CorrectionsOne Columnist Articles

Leadership as comfort

Joe Serio — Thu, 17 May 2012 05:37:37 UTC

By Joe Serio About a month ago, I arrived back home from an appointment. As I reached the third floor where I live, I could see some pieces of white paint chips scattered in front of the apartment door and the welcome mat was askew. For some reason, my first response was to chuckle to myself as if someone were playing a game with me. It was different, out of the ordinary, and unexpected. I have no idea ...

Contraband: Dangers in 'trash'

CorrectionsOne Members — Tue, 15 May 2012 16:38:45 UTC

A C1 member sent in this photo of what appears to be bits of trash. But if you inspect more closely, you can easily spot the hidden dangers. What do you see? They wrote, "From a corrections officer’s perspective; you should see in this picture: seven containers for drugs or tobacco, two blades, four tattoo needles, two screwdrivers and one cigarette lighter. What may appear to be ordinary ...

Why we incarcerate: Treatment

Dr. Bruce Bayley — Tue, 15 May 2012 00:59:24 UTC

By Dr. Bruce Bayley, Sean Franzen, Jerica Dahlberg Introduction In the second segment of this three part series, this article examines some of the research surrounding the primary reason we incarcerate those who violate our laws – treatment. Please keep in mind that these reviews are not position pieces, but simply an overview of the current research that addresses each topic. We are not supporting ...

Water intoxication and inmates: Signs to watch out for

Lorry Schoenly, PhD, RN, CCHP — Tue, 8 May 2012 20:56:40 UTC

Generally, you can’t get too much water. It hydrates cells and provides the basis for the body’s waste management and blood production. However, there are times when the hydration mechanism goes haywire and too much water overpowers the normal fluid balance in the body. Although this is rare, over hydration, sometimes called water intoxication, can happen and lead to a cascade of life-threatening ...

A view from the sidelines: Passive vs. active resistance

Gary T. Klugiewicz — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 13:54:13 UTC

This segment of "A View from the Sidelines" was generated by this e-mail by Sgt. Dominic Turner of the Door County, Wis. Sheriff’s Department. Although he is addressing his question on the justification of using force on an inmate based on Wisconsin training standards, his question has application to all correctional use-of-force situations. Remember that the purpose of the View from ...

Contraband in jails: 6 key questions

Joe Bouchard — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 03:21:06 UTC

Recently, I attended the Wisconsin Jail Association’s 2012 conference in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. The theme: “Keeping Everyone Safe." Consistent with that concept, I presented a four-hour seminar called “Wake up and Smell the Contraband." One of my goals was to impart the very important message that contraband control enhances safety in correctional facilities. At the conclusion ...

Public versus private corrections: Picking the winner

Charles Albino — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 13:52:31 UTC

Through the first three parts of this series I covered the creation and history of private corrections and gave voice to both the private corrections industry and to those in opposition of private corrections. As you would anticipate, the passions run fairly strong on both sides. Private corrections providers feel they have become a valuable component and contributor in the field of corrections, while ...

Forming partnerships in corrections

Cherrie Greco — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 13:41:36 UTC

Public and governmental agencies are well-known for operating in isolated, silo environments. The nature of the daily work and unique challenges often cause leaders to narrow their view of a problem, and not seek solutions beyond the internal, organizational culture. The bigger view, however, often reveals similar challenges among many agencies, often resulting in duplication of both human effort and ...

Is Calif.about to engage in a massive shift into less secure housing for life prisoners?

Bob Walsh — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 13:12:09 UTC

A group of academics recently put together a report which has just been released by CDCR. This report is entitled "Expert Panel Study of the Inmate Classification Score System." It has been widely reported in the media that the department is seriously considering implementing the recommendations of this panel. This report concludes that many of these Level IV prisoners could safely be housed ...

When officers cross the line

Laura E. Bedard, Ph.D. — Tue, 3 Apr 2012 05:10:42 UTC

When I read the recent article about the Rikers Island Correctional Officer who was sentenced for having sex with an inmate and brokering deals for drugs and cigarettes, I wasn’t surprised. Those of us who have been in the business for more than minute know that this kind of inappropriate behavior is far too common. I am sorry to say, I've seen many a good officer "get caught up" ...

MagShoe: Helping to reduce contraband in corrections

Robert Hood — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 21:53:36 UTC

American Airlines Flight 63, carrying 197 people from Paris to Miami was diverted to Boston on December 22, 2001, after Shoe Bomber Richard Reid tried to ignite his shoe filled with explosives. "At the end of the day, I know I did the actions," Reid said when entering his plea. "Basically I got on a plane with a bomb. Basically I tried to ignite it." He also said he did not recognize ...

Success with one is success with many

Gene Atherton — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 00:27:43 UTC

By Eugene AthertonI remember a promotional interview for Warden in our correctional system. I suggested that effective leaders encourage successful relationships among staff in order to achieve success. When asked how that could be done, I answered, "One relationship at time." Now, at the time I was not sure of the meaning of the statement. It sounded right…and I got the job.Since then ...

Corrections and evidence based practices: What does it mean?

Eric J. Williams — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 01:27:17 UTC

By Eric WilliamsEvidence Based Practices, or EBP, has become the new catch phrase in corrections. In its most pure form, it guides the decision-making process for corrections professionals in order to direct them to use academically-tested programs for dealing with staff and inmates. As an academic, I support cooperation between my community and the community of practitioners. As one who studies prison ...

Gang codes: Cracking an inmate's secret diary

Gary S Klivans — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 14:59:45 UTC

By Gary Klivans"Help! What does this message say?" This is the request that came with six pages of a suspected gang code that had been confiscated by the Tennessee Department of Correction and was forwarded to me through law enforcement channels. Two of the six pages are shown here. (See Illustration 1 & 2) Illustration 1 Illustration 2 As I examined the individual pages, I didn't see ...

Booze and babes: How to have a balanced home life

Barry Evert — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 17:51:34 UTC

By Sgt. Barry EvertI was once told the fastest way to lose your badge and home life was by partaking in the two B's: Booze and Babes. I have concentrated so much on officer issues I have left out the other half of the team: the spouses that support us quietly from the sidelines. I want to take the time to touch on the "two B's" from both an officer's perspective, and the perspective of an ...

Evidence-based practices: A question of morality?

Frank Domurad — Wed, 18 May 2011 21:02:58 UTC

In the summer of 2005, the National Institute of Justice held its annual research conference on crime and crime prevention. The topic that year was Evidence-Based Practices (EBP). At the first morning's plenary session, the large ballroom was packed with academics and practitioners waiting to hear the latest information from some of the world's most eminent scholars. Pens and pencils were poised to ...

Why you should be a better mentor

Chris Jones — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 22:13:24 UTC

By Chris JonesI have a number of good friends in the corrections business. Sometimes we sit around and discuss the career that we have dedicated ourselves to. We discuss the great things about corrections, and we also discuss the bad and ugly parts. One of the topics we discuss most is the way our brothers and sisters either support or, just as often, don’t support, their co-workers.In my last ...

Strong technique starts with a strong stance

Steven Benusa — Tue, 1 