Épisodes

  • The impact of toxic employees in the Correctional environment

    The impact of toxic employees in the Correctional environment
    Mar 14 2022
    There are many ways that toxic employees adversely impact the correctional environment. It is the responsibility of leadership to ensure that those negative employee behaviors do not go unchecked. Here are a few positive qualities we see in non-toxic staff: 1) they value and align with the mission; 2) they portray excitement for their position; 3) they enjoy learning and show excitement towards growth; 4) they respectfully communicate; 5) they have long-term potential; and 6) they are trustworthy and responsible.
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    23 min
  • Things Correctional Staffers Need to Know

    Things Correctional Staffers Need to Know
    Feb 14 2022
    Working in Corrections is no walk in the park. We come to the table with our technical skills and are tasked with learning a whole other set of skills in order to successfully navigate the occupational hazards inherent in the environment. It is critical to our professional and personal success that we are intentional about being learning the ins and outs.
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    26 min
  • Role Ambiguity: How do we stop it and minimize the confusion it can cause?

    Role Ambiguity: How do we stop it and minimize the confusion it can cause?
    Jan 31 2022
    As non-uniformed employees we exist in this weird intersection where we have to be on the top of our game in our particular field of expertise and we also have to be highly engaged in everything safety and security. We have to be vigilant at all times and when we are not the environment can be quite unforgiving. While as an employee you have to do your best to learn the ins and outs of your environment as an institution we also have the responsibility of making sure our employees are adequately prepared to engage in this environment. There are times when we have not safe guarded our staff. We can do better providing direction, motivating and shaping the path forward.
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    30 min
  • Are we ready? Risk management is Key!

    Are we ready? Risk management is Key!
    Jan 24 2022
    We are in the business of managing risk. Safety and security is our top priority. In some instances policies and procedures cripple the ability of individuals to identify the risks they face, to properly evaluate, communicate and address them. We cannot continue to be an institution that reacts. We have to constantly evaluate the risks that walk through these institutional doors and prepare teams to address them.
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    21 min
  • Information is POWER!

    Information is POWER!
    Jan 17 2022
    There is an age old debate about how much information is too much information to provide to the civilian workforce. There are some administrative directives that prohibit information being shared. However, there is information that can be shared that isn’t always shared. Is it possible for us to break down the barrier that divides us? I believe that it is and it all begins with establishing trusting working relationships with each other.
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    19 min
  • Season 3: Where are we now?

    Season 3: Where are we now?
    Jan 10 2022
    It’s been a while but I am back! In this episode I am just providing an update on the business and all of the happenings over the past two years. I cover everything from Civilian Corrections Academy to the release of my new book, The Cage Was Her Cocoon: A Journey from Prison Administrator to Entrepreneur.
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    33 min
  • Connie, what am I suppose to do? ---I think one of my colleagues is in a relationship with an offender

    Connie, what am I suppose to do? ---I think one of my colleagues is in a relationship with an offender
    Aug 24 2020

    Many custodial facilities have implemented anti-fraternization policies that regulate contact between staff and inmates. These policies either limit, or altogether prohibit, interactions between employees and current or former inmates and their families. Offenders cannot consent to any relationship behind the wall so this violation will end in termination and possibly jail time, depending on the details. If you are aware of any such relationship you have an obligation to come forward and report it. You never know, you may be doing your colleague a favor.
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    17 min
  • Compassion Fatigue

    Compassion Fatigue
    Aug 17 2020

    We are not supposed to have compassion or empathy but we do. We hear the offender stories through our clinical interactions and they can be heartbreaking. We fight the good fight and advocate for treatment, that advocacy is not always supported. Over time, we get tired of fighting, we lose the ability to continue to care and we find ways to disconnect. Folks on the outside just don't know how hard it can be to get programming and introduce new treatment modalities. Sometimes, it is hard to identify but when we do, managers must support the service providers to help mitigate some of the pressure and avoid burnout.
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    15 min