The regional drug problem, with its attendant jail crowding, was the impetus for the establishment of the CCC. The CCC consists of the sheriffs and directors of all corrections systems in the region as well as the director of public safety for the COG. A staff liaison provides administrative support to the CCC and ensures that the corrections chiefs are included in the overall planning for public safety issues. The initial goals for the CCC have been to analyze and make public the extent and nature of the overcrowding problem in area jails and prisons, to improve the quality and delivery of inmate programs and services, to combine resources for the recruitment and training of correctional officers, to improve the public image of corrections through greater public education and involvement, and to track and respond to proposed legislation that affects corrections. Overall, the CCC has significantly improved communication between all corrections agencies in the region, assisted in the recruitment and training efforts of the participating agencies, created a greater public awareness of the mission and goals of corrections, and established a network of corrections professionals committed to the assistance of one another.