There is a very dangerous road in all corrections settings. This thoroughfare is known as Division Street.
It is not difficult to see that any prison or jail is very much like a city. The comparisons of services in either setting simply jump out at anyone who ponders this. There is a restaurant, a library, a police force, a medical center and housing units in each.
Let us delve a bit deeper. Some of the same street names surely exist in your city as do in a corrections setting. However, the street names in your city are actual while those in jails or prison don’t really exist. They are really models of behavior that we label in order to understand in a fuller manner. Read more…
joebouchard Self Scrutiny, Staff relations
Recently, Institutional Training Officer Mike Plourde, developed a module called “Con Games”. “Con Games” addresses some of the ruses and manipulation that may be executed on corrections staff. He paired that with Joe Bouchard’s module “Wake up and Smell the Contraband”, encompassing the whys and hows of illicit activities inside the walls of corrections facilities. Part of that module which deals with trepidation because of manipulation is presented here. 
Read more…
joebouchard Guest Author, Self Scrutiny, Staff relations, Training
Prior to entering corrections, I was a steel worker. Al (a.k.a. “The Dog”) was my supervisor. He taught me a lot about interpersonal relations and surviving in a sometimes difficult environment. He did not necessarily speak these lessons, as he was more action-oriented than a verbal sort.
Ultimately, I was surprised about the applicability of those lessons when I moved to corrections.
Often, I apply them to the nebulous and confusing art of dealing with difficult personalities. There is also applicability when I engage in the frequently arduous task of gaining a better understanding of myself. Read more…
joebouchard Assessing the organization, Inside Out, Self Scrutiny, Staff relations
H1N1, economic woes, and wars fill our minds. As a public, we have so much on our collective plates. Yet this stress has been the status quo for so long. Add those concerns to the daily duties of any corrections professional. As a matter of course, all corrections staff face the possibility of grievances, litigation and assaults. Daily interaction with those who, quite frankly, are not easy to deal with is also a major stressor.
Certainly, we seem resilient enough to deal with the many challenges on and off the job. However, there is ample evidence that suggests we endure a cumulative, crippling harm due to stress. Read more…
joebouchard Self Scrutiny, Training
It is here again. Happy Friday the 13th!!! We welcome you, day of superstition. We are not afraid. Well, most of us are not.
Friday the 13th comes and goes. On the face of it, the 13th is only a date between the 12th and 14th. Yet why does it represent a day of caution to many people? Read more…
joebouchard Inside Out, Self Scrutiny
The existence of contraband represents danger for all staff and prisoners in all facilities. This is the root of most corrections peril. The introduction of illicit goods in our institution facilitates escapes, compromises staff, and lowers morale to a dangerously low level. The existence of contraband also shatters the public’s perception of security.
This is how the problem of contraband impacts us all. There are so many problems that a contraband tracking committee could follow and help to mitigate. Read more…
joebouchard Contraband Control
Bloody battles!
Betrayals!
Broken treaties!
Sneak attacks!
Shifting alliances!
Vast tracts of territory under contention!
These are components of an empire on the rise. From the Athenians to the Mongols to the British, the rise and fall of empires have provided us many historical examples of how large domains develop.
When looking at groups in the work place, the common clique stands out as a fascinating and divisive example of how we treat each other. Upon further inspection, the rise and fall of cliques bears many resemblances to the rise and fall of empires.
Read more…
joebouchard Assessing the organization, Self Scrutiny, Staff relations
Think of the inexorably strong force of a whirl pool. If it has enough power, the vortex will pull anything from the surface of the water and plunge it beneath. It is inevitable that vacuums will be filled.
I don’t really know about the physics of black holes, tornadoes or any other sort of naturally occurring vacuum. But I have seen this in action in human interaction. Read more…
joebouchard Assessing the organization, Self Scrutiny, Staff relations
I sit nervously near the scene of the incident mere moments after it occurred. As I write these notes, I am amazed at how unprepared we were.
The event was unexpected and discomforting, leaving four people nervous, clumsy, full of adrenaline, and confused. Notions of comfort and safety were shattered in an instant. A presence had breached our safe zone.
It sounds like this is some sort of post mortem of a crime, terrorist act or some sort of calamity. However, the source of the trepidation was a single brown bat. Read more…
joebouchard What the...?!?
