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My outlook about my career changed after l could do something for myself, my peers, and coworkers on a professional level as well as on a personal level, which I’d been doing for years inadvertently. Now that role that I had been performing unofficially has a title: Staff Wellness Personnel and From Corrections Fatigue to Fulfillment (CF2F) Instructor. After becoming involved with Desert Waters Correctional Outreach, their team, and their material, I felt an immediate sense of meaning, finding a purpose in my career which led to fulfillment in this career that I did not even know I needed. Fast forward five years and the many CF2F classes which I have been fortunate to present, and learn from myself, I am a face and a name for staff wellness with Corrections. My title is one I take very seriously and am proud to carry. In this position of Staff Wellness Personnel and CF2F Instructor, people trust you, lean on you, and confide in [...]

Are you and your partner navigating the unique challenges of life in the correctional profession? Join us for a groundbreaking 2-day online training designed specifically for correctional couples—staff members and their spouses/partners. This training is based on Desert Waters’ well-regarded courses, Correctional Family Wellness—For Staff™ (CFW-S) and Correctional Family Wellness—For Adult Family Members™ (CFW-F). The training is crafted to increase awareness, enhance communication, and build resilience for both partners, with the ultimate goal being the strengthening of relationships. What to Expect: Day 1: Two separate tracks—one for the correctional staff member and one for the adult family member—each tailored to address the unique needs and experiences of each role. Day 2: A collaborative roundtable discussion, where we’ll explore the material in depth, share insights, and answer your questions in an interactive Q&A session. When: This training will take place during National Correctional Family Appreciation Week in the first week of June—an ideal time to invest in your relationship and well-being. Limited Space: Only 16 couples will be able to attend, ensuring personalized [...]

Wellness is not just about physical health or the absence of disease or psychological disorder. Wellness also involves having a sense of purpose and deriving positive meaning from actions that reflect healthy values. In this sense, wellness is truly about “living the dream!” The ultimate result of experiencing purpose and positive meaning in our lives is fulfillment—feeling satisfied, content, blessed, or, for lack of a better term, spiritually "rich." This sense of meaning is the fuel that keeps us going, giving life flavor and richness. It helps us get out of bed each morning with “pep in our step” and a positive vision to move toward—even if that vision is small. Meaning guides how we spend our waking hours and the goals we pursue. That’s why meaning has such a critical impact on our quality of life—and even our health. The way we invest our time and the goals we set shape both our well-being and our destiny. For [...]

The holidays are often thought of as a time of joy, celebration, and togetherness—a season that beckons warmth and family. But for those of us working in corrections, this time of year often brings a complicated mix of emotions, not only for the people inside, but also for those of us tasked with keeping the wheels turning. Walking into a correctional facility during the holiday season, there is a heavy feeling that seems to settle in the moment you step through the doors, separating two distinct worlds—one filled with the festivities of the season and another characterized by isolation and routine. I remember vividly the emotional whiplash of the holidays. Outside, the world was humming with holiday lights, children’s programs, shopping, and gatherings. Inside the prison walls, however, it was just another day. Lines ran as usual. Chow was served. Yard and regular programming continued on schedule. There was no pause, no festivity, no extra sense of goodwill—just the [...]

This book should be required reading for EVERYONE who works in a correctional setting, and we mean EVERYONE, including staff who work in prisons, jails, probation, parole, and other community-based settings. The title, Crossing That Line: Boundary Violations between Corrections Staff and Inmates says it all about the intent of the book. The material aims to highlight the issue of professional boundary violations, exploring their potential causes, the harm they inflict on individuals and workplace culture, and strategies for preventing these violations and their negative consequences. The author, Susan Jones, PhD, draws on her extensive experience in corrections—having spent 31 years in the field and retiring as a warden—to explore this topic. Her PhD dissertation serves as a foundation for the book, which includes accessible scholarly research and thoughtful discussions on policy, correctional practices, and culture. The book is divided into three sections and features a collection of scenarios highlighting boundary violations between corrections staff and inmates. Section I, titled “What [...]

“The last of the human freedoms: to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way.” Viktor Frankl Being able to stay in control of ourselves regardless of what’s happening around us is a tall order indeed. Control like that can be hard to imagine. Sure, when life is flowing smoothly, it’s easy to feel like we’re in charge. But when the going gets tough, even the tough begin to feel jerked around by circumstances. In this article I describe how we can remain in charge of our behavior pretty much no matter what’s happening around us. This can be accomplished by managing our attitude and our perspective. I dare say that applying these truths has the power to shape our destiny more than any other force within our control. The Two WomenCan you see the two women? Each of us has a “power switch.” This switch is our ability to control which [...]

As someone who has spent the better part of the last eight years implementing peer support teams in corrections and first responder agencies, I’ve seen various types of curricula that get the job done. However, I recently had the opportunity to experience Desert Waters’ 40-hour Peer Supporter Training™ from multiple perspectives—as an observer of a team completing it, an instructor delivering it, and a staff wellness program administrator always seeking ways to improve peer support team training.What truly sets Desert Waters’ Peer Supporter Training™ (PST) apart is its comprehensive approach. It weaves together all the essential elements needed to effectively train a peer support team. No box is left unchecked. PST addresses policy, practice, skill-building, and engaging and realistic role-play scenarios and role plays. PST also includes a substantial focus on correctional staff mental health research data, and on the always anxiety-provoking and painful subject of staff being a threat to themselves and possibly also to others. The curriculum brings everything together through [...]

This article was printed several years ago in the Correctional Oasis, and we are reprinting it, as it is still relevant. Much is written about leadership in corrections. Here is input from seasoned corrections officers, as to what they need from their supervisors. Many thanks to all of you who contributed your thoughts and suggestions! Correctional Officer #1 My best supervisor: Pointed out our strengths. Used our strengths. Rewarded our strengths. Trained us regarding our weaknesses. Was a good listener. Allowed us to vent and voice our opinion. Correctional Officer #2 Remember that you were once a CO. When COs work overtime they are giving up their free/family time. So, they should be taken care of as far as duty assignment before your normal shift officers. Work some CO overtime, so that COs can have a little break from all the OT. Lead by example. Insure that COs have the tools they need to do their job to the best [...]

Statistics show the results of stress that correctional professionals experience. This issue should be dealt with head-on at every opportunity, with no minimizing. Staff needs to know the warning signs of stress-related negative behavior and its effects on staff, families and friends. Staff also needs to understand that help is available to cope with stress, and that seeking such help does not mean staff are weak or aren’t making the cut. Stress is a natural by-product of working in corrections. When we are physically ill, it is natural to go to a medical doctor. When we experience emotional distress, it ought to be natural to go to someone who can help. It is never an easy task to approach a staff member who you, as their supervisor, believe is having personal problems. There is one rule that applies though. Care enough to confront. Staff members struggling with personal issues are not outwardly focused. Rather, they are inwardly focused. Such staff members [...]

Every correctional leader’s goal and every correctional staff member’s goal must be to focus on creating genuinely supportive cultures if we are to retain and professionally “grow” and mature staff. Let’s start at the beginning. After completing basic training, new correctional employees are pumped, excited about getting started on the job. Yet deep down they may wonder if they’ll be able to “prove themselves” to their supervisors and peers and earn their respect, if they’ll react professionally to crises, or if they’ll remain firm, fair and consistent in the face of day-to-day pressures. They know that theory is one thing, but practice is quite another. You, the supervisors, are the ones that new staff look to primarily, at least to begin with. You are the ones who can model to them how it all plays out in real life. You are the ones who can flesh out the lessons taught at the Academy. (And if you do not do [...]