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. 
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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
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.
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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
Developing our individual professionalism can seem endless. It is like climbing a very long stair case with no sight of the end.
What makes us do what we do on the job? Our performance rests on our personal professionalism. Read more…
joebouchard Self Scrutiny
Read the signs
Rain clouds usually mean rain. It is not illogical to suppose that we may get wet soon after we observe meteorological cues on the horizon. But do we always obey the signs?
How many times do we fail to see the obvious? Why do we think that we are above reading the signs? Ignoring helpful forewarnings is foolish, and often is the downfall of the complacent.
I just had a humbling experience. Read more…
joebouchard Self Scrutiny
There once was a big fish in a little tank. She had her fill of all food, eating first and as much as she wanted. Life was good for this particular fish, as she lorded over all that she saw. All of the other fish gave her plenty of room whenever she swam by. All creatures in her world respected and/or feared her.
Then one day – and without warning – the inevitable waves of change introduced a new fish to the tank. Read more…
joebouchard Assessing the organization, Self Scrutiny, Staff relations
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Super novas, nebula, dying stars, and comets are diverse and exciting parts of our awe-inspiring universe. Some are a flash of brilliant inspiration while others shine less brightly, but for longer durations. Still others emanate cryptic light, puzzling the viewer. The diverse beauty of all celestial sights inspire in different ways.
At any work place there is a veritable constellation of dissimilar sorts of stars. If you study our modes manners of operation, it brings exciting revelations, like looking at the firmament with a telescope for the first time. Read more…
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joebouchard Self Scrutiny, Staff relations
