Maximum Risks

Dear Rep. Campbell,

 

For the past several years there have been calls for the prison director’s resignation which has led to hundreds of suicides and a no confidence vote by the correctional officers’ union. It appears the director’s record of delivering sound medical / mental health services along with a booming institutional death rate is far from being acceptable according to national healthcare standards of care. Arizona ranks about sixth in the nation on suicides and nobody seems to be too concerned about this matter. In fact, Governor Brewer has praised the director several times saying she thought he was doing a very good job and impressed with his handling and understanding of the Arizona prison system. To this day, the director has only admitted superficial flaws exist and that he is working on reducing his conditions of confinement from maximum risk to changes that will lower those risks. So far, his plan is not working very well.

It is with some certainty he is reorganizing the healthcare services as he terminated one contractor and hired another in mid contract due to contractual deficiencies that delayed the delivery of medical care and sound healthcare practices inside prisons. However, he has failed to reduce the maximum risks that are currently impacting the current rate of deaths inside the prisons that are routinely written off as natural deaths, suicides or homicides.

The fact remains these numbers have not been reduced to any significant level and continue to exist while burdening the correctional officers with the laborious tasks of maintain a status quo with less resources and staffing than ever before inside the lockdown units. In this matter, these correctional officers are tasked to do the impossible as there is a shortage of staff at those critical positions that are legally and morally responsible for sound correctional practices.

It is highly recommended the Arizona legislature conduct an review of the whole system through independent impact statements related to staffing deployment plans of medical/mental health staff, custodial employees and other resources dedicated to handle treatment and programs of the high risk offenders susceptible to committing suicides or become victims in a violent assault or death by predatory gangs or individuals housed with the severely mentally ill in general population and lockdown units. Many of these offenders are unable to cope with this risk of being harmed on an open yard and are asking for protection in the lockdowns where the suicide rate is the highest.

This oversight and interview process should focus on conditions of confinement and the quality of care, training and communication with special needs offenders that are dying at an alarming rate weekly. It should also focus on leadership capabilities within the agency and the administrative oversight of medical, mental health and other specialized needs to ensure compliance with constitutional rights for fair treatment and quality services.

It is suspected that there are a variety of reasons for this deficiency, not because of people doing bad things but rather systems not in proper working in order to accomplish better delivery of services rendered by either the private medical contractor or custodial staff. There needs to be better accountability for the high number of deaths and putting his hands up and saying that is part of being incarcerated inside a penitentiary is not a suitable response. A plan needs to be devised to ensure the numbers are reduced and suicide intervention methods are active and working. I pray you will offer a solution to this problem as you have researched this matter as well.

While the legislative oversight committee is researching causes for the above mentioned concerns, it might also want to review standards of care and practices to concerns related to AIDS / HIV, Hepatitis, MRSA, Staph infections and other communicable disease concerns that poison the community upon the offender’s release. It should also review the care of the elderly and the medical costs associated with such incarceration care and review alternatives for those eligible for early release and non-violent offenders in crime committed and institutional adjustment history.

Insight on Suicides in Arizona Prisons

Looking at the high fatality rate inside Arizona prisons has got to be disturbing to those families impacted by the sudden deaths of their loved ones. The fact is today, with one of the highest suicide rates in the country, Arizona officials have not dedicated sufficient attention to this most critical problem inside their prisons.  A closer look at the individuals committing suicides no longer suggests that suicides are committed due to their initial crisis of incarceration but rather, an isolated problem or sign of an inmate’s inability to do time under conditions imposed by the Department of Corrections rather than their length of sentence. Hence it is suspect that conditions of confinement are the driving forces in this disproportional higher rate of suicides being committed inside the more restrictive custody units than general population.

It must be clear that there is little research related to this theory that more suicides are successful in the higher custody levels than general population however looking at the press releases delivered whenever such a death notice is prepared, there is a distinct pattern of behavior and incidents at the higher custody levels than in general populations. This must support my theory that conditions of confinement inside level 4 and level 5 units offer little hope or relief that gives the prisoner a sense of doing time and returning back to general population to finish out their sentences.  

It is with high hopes that this document will encourage the Governor, Director and other prisons staff to conduct research, training and development of comprehensive prevention policies that include environmental impact statements on the psychological state of mind as well as the physiological impacts on the human body and wellness.  Of course there is my own theory about suicidal behaviors among Arizona prisoners housed in Level 4 and 5 custody units. It is my belief that suicidal behaviors are abnormal results within a solitary confinement setting and are orchestrated, manipulated or even deliberate wrongful attempts to gain attention and fulfill some desire to excite or create sympathy from staff to obtain some sort of favor in return for not doing such an act again.

