In November of 2018, Jude Bergkamp, PsyD and forensic research team, Kelle Agassiz, Stephanie Bowser, and Amber Silverwood, were invited to present their findings regarding implicit bias and corrections to the Diversity Committee of the Department of Corrections (DOC) headquarters.
Immediately following this presentation, a discussion was held regarding the existing research around implicit bias and the applicability it has to the DOC. From this discussion, the forensic research team conducted an informed literature review in order to incorporate current research regarding implicit bias and organizational change.
This June, the forensic research team was invited back to the Department of Corrections to present their original findings, as well as the research unearthed during their informed literature review. In attendance for this presentation was the Executive Leadership Team and many other DOC employees. The presentation initiated another fruitful discussion with DOC employees that has resulted in an ongoing collaboration with the Department of Corrections, which aims to address the issue of implicit bias within several Washington state DOC institutions.