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Welcome to the Center 4 Correctional Nursing (C4CN) Workforce!
To learn how we can support you, please select the option that best describes you or the organization you represent.
The Correctional Nursing Specialty is poorly understood by the public and other health providers, including the general discipline of nursing. It was estimated in 2022 by the National Survey of Registered Nurses that 63,746 correctional nurses provided care potentially to the:
- 1.9 million incarcerated people
- 1,566 state prisons, 98 federal prisons, 3,116 local jails, 1,323 juvenile correctional facilities, 142 immigration detention facilities, and 80 Indian Nation jails, as well as those in military prisons, civil commitment centers, state psychiatric hospitals, and prisons in the U.S. territories.
- at a system-wide cost of at least $182 billion each year.
This estimate of the nursing workforce under-represents the correctional nursing workforce by exclusion of LPN/LVNs.
Currently, carceral facilities are highly dependent upon these nurses.
Happy Clients, Happy Legacy!
“This website is amazing! Thank you for supplying a source of information and data to add to the correctional nurse information I send out to my staff.”
Patricia “Patty” Paterson
Nursing Supervisor, Washington State Department of Corrections
“Few leaders match Dr. Deborah Shelton’s blend of scientific rigor and service. For the 15 years I’ve worked with her, I’ve seen her set the standard for professional practice and humane, high-quality correctional care.”
Dr. Terri Kapetanovic
Nursing Research Matters
“A workforce center like this is exactly what correctional nursing needs to move our specialty forward – strengthening our identity, supporting our professionals, and shaping the future of our field.“
Mrs. Heather Norman
President, American Correctional Nursing Association, Top 50 Women Chief Nursing Officers of 2025
“C4CN is the research-to-practice shortcut correctional nursing needed—credible, consolidated, and immediately practical.”
Dr. Louise Reagan
Associate Professor & Director, PhD Program, University of Connecticut School of Nursing
“C4CN unites correctional nurses to raise the bar. Through education, mentorship, and collaboration, C4CN empowers evidence-based, compassionate care—and advances health equity for people who are incarcerated.”
Dr. Jennifer Clifton
Professor (Clinical) University of Utah College of Nursing & Utah’s Juvenile Justice Services
“The Center 4 Correctional Nursing is a game-changer for the profession, connecting clinical practice and academia to advance research, strengthen education, and improve evidence-based care for justice-involved populations.”