This would make an assumption that the individual has the mental capacity to perform such manipulated acts or willful self-harm and not mentally impaired or otherwise under such psychological state of mind that he or she can’t execute or plan such deliberate attempts to gain the attention desired. It would also make the assumption that staff assigned make routine or mandated unit checks within time frames that could in fact abort such a deliberate attempt to hang or cut themselves with the staff arriving and treating the injuries within time frames that makes the act survivable and successful as a manipulated attempt to control the environment by negative behaviors.

Individuals depending on staff making their rounds on time for a successful discovery and intervention is a high risk factor with staffing patterns sparse and sometimes critically low to begin with on each shift. Their desperate desire to have contact, human contact, interaction and perhaps even an confrontation, fulfills their desire to be getting the attention wanted and the physical chastisement that comes from these pernicious practices of attempting suicides for the purpose of being recognized and treated as a person in need and not a person neglected.

However, my theory is completely flawed and subject to harsh criticism when the individual possess a mental impairment or is medicated so heavily that they cannot design or device such a deliberate plan for attention and actually experience real suicidal ideations that are based on current psychosis experiences due to diagnostic conditions left untreated or neglected for numerous reasons explained later on in this document.

It is my own opinion that many suicide attempts or successful acts are based on a form of concentrated anxiety and inability to cope with the environment and the conditions of confinement imposed by either policy designed to restrain the individuals in chemical or mechanical restraints every time there is human contact justified for either an escort to the shower, recreation or a visit or appointment out of their cell. It is likely the relatively condoned routine of keeping them inside a small 8 x 10 cell for 22 hours a day is enough to trigger their psychosis and belief that there is no hope for change and this is how they are going to life for the rest of their lives or are so disconnected from reality they are in another state of mind and become unreasonable in behavior.

 From a former deputy warden and  layman’s viewpoint, this enough to drive any human being crazy and if that mindset has already been established in the past or history, it is easier to be pushed over the edge whether they want to or not, it is a last resort to express their humanity.

Hence we need to look at precipitating factors and zero in on cause and effect of these two categories of human beings locked away inside level 4 and 5 custody units. Since one is more on the behavioral scale and the other on the mentally impaired scale, it should be prioritized to address the two separately to ensure all conditions are met related to risks, tolerant levels, individual coping skills and predictability. Secondary, we need to establish therapeutic environments for both categories of behavioral and severely  mentally ill to ensure there are no cross- over treatment / program elements that can taint the treatment process and cause a negative impact on those severely ill housed with the behavioral prisoners that may in fact taunt the mentally impaired to commit suicide.

It is highly probable that the conditions of confinement are primary causes for prison suicides. Other than the initial crisis of facing long prison terms, there are other risks associated with this perspective of “doing time” that involve factors ranging from protection from predatory or gang associated individuals, ridicule or abuse [physical and sexual] by other prisoners and harassment or misunderstandings with staff assigned to supervisor them and ill trained to comprehend or manage severe mentally impaired behaviors causing conflicts and misunderstandings that often result in aggression or altercation justifying their placement in a higher custody level with or without treatment intervention from mental health providers aware of the misconduct.  This is an abbreviated list of coping problems but the point is clear and should be addressed in thorough training and awareness of those signs related to the mentally ill.

Another perspective from a prisoner’s viewpoint is the unquestioned lack of trust between the prisoner and the administration or correctional officers. Already dealing with their own crisis of being incarcerated and losing control of their freedoms, decision making and apparent control of daily activities and programs, they are also isolated or abandoned by family and significant others.

Hence their custodial requirements are squarely based on what is perceived to be a total authoritarian environment unresponsive to their own needs or desires as well as necessities and treatment needs.

Focusing on the dependence on an authoritarian environment or correctional officers working around them, the need to communicate is often impaired and ineffective. It has been my experience that it is these are the exact barriers that offer the prisoner a chance of survival or hope if removed and replaced with a culture that is unresponsive to their medical / psychological treatment and their practical incarcerated needs. In many cases, a prisoner may have told someone he or she had been thinking of suicide but the message is never clearly understood hampering intervention methods. Whether this was triggered by “bad news” or other instances, there are significant references that demonstrate the predictability of behaviors when such a risk or event triggers their depressed behavior that also includes shame and remorse regarding their crime when it hits them all at once.

