Occupational Hazards, Correctional Officers

Wasted Honor -

Carl R. ToersBijns is the author of the Wasted Honor Trilogy [Wasted Honor I,II and Gorilla Justice] and his newest book From the Womb to the Tomb, the Tony Lester Story, which is a reflection of his life and his experiences as a correctional officer and a correctional administrator retiring with the rank of deputy warden in the New Mexico and Arizona correctional systems.

Carl also wrote a book on his combat experience in the Kindle book titled - Combat Medic - Men with destiny - A red cross of Valor -

Carl is considered by many a rogue expert in the field of prison security systems since leaving the profession. Carl has been involved in the design of many pilot programs related to mental health treatment, security threat groups, suicide prevention, and maximum custody operational plans including double bunking max inmates and enhancing security for staff. He invites you to read his books so you can understand and grasp the cultural and political implications and influences of these prisons. He deals with the emotions, the stress and anxiety as well as the realities faced working inside a prison. He deals with the occupational risks while elaborating on the psychological impact of both prison worker and prisoner.

His most recent book, Gorilla Justice, is an un-edited raw fictional version of realistic prison experiences and events through the eyes of an anecdotal translation of the inmate’s plight and suffering while enduring the harsh and toxic prison environment including solitary confinement.

Carl has been interviewed by numerous news stations and newspapers in Phoenix regarding the escape from the Kingman prison and other high profile media cases related to wrongful deaths and suicides inside prisons. His insights have been solicited by the ACLU, Amnesty International, and various other legal firms representing solitary confinement cases in California and Arizona. He is currently working on the STG Step Down program at Pelican Bay and has offered his own experience insights with the Center of Constitutional Rights lawyers and interns to establish a core program at the SHU units. He has personally corresponded and written with SHU prisoners to assess the living conditions and how it impacts their long term placement inside these type of units that are similar to those in Arizona Florence Eyman special management unit where Carl was a unit deputy warden for almost two years before his promotion to Deputy Warden of Operations in Safford and Eyman.

He is a strong advocate for the mentally ill and is a board member of David's Hope Inc. a non-profit advocacy group in Phoenix and also serves as a senior advisor for Law Enforcement Officers Advocates Council in Chino, California As a subject matter expert and corrections consultant, Carl has provided interviews and spoken on national and international radio talk shows e.g. BBC CBC Lou Show & TV shows as well as the Associated Press.

I use sarcasm, satire, parodies and other means to make you think!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Occupational Hazards, Correctional Officers

Reading the numerous comments by readers posting on stories regarding jail, prison or criminal events makes me realize that the majority of people out there in our civilized world have no idea or concept of the job description that entails being a detention officer or a correctional officer. They really don't understand the scope of duties, tasks and the risks correctional officers engage in when working with potentially violent offenders whether pre-trial or convicted on felonies that often results in prison terms. In fact, it is reasonable to conclude that many have no idea of the challenges correctional officers and their families face while on the job or even at the end of their shifts. Basically speaking, they face challenges to their safety, their health and their wellness when working inside such a controlled environment or workplace.

Escorting or supervising prisoners can entail physical risks that range from being shot or shot at, slips, falls, serious or minor musculoskeletal injuries and exposure to sharp objects of instruments, puncture wounds from darts and spears aimed for the eyes or stab wounds resulting from prison made knives, to heat, cold stress as well as fire hazards and toxic fumes. Direct or indirect impacts on their health can be either biological or chemical exposures, communicable disease or infections and series of trauma stress that may cause loss of sleep and the rest cycle. Every day they risk sabotage or deliberate food or water contamination as most of the meals are prepared by private contractors supervising prison labor. Most of all, their mere presence inside one of these penitentiaries can aggravate their pre-existing health conditions that may have been inflicted at their birth, the growing years in school or sports, during their service in our armed forces, or subject to violence in the workplace.

Readers are readily willing to write comments such as "if you think the conditions are horrendous or it is unsafe...wait...wait for it.... then QUIT!!! Duh! Where do you think you are working? The Ritz Carlton?" The comment is self-explanatory but the train of thought is out of touch with reality. The bottom line is that correctional officer’s performance, duties and risks are either ignored, second guessed, degraded or often criticized for doing their jobs under circumstances many choose not be informed of, engaged in and never admit they don't care.
Public safety inside prisons by many citizens consists of an "out of sight, out of mind" approach that will never give the community an accurate reflection of prison and what kind of mistreatment public service employees endure on a daily basis that impacts their own personal lives. More now than ever before [with overcrowded jails and prisons] will a correctional employee admit to and take the time to realize that this role as a public servant has so many risks involved. Apteral, once it is all said and done, they all blend into one concern - coming home safely after the end of the shift and try to normalize their lives with their family and friends who support them through severe trials and tribulations that will never be understood unless you walked these tough beats inside the penitentiaries or jails.