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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 [...]

In correctional facilities, supervisors play a pivotal role in maintaining the balance between discipline and support, particularly when it comes to staff wellness programs. Some supervisors hold the belief that a wellness program might lower accountability, assuming that fostering wellness compromises the need for clear boundaries and consistent expectations. This belief, however, is a myth that must be debunked for the health of both the staff and the agency. In reality, wellness programs, when properly implemented, do not diminish accountability. Instead, they enhance performance, reduce workplace stress, and promote a more harmonious work environment. A supervisor can lead with a wellness mindset while still maintaining high expectations and ensuring that boundaries remain firm.Debunking the Myth: We Can’t Have Both Wellness and AccountabilityOne common misconception among supervisors is that wellness programs may cause staff to feel entitled to leniency regarding their actions or performance. Some believe that focusing on wellness could potentially undermine accountability by allowing employees to excuse poor behavior [...]

This article offers examples of what changes individual correctional employees can choose to make in their attitude and behavior to bring about positive outcomes in the workplace. It saddens me that many correctional workers carry a bucket of rocks to work every day and don’t even realize that they are carrying needless weight. You have heard the old saying, “Attitude is everything.” Well, in this bucket I’m talking about people who carry the rocks of negative attitudes. I continue to hear over and over again about problems in corrections that are a direct result of the “bucket of rocks” people bring in with them. These rocks can kill careers, steal lives, and destroy families. What are some of the rocks I am talking about? They are gossip, harassment, jealousy, anger, hate, back-biting, and too many more to mention. What is wrong with this picture? Aren’t we supposed to be supporting each other? Don’t we all depend on others for [...]

This article offers an example of what administrators can do to help improve the well-being and functioning of new hires, and as a result, also help the odds of their retention over time. This scenario probably plays out daily in countless jurisdictions. You’re about to start offering basic training at your correctional agency’s Training Academy. Among your new recruits you have Bob who up to a few days ago worked at the local Walmart, Mary who a couple of months ago graduated from high school, and Todd whose only prior job experience involves working at fast-food joints and delivering pizzas. Now you are training them to become tomorrow’s Correctional or Detention Officers. You try to prepare them with training on topics such as CPR/First Aid, Defensive Tactics, use of force, OC spray training, ethics and professionalism, offender disciplinary procedures, and many more. Other than what they may have seen on TV or in a movie, these individuals and many [...]