Since this is the first link in communicating risks or changes in behaviors or thoughts, there is a distinct operational factor that plays into the formula for disaster as there are predetermined logistical and other support mechanisms absent in the higher custody units where these suicides are more prevalent and occurring at an alarming rate or frequency.  “They often suggest such behavior be ignored and not reinforced through intervention. In fact, it is not unusual for mental health professionals to resort to labeling, with inmates engaging in “deliberate self-harm” termed “manipulative” or “attention seeking,” and “truly suicidal” inmates seen as “serious” and “crying for help.”  (Haycock, 1989a)

Finally, this document will end on a note that is most discerning to those working on this problem. Inside Arizona prisons there are multiple offenders suffering from different levels of emotional imbalance that requires special attention. Arizona prison officials have determined [with the support of mental health staff] that the prisoner is not dangerous and simply attempting to manipulate his or her environment. This suggests that the correctional staff assigned there adapts or accept this manipulation game as a pre-condition to accepting a suicide watch and not pay attention to detail or specific behaviors that includes being distracted from their duties, leaving the suicide watch area and not making timely rounds as required by their post orders.  Perceiving the threat as not-real, they are complacent in mannerisms and duty.

Source:

National Institute of Corrections -Prison Suicide: An Overview and Guide to Prevention By Lindsay M. Hayes Project Director National Center on Institutions and Alternatives Mansfield, Massachusetts June 1995

Correctional Officer’s Closing Thoughts

Being a correctional officer is stressful all by itself. Making things more complicated than they already are makes it a tough job to do. Dealing with the negative impulses or impacts that surround them while on the job and giving them little peace of mind off the job. Thus they carry it with them 24 /7 without much relief or satisfaction resulting in early retirement, resignations or corruptive thinking. Corruption becomes a dirty word. It is everywhere you look whether you are inside of prison or outside. The politics related to these kind of corruptible behaviors trickles down from the top to the bottom and often results in working with assholes as supervisors or managers. It’s just the reality of the abusive environment but keeping it in the proper context is the most important decision you can make. It doesn’t have to be that way and you can change your own environment by not buying into the concept and staying on course to do your job.

Officers exposed to this negativity never feel comfortable and take up a defensive position that is often called paranoia. Every day is a challenge not to let the environment poison them. It doesn’t suit many hence the high turnover in this particular criminal justice field. It’s just a reality that prison work is not for everybody and some should think about getting out before it is too late and something bad happens to them. Those that can deal with negativity and stress will overcome these barriers and become good officers.

Learning the ropes at the Academy can be very frustrating. There are often two different messages told to you while learning the basics of corrections. There are instructors that tell you how to handle this job by the book and there are supervisors coming in to guest lecture and tell you to forget the book and do it another way. This mixed signal often created confusion and distorts the truth of how to really do your job as a correctional officer. The truth is when you graduate, the only skill you picked up at the Academy was to document and cover your ass [CYA] yourself as you will fear being criticized or ostracized for expressing or performing tasks contrary to expectations of supervisors and managers set on doing the job their way or the highway.

The moment you hit the line you find out that teamwork is just a word. The reality strikes you like a lock in a sock to the head and makes you realize that officers don’t stick together like it was preached at the Academy. Getting help is rare and being ridiculed is another way to crush your spirit as you focus on doing your job right but are hampered by those wanting you to do it their way. Some will say “get over it” and adjust your coping skills to get the job done.

Working with prisoners is a dangerous job and it must be recognized that this beat is one of the toughest in the criminal justice system. It would be better and safer if there were real team building concepts in place to ensure better staff safety and environmental concerns. Inmates would rather hurt themselves than strike out at a correctional officer but the same can’t be said of a fellow officer or supervisor taking care of business on a different level or motive.

 Because of this conflict, it is hard not to be disheartened as morale often strikes you down when there is no one there to pick you up. Don’t take this journey alone and find support with others that share you plight and remain positive in a most negative world.

Over the next few months you will experience two things for certain. You will begin to see if you are fit to work in such an environment and you will be witness to troubled occurrences where you will see or sense fellow officers bringing in contraband for the prisoners in those cases where they have been compromised by their behaviors or ethics. Watching cell phones, tobacco, drugs and other things come in will frustrate you and alienate you with some of the officers. You will need to find someone that works on your level and shares ethical and comparable performance levels that you take pride in and excel each time you do your job. It’s a survival tool you must engage in order to refrain from quitting.

Showing up for work will become harder as each day passes. You will work with individuals that abuse sick leave and show up for work under the influence of alcohol or not show up at all. You will also see the other side of some bad supervisors as they look the other way for their friends and stay away from the line where they could contribute and help but rather sit in their office and surf the internet as they chat or find columns that resemble Facebook or Twitter and do everything but work their eight as required. The good thing is not all supervisors are bad people and will help if you ask them.

You won’t feel safe and you will feel nobody will listen to your concerns as time whittles away your sleep and robs you of the energy needed to do a good job. Fatigue and complacency are your two worst enemies. This is exponentially complicated by stress and anxiety that won’t leave you alone. It leads you to finding cures in your own way and often results in abuse of alcohol, prescription drugs or other stimulants or downers not designed to keep your head clear for good decision making. You must always watched your back and the back of others because deep down inside you know some of your  coworkers were sleeping or playing on their cell phone or PlayStation smuggled in for personal entertainment.  The good news is that these misfits written about here are the minority and often put on “Shy” status meaning they are no longer part of the team and with time, they get fired for doing a poor job or breaking the law.

You will find pleasant redemption in the fact that approximately ten percent are lousy officers and assholes on the job but many of the ninety per cent are good and helpful correctional officers that will take the time to support your efforts while on shift and make the job easier. You just have to learn to keep things in perspective and apply your own morality and character to the environment to make it work for you.

The less you worry about those things you can’t change, the better you do your job and focus on those things that matter and keep you and others safe. Learning how to adapt, improvise and overcome will strengthen your character and make you an excellent correctional officer that in time will help others or mentor those in need for the same support you experienced when you came on board. Be Safe~

Correctional Officers - Stepping Up

Reading Peter Gruber's article “Managing Up” When Your Boss Has You Down” felt so right to copy and adapt for the purpose of guiding correctional employees on the right track for career development. It was loaded with great advice and the more I read into it, the more I saw a unique opportunity to apply his concepts to the correctional profession. In fact, it was hard not to write word for word as it was filled with reality checks inside a correctional operational and management setting. Hence I will try to deliver his message with a slight adaptation for the environment and challenges on this most difficult job of being a correctional officer working in a very negative environment.

First we must first most of us must admit that we love our jobs but we hate the way your job is being managed by your supervisors or administrators. Not wanting to quit your job there are some reasonable alternatives available to you to not only do your job but to excel in getting it done. Realizing you have alternatives is important for it give you the motivation you need to get up every day and go to work. As time goes by, you have adjusted well to the job and contributed to many core values that are important in the areas of public safety and staff safety.

We have all experienced the difficult bosses. Whether you are working with a boss that is a micro-manager, bully, clueless wonder or brown noser you must adjust your performance in order to successfully attain better career growth and opportunities. The first step in taking the positive direction is to realize that although you boss can make you miserable, you must identify this to be one of your own problems to address in order to get ahead and be successful. You have to adjust your relationship with your boss to endure the time and make significant career growth plans long the way while focusing on pay raises and other opportunities that come with successful career planning. The adjustment is easier than you may realize as the very first step you take is to emphasize your boss's job and responsibilities. Know how to walk in your bosses' shoes makes sure you are on the same ideology thought track and aligns their interest and goals the same as yours making you totally compatible to the organization as well as your boss. Being in harmony with these two elements assures your longevity and opportunities within the workplace. Therefore, to have empathy is the first key to successful planning and managing your career.

The second step is to learn the mission, the strategic goals and taking a proactive interest in how your boss wants or intents do accomplish this. This means your relationship with you boss must be one of sharing and communicating how he or she thinks or executes so that you can better understand the strategic objectives and manner of expectation this is realized to be accomplished.

Third you must take ownership and show you have a professional and personal interest in the “game” meaning you are committed to do your best to show your respect, maturity and willingness to demonstrate your commitment. Emulating your boss's favorite style of communicating is very important for it establishes a comfort level between you and your boss illustrating you are on board with the boss's preferable communication method whether it be email, phone, face to face etc.. Knowing how your boss operates is instrumental in being in tune with the systems in place and shows an attention to detail many bosses admire and respect. It also builds your reputation and makes you trustworthy of special assignments and other special duties. Peter Gruber states that “ The more you convey through your actions that you are trustworthy, the more confidence your manager will have in giving you greater responsibility and recognition. This means that you don’t just deliver problems, but solutions. This type of transparency deepens a trusting relationship.”

Corrections is a difficult job as it stands. Every bit of advice emulation or mentorship is essential in building your success. Reading, educating, training and understanding your job is important but getting along with your boss is very instrumental in your career success and career development that allows you to grow.

Source;

http://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20130509190459-101213441--managing-up-when-your-boss-has-you-down?trk=eml-mktg-condig-0108-p3

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!

5 rules to stay out of the courts video for correctional officers

training video with 5 simple rules