In corrections, information moves fast — and not always through the right channels. When an incident occurs and the media is briefed before your own staff, you don’t just have a communications problem. You have a trust problem.
One of the fastest ways to damage internal morale is to let your officers, case managers, teachers, and medical teams find out about critical updates from the nightly news or social media.
And unfortunately, it happens more often than it should.
What Happens When Staff Aren’t Told First?
Imagine this: A use-of-force incident takes place in the facility. Leadership provides a brief comment to the media. Later that day, a line officer hears the story on the radio during their commute — with details they weren’t aware of.
Now ask yourself:
- How valued does that officer feel?
- How prepared are staff to answer questions from families or the public?
- How likely is it that rumors will fill in the gaps?
When internal communication is an afterthought, staff feel expendable — not essential. And that feeling erodes morale, increases turnover, and creates operational friction.
Why Internal Messaging Must Come First
1. Staff are your first line of communication
They talk to families. They interact with the public. They see things firsthand. Keeping them informed isn’t just about respect — it’s about accuracy and preparedness.
2. Rumors travel faster than facts
If you don’t say what happened, someone else will. And that someone may not have the full picture.
3. Media won’t wait — but that’s no excuse
Yes, media deadlines are tight. But with pre-drafted internal memo templates and a clear chain of communication, you can (and should) alert your staff at the same time — or before — a public release goes out.
4. Staff support your message — or they contradict it
If staff aren’t aware of what’s been said publicly, they may unintentionally offer conflicting information, weakening the agency’s credibility and creating avoidable confusion.
Strategies to Put Internal Comms First
- Create a “staff-first” comms checklist for all major incidents.
- Use Internal Staff Briefing Memo Templates for consistent updates.
- Train shift supervisors to deliver talking points at roll call or huddles.
- Build a text or intranet-based alert system for critical internal messaging.
- Always ask: “Have staff been told before we tell the press?”
📌 If the answer is no — pause and fix it.
Internal Comms Is External Strategy
When your team is informed, respected, and aligned, they become your greatest asset in managing public perception. When they’re left in the dark, they become accidental liabilities.
Transparency starts at home.
Corrections professionals deserve to be treated like insiders — because they are. They risk more, see more, and carry more than most will ever understand. They shouldn’t have to learn about their workplace from the media.
Build an Internal Comms Culture with Corrections Communicated
Our Internal Messaging Toolkit includes:
- Briefing memo templates
- Staff-first communication flowcharts
- Supervisor talking point guides
- Roll call message examples
And if your agency needs help aligning internal and external messaging, PDR Strategies can provide custom plans, coaching, and training.
Let’s talk about how to elevate communication across your agency.