The article discusses the urgency for short- and long-range planning in corrections; concepts and principles of strategic management; how strategic management was implemented nationwide; the role of strategic planning coordinators in strategic management; the key features of the Bureau's strategic plan; and staff resistance and how Bureau leaders responded. Good prison management, especially in the high-risk, highly politicized field of corrections, requires tactical and strategic thinking about both the internal and external environment of institutions and the agency itself. Strategic management, planning and implementation enable correctional leaders to make more informed decisions about their institutions; be more attuned to political and economic shifts; evaluate requests for financial resources and staff; coordinate interdepartmental or interinstitutions decisions; and be more proactive. References