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At Desert Waters’ webinar in March 2024, where the SafetyNet Accreditation program was introduced, several noteworthy comments were made regarding the relation between the provision of wellness programming and staff’s use of sick leave. In response to our assertion that increased staff wellness could be expected to lead to long-term reduction in the use of sick leave, several participants indicated that, on the contrary, they would expect that sick leave use would increase as staff wellness increased. The reasoning was that, if wellness was prioritized in an agency, staff would take more time in a preventative way to go to medical appointments or take mental health days (which would go on the books as a sick day). I found these comments to be very intriguing. The participants’ reasoning caught my attention, and prompted me to look into this matter a little more closely. The result is this article. PRESENTEEISM What some people call sick leave use or misuse is about absenteeism, [...]

On a flight to Charleston, SC, last fall on my way to present at the American Jail Association’s Mental Health Summit, I met a bubbly interior designer. When I asked her if she enjoys what she does, she responded with an enthusiastic YES! She added: “It makes me happy to make other people happy because of the way I shape the space where they live; life’s too short to not be happy.” Indeed, I venture to say that, at least in our western world, most people who are asked what they’d like in life would say something to the effect of wanting to be happy. The big question is then, what’s the best recipe for happiness?The Study of the Good LifeIn the past we may have had many answers to this question. Now, however, thanks to an 85-year study, the Harvard Study of Adult Development, we have some uniquely convincing evidence about the source of happiness and its impact on [...]

I had the privilege of serving as the warden for a high security facility. During my time in the position, I realized that I had great employees, but I also realized that my employees were under a tremendous strain from the work in this environment. I noticed that my employees were involved in a high number of worker compensation incidents, they used a high number of FMLA hours, and a high number of staff reported criminal charges from their actions in the community (i.e. DUI, domestic violence, menacing, theft, etc.). By the time I was appointed the warden I had worked for the DOC for over 20 years. That background led me to believe that my employees were dealing with more issues of depression, anger, drug and alcohol struggles, and stress issues than what I had noticed previously. Due to the structure of the facility, most of the posts that had inmate contact were with high security inmates, so [...]

In ongoing discussions and movements across the nation several reasons are given as to why we need prison reform in the U.S. Today I want to share with you one more such reason, a reason that has been embedded in the heart of Desert Waters’ mission since its birth in 2003. This reason is the health and wellbeing, even the survival of what may be correctional staff’s most valued asset – their family life. The words I am about to share may sound overly dramatic to some, but I know from hard data, and also from my interactions with correctional staff and their family members for 23 years now, that they are based on fact, and that, sadly, they prove to be true only too often. What Do We Mean by Correctional Families Being Collateral Damage? According to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries, collateral damage in military terms refers to deaths of or injury to civilians (that is, people not in the armed forces) or damage [...]

The Comrades is an ultramarathon which takes place yearly in South Africa. This 56-mile race (two times that of the Boston Marathon) has a typical participation level of approximately 15,000 people. Having started in 1921, there is a fascinating history attached to it, steeped in apartheid. Today, the very existence of the Comrades is a symbol of triumph and victory, as it’s inclusive of all races, nationalities, and socioeconomic backgrounds. There are the select few that participate with the ambition of winning. Others are in it to beat their own personal record. Thousands of others desire simply to complete the race. And it is for this last group that there are special arrangements in place to be sure that happens – because, you as you can imagine, running 56 miles all at once – regardless of your speed – is an absolute feat all in itself! The Comrades includes a number of individuals known as the “pacers,” affectionately called [...]

Desmond Tutu once said, “There comes a point when we need to stop just pulling people out of the river. We need to go upstream and find out why they’re falling in.” In the world of corrections, there is an inordinately low percentage of individuals or organizations doing either one. But when you find people doing both, it’s cause to stop, pay tribute to the efforts, and recognize the value of the lives being rescued. At a recent conference, Shane Fausey, President of the National Council of Prison Locals 33, American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), took the opportunity to announce a very significant turn of events in the battle towards alleviating the plight of corrections staff. When the challenges are beyond comprehension and it seems as if there’s just no way to turn the tide, you will hear someone say, “It will take an Act of Congress…” Well, that is exactly what has happened. Largely through the tireless efforts of a precious few [...]

Working in corrections is a very complex endeavor. It’s difficult, boring, challenging, and full of contradictions. Are we cops, social workers, enforcers, or teachers? Actually, we are asked to be all these things. And while training has improved over the years, today’s correctional professional remains under-trained in some important areas and maybe over-trained in other areas. People come into corrections for a variety of reasons, but most probably want to help on some level. We want to help protect society, be part of the law enforcement team, and maybe even help the offenders. Most corrections professionals begin their career with a positive attitude and an empathetic heart for humanity. Unfortunately, after some well-intended training and a few months on the job, we quickly become jaded, cynical and may even feel to “fit in” we need to become more hardened in our approach. Becoming hardened may be the result of being hurt by offenders – physically injured or scarred from [...]

For the past 21 years, Desert Waters has persistently and passionately pursued and promoted correctional staff wellness, primarily through education and research. The last several years have seen this topic take the front-central seat in national and international discussions. Reasons for that include concerns about work performance, work engagement, legal liability, retention, recruitment, and facilitating positive interactions between staff and justice-involved persons. Since staff wellness is now recognized as being mission critical, many agencies are implementing components of staff wellness programming—which is great news! Wellness is a complex area of study and service, and employee wellness programming is a rather new area of pursuit for some employers. Fostering occupational wellness is particularly challenging—a “tough nut to crack”—when addressing wellness needs of correctional staff. Some reasons for that are that correctional employees: are often chronically stressed; operate in cultures of toughness and denial, where acknowledging being negatively affected by the job and needing help are frowned upon and shamed; are [...]

In this article I’d like to share with you some thoughts on ways to possibly reduce the occurrence of avoidable high-stress events at work, and the wear-and-tear (whether visible or invisible; physical, psychological or spiritual) that you suffer due to these events. One type of these high-stress events is the escalation of conflict due to clashes with other staff or the justice-involved persons you manage. In the October 2022 issue of the Correctional Oasis we addressed staff bullying as a major source of staff stress. In this issue I’d like to talk about an approach to potentially avoid or de-escalate conflict and reduce tension in your interactions with those in the criminal justice system who are under your care. My goal is to humbly offer you some tools towards your wellbeing – “your safety and your sanity,” and towards the fostering of healthier, lower-stress work environments than what you may be experiencing now. I say humbly, because you are the ones doing the heavy lifting. You [...]

It occurred to me one night during a conversation with a fellow corrections friend that the wellness game being played in corrections agencies seems very déjà vu (French for “already seen,” AKA “old news”) for some reason. It hit me when I was driving to work this morning: the corrections wellness game is mostly about defense. Correctional agencies have long suffered the effects of not being able to change, this we know. We have been saying for decades that prison reform is needed and yet we never seem to achieve that reform. We sit at conferences and trainings that show us immediate steps we can take to respond to the “issue of the year,” and yet meaningful long-term strategies elude us. There are always reasons given for that (even good reasons) that include staffing, political climate, budget constraints, etc. But then I have noticed that over the years when litigation strikes and mandates come, there seems to be a fairly immediate strategy for the [...]