Virtual Design and Construction program. 

In the Corrections Professional category, Ashley Oddo, Deputy Director of the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation & Reentry, was recognized for advancing accountability, policy and evidence-based reform. A former General Counsel, Oddo now leads cross-sector efforts including the Governor’s Reentry 2030 Initiative. 

For the Lifetime Achievement Awards, Mitch Claborn, President of Cornerstone Detention Products Inc., earned the A/E/C and Vendor honor. With more than 45 years in corrections, Claborn has grown Cornerstone into a nationally recognized detention equipment contractor and manufacturer while emphasizing innovation, partnership and mentorship. 

Bryan Collier, former Executive Director of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, received the Corrections Professional Lifetime Achievement Award. During his 39-year career, Collier rose through the department’s ranks to lead one of the nation’s largest corrections systems and a workforce of 30,000. He continues contributing to the profession through the ACA, CLA and national boards. 

The full list of Next-Generation Trailblazers and 30 Over 30 Years Experience Honorees nominated last year can be found here. 

Finally, the James A. Musick Jail Expansion in Irvine, Calif., was named Correctional News’ inaugural Facility of the Year. The approximately 324,000-square-foot, $290 million facility provides 896 beds and replaces temporary housing with a permanent campus emphasizing rehabilitation, mental health services and humane incarceration. Operated by the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, the facility incorporates hybrid direct supervision, decentralized services, staff-focused spaces and infrastructure designed for future campus expansion. The project team included architects AECOM and HDR, owner’s representative Vanir Construction Management, general contractor Bernards Brothers Inc., and security electronics and detention equipment contractor CML Security.