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There are moments in one’s life that are AH! moments. That is to say, we take a quick second to look around and see that everything is in place and that all plans have come together in a harmonious intermingling. You know, AH!
While in Nashville at ACA last week, I was presenting “You Animal! An anthropomorphic look at staff relations in corrections”. Just as the crowd settled in, I had the AH! moment. Read more…
zabranskya on 08/13/2009:
I really liked this article. Good job Joe~
Thanks so much. I am pleased that you liked it. And the very first paragraph was is based on true events. It is funny how a tiny gnat in the perfect cup o’ joe can point to life and vocational lessons. You may also enjoy “lurking beneath the surface II – The Cure
Author’s note: The term “rat” has connotations of snitching and telling on others. For the purposes of this essay, rat is not used in that particular sense.
What a mess! They scrambled, jockeyed, and positioned themselves for the best pickings. It was a veritable grab for the best positions. Cynically speaking, ambition sometimes leaves us looking like starving rats at a buffet – driven by maddening avarice and hunger.
Imagine that the buffet is a metaphor for resources. Read more…
In part I of lurking beneath the surface we asked the question “Are things always as they seem?” The appearance of superficial surprises can mask horrifying dangers. There often is something lurking beneath the surface. Some of these unobtrusive menaces are our own mistakes, outside changes, contraband, staff division, and prisoner uprisings. The perfect cup of coffee is perfect only as long as one does not find a dead insect floating on the surface.
What we do to cope with these things? How can we combat the danger of the shark that surfaces on hitherto placid water? Read more…
Welcome back, Swine Flu! It has been a while.
I have to honestly say that I am not happy to see you again. You caused quite a stir last time. When we last met, you were introduced as a formidable foe. Everyone was talking about you. Everyone was worried. The nightly news continually featured statistics and a map of your impact. Read more…
AH! It could not have been more perfect. Without a doubt that was the best cappuccino that I have ever had. The texture, the taste, the aroma, it was all optimal. Little did I know that floating in a cavalier manner on my dream drink was a gnat. So much for perfection!
So often, we are absorbed by the rightness of a moment only to find some flaw that totally alters our perceptions of wellbeing. It is true that we corrections professionals are trained to look beyond what we see with the naked eye. Still, we are human and we can be fooled.
Are things always as they seem? The appearance of superficial surprises can suggest horrifying dangers. There often is something lurking beneath the surface. Read more…
Dear Reader:
The following is not directly related to corrections. In fact, it has to do with the mechanics of Foundations. There are some minor changes that I made and I did them with the Reader in mind
What I did was trisect my lumbering bibliography. What was once a huge, cumbersome document is now split into three:
2000-2004 Bibliography
2005-2008 Bibliography
2009-Present Bibliography.
I was thinking that the old bibliography, a document ten years in the making, was much more difficult to use than it had to be. It was almost like an over-indulgent drum solo in some hard rock show. Sure, the drummer is entertaining. But we would more likely enjoy the artistry of said drummer in smaller, more digestible bites.
So please peruse the bibs. Take advantage of the easier format. See what I have written over the years. And if I have not said so recently, thanks so much for reading Foundations and other Joe Bouchard works. I truly appreciate it.
Joe
Chances are you will hear swearing every single day while you work in corrections. To most, it is not unusual. In fact, it is as normal part of the job as a burn is to a fry cook. But profanity can polarize staff and cause bigger problems than initially suspected.
Before I go on, I must issue a few disclaimers.
None of this is a personal crusade on my part that seeks to control language. This is not an attempt at suppression. Rather, I believe that this is a topic that should be considered for our overall collective benefit. Read more…
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Self Scrutiny, Staff relations
Things are not always as they seem. This was proven to me last week.
The classroom that I needed to use was locked. It was easy enough to locate someone with a key. I found the custodian in a room talking to someone who was not visible to my eyes. Further investigation revealed that she was conversing with a large, blue-green parrot in a cage. Read more…
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Inside Out, Self Scrutiny, What the...?!?
One does not have to be a farmer to grasp this fact: It is not easy to grow crops. Often the cultivator is at the mercy of the environment. But even in good years, the wise farmer will apply the proper measure of sun, water, weeding and fertilizer. Those who let nature take its course will usually gather a lesser harvest.
“Nip it in the bud” is a phrase that comes to us from our agricultural history. It is used in modern terminology to describe how one should tend to a potentially bad situation before it grows unmanageably large and wild.
Avoidance management happens frequently and in many forms. It comes from any combination of interactions. Avoidance management happens between staff, involving prisoner interactions, and from staff to prisoner. Read more…
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Assessing the organization, Staff relations