Correctional Officers working with Zombies ~

Correctional Officers have often been mistakenly put into the monster genre. It comes with gross misunderstandings and a lack of comprehension just what it is they do behind the high walls and razor wired fences. Basically, correctional officers have been enlisted by society and the criminal justice system to be the main predatory species watching other predators lawfully discarded and cast away by society for crimes committed.

Since the mass incarceration epidemic, there have been more subversive writings about correctional officers being monsters that are capable of torturous and cruel behaviors. When you tell the story of how this developed the truth gets lost in this novel and many misunderstand the human nature of their existential plight as keepers of the gate. Many agree that the world has gone completely mad. Criminal activity is running rampant and out of control. There appears to be only one solution to this problem and that is to lock them all up and confine them in a hell hole forever. However, in this mentality of mass incarceration, this epidemic has left none untouched as family and friends suffer while officers struggle to keep up with the pace of growth and complexity of human masses huddled in the darkness ready to strike back at those that watch them constantly.

Both sides have a survival handbook. It is much like the werewolves fighting the vampires in an episode of Twilight only the correctional officers are the werewolves and the prisoners are the vampires sucking life out of everything they touch.  It is not a crime for vampires to kill one another especially if they are among the unliving. The dead are part of the culture that must be sacrificed in order to keep on living but the capture and devouring of an undead may bring them immortality. Sadly, the risks of the undead becoming victims of these vampires’ increases daily as the number of evil doers grow beyond anyone imagination over time and lengthy prison sentences into this dark world.

Thus this war between warm blooded fleshed humans categorized as the undead of the government has established a conflict with cold flesh eating zombies spreading a bacterium that causes eventual decay of one mortal existence that will never be resolved without violence. Correctional officers must contain and capture these unliving beings over and over; bringing back the same unliving or zombies they had before. A one time mortal, after spending a few years inside prison these mortals become the unliving and prey on each other in this game of survival in a zombie like world.

In this violent world, things remain often normal except for an occasional spurt of violence towards the mortals and unliving by these flesh eating zombies that roam the surrounding perimeters. Confined in these razor wired high fenced quarantine camps for eternity, they are unevenly distributed making it difficult for the undead to watch each and every one of them like they should to keep them out of harm’s way. Strangely in this dark world, panic has subsided as this place experiences chaos and disorder.

One reason is the constant struggle between the good and evil as the unliving walk around looking for an opportunity to attack the undead. The unliving will eventually turn into zombies over time and will create more hate and wreak havoc on the living that guards them. The living must be aware at all times when these zombie sleep-walk through the night and look for a body to kill or infect with their flesh eating bacteria. These zombies no longer have a purpose in life except to kill and consume. They are the epitome of the dead and must be eliminated from this earth forever but laws and decency within the human race prevents such genocide of this evil group of the unliving. The correctional officers must try to save the half-unliving from the advanced unliving and zombies and often fail to do so as they are outnumbered five hundred to one every time they walk through those gates of hell.

This story focuses on this constant struggle inside prisons. Society’s minds often wander too far from the truth and allow ignorance and apathy to guide their thinking. Leaving the correctional officer out of mind and out of sight, they become easy offerings for the unliving and zombies that roam freely inside this vampire controlled world they work in and are often sacrificed for the good of society and the safety of countless citizens that may sleep in peace and safety because these courageous officers stand the wall to keep these evil minded zombies inside the walls. Society must learn to interact, understand and support these correctional officers that have the toughest job of all criminal justice professionals.

 

Working in the Rain with Pain

Reflecting back to my days as a correctional officer  I realized just how much I had learned to play with pain that was both physical and emotional. I was struggling with hurt that was inside of me and that surrounded me as I watched the final decades of my career come to an end. It was fascinating how I survived this journey and most importantly, a lesson learned to be shared with all those in the present and future. Having some of the best mentors in the business, I survived this game because I learned how to deal with pain and work with pain.

There are a few tips I would like to share that might help others endure and overcome some of the struggles that are common and sometimes difficult to overcome. Perhaps the key elements of surviving this game of life aren’t that simple to overcome but the challenge is to learn how to adapt and overcome such adversities in your personal life and your career. One must be prepared to battle with their own emotions and self-control in order to stay on track and focused on the ultimate goals set in your life. Perseverance and willpower will have to be a main ingredient as well as stamina and energy to endure the tests in the long run. Common sense and the willingness to learn as you adapt and overcome obstacles are the secondary key of this game so that you can do what you need to do under pressure while managing the elements around you.

Working in corrections is much like playing a baseball game in bad weather. Even when the sun comes out, it may only lasts awhile giving you a false security or sensation that things are getting better. Regardless of where you live, bad weather makes for tough conditions at work or play regardless who you are. Bad weather has associated risks such as thunder and lightening that directly impact and distracts you.  You might experience high-wind storms and blowing debris that can upset your routine and ability to get your job done. Footing is often slippery and can cause you to stumble when it is most important for you to stay steady and take care of business. These hazards are a part of life and must be dealt with in a logical and fashionable manner to overcome the tough conditions of the job facing you daily.

Complicating life at another level is the mental pain you experience as you travel this journey. Recognition and praise will not come easily and must be awarded from within as you know you are doing the best you can under the conditions of this job. Silence will become a norm and that’s not easy for many of us that wore the badge of honor for so many years. Stress will try to wear you down and unless you recognize these symptoms it can win and defeat you. Be aware of PTSD and its destructive forces for it will creep up on you without a warning.

The first piece of advice is to be prepared. Dress right and don’t weight yourself down with anything that isn’t essential to your job. Fatigue is a common enemy. Carry with you your issued equipment that includes your radio, battery, flashlight, cuff, mace and your PPE and try not to think too much about the rain around you. Make sure they are all in good working order and if not, replace them immediately.  Focus on details and don’t worry about the wind, thunder, lightening or the rain for they are only distractions for you while doing the job.

Enduring a storm emotionally and physically requires you to be strong hearted and properly prepared. This means to take care of your body and eat well and ensure nutrition is well balanced and beneficial to you. Taking one step at a time will assure you progress in health, career and opportunities.

The second stride for working in the rain is to sustaining the pain is the part where you remain emotionally under control. One of the easiest things to do is to give into your personal feelings or emotions but that will only cause you more pain. Staying focused on the job and the attached tasks, duties and responsibilities is the key to getting the job done right without mistakes. Keeping a clear mind is essentially you best ally during times of duress and anxiety.

Don’t give the inmates any easy opportunities to distract you and cause you to make slip-ups. Sometimes when working with pain, we try to work harder to offset the frustration or emotion that tends to bring us down some while on or off the job. Don’t let your emotions take control of your mind and body. Adjust for the real situational conditions and make accurate assessments along the way. Although very difficult to do, you must leave your personal life behind for the time remaining and focus on the job and its challenges to keep you alive and safe. Avoid overloading the mindset so it can focus on your job.

The third and final step for working with pain is to adapt to the weather and the pain. When it rains, life changes right there in front of you and if you let it take its course, it will changes everything important to you, making it tougher for you to do your job or carry on. Take your medication and rest your body well. The better rested you are, the better you will think and do your job. Remember that common sense must prevail and keep you out of harm’s way as your immune system takes care of you inside and you adapt to the tough conditions on the outside.

When conditions get tough don’t give up. Never quit. Don’t make mistakes because you are being influenced by the weather around you. Adjust your attitude, your behaviors and your mindset to concentrate on the hazards around you. Go slower as it helps you deal with the challenges or obstacles thrown your way and remember that when you adjust your game and mindset, you remain in control of your actions, your decision making and your stability to face the adversities with positivity and high-quality results.

Don’t let haste bring you waste. Ask for help along the way as you will find resources able to give you stability and maximize your endurance levels. Although multi-tasking is a way of life, you can still pay attention to detail and do the best job you can by doing it right the first time. Listening and asking questions are two basics of good communications and must be used in order to ensure accuracy and completeness. Learning  how to live in this potentially volatile and hostile world with pain is the pre-requisite to a long successful career in a most difficult job to perform. Be Safe!