Corrections Committee Report - July 2026

Hello, Area 41. I'm Jim, and I'm an alcoholic. I was asked to facilitate this weekend's Corrections Committee meeting and to give the report.

The meeting opened at 9:00 am with a moment of silence followed by the Serenity Prayer.

Introductions around the table were made. We were please to welcome five first-time attendees to the meeting.

Betty from Dist 7 in McCook reported the women's meeting in Red Willow County jail averages 2-4 attendees.

Fred from Dist 7 in McCook reported the men's meeting in Red Willow County jail averages 4-14 attendees. He expressed a need for English- and Spanish-language Big Books. Jim H. will follow-up with Aubrie.

Gail, DCM for Dist 20 in Bellevue, reported on both women's and men's meetings in Sarpy County Jail, with average attendance of 2-10 per mod.

• Sarpy County: RESET program. Re-entry evidence-based services engagement therapy. 8 men. Weekly AA meeting as part of the program.
• Tecumseh State Correctional Institute: Gail finished the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services orientation this week and is now waiting for his badge to take in meetings for the first time since the pandemic.

Jerry, DCM for Dist 24 in Columbus, reported on difficulty finding corrections volunteers and the hardship this causes in meeting the needs of incarcerated alcoholics.

Jim, Chair of Lincoln Corrections Committee, talked about the AA Corrections Pre-Release Contact Program, in which an inmate within six months of discharge or parole can request an AA volunteer who will begin correspondence with them about the AA program and sober living. Upon release, the individual will contact the volunteer who, with another AA along, will pick up the person and get them to a meeting within 24-48 hours. The volunteer will take the person to additional meetings over a couple of weeks, introduce them to other AA's, and encourage them to get a sponsor. This is meant to ease the transition between incarceration and the start of a sober life in AA.

• The Nebraska Department of Correctional Services (NDCS) has embraced the program, and we are in the process of implementing it in all Nebraska state facilities for inmates paroling or discharging to Lincoln.
• NDCS staff have inquired about the availability of the program outside of Lincoln. Jim stated that any Districts interested in participating in this program in their communities could contact him for the NDCS staff contact.

Jim reported that the Lincoln Corrections Committee is holding a Corrections Workshop on August 22, 2026. Fliers are available.

Jim put forth a suggestion from Charlie H. that older AAs who aren't able to take meetings in to facilities could be a source of volunteers for the GSO Corrections Correspondence Program, as their years of experience could be helpful in this role. Information is available at gso.org by searching 'corrections correspondence program'.

An open discussion about Corrections volunteer recruitment ideas followed. Ideas included tapping AAs who were previously incarcerated, asking those currently doing corrections service work to suggest their sponsees join them, and the idea that one doesn't have to have incarceration experience to be of service, as inmates know how to do time, but not how to live sober when they're released.

Attending for the first time were:

• Toby, GSR for Spiritual Actions group, Dist 21 Lincoln, reported on the men's meeting at Community Corrections Center – Lincoln, where attendance fluctuates from 1-10.
• Mark, Wild Bunch group, Dist 1 Omaha.
• Chajuana, Primary Purpose Group, Dist 3 Lincoln.
• Natasha, GSR for Boiled Owls group, Dist 3 Lincoln.
• Alicia, Secretary for Boiled Owls group, Dist 3 Lincoln.

The meeting closed at 9:50 am with the 3rd Step Prayer.

In grateful service,
Jim H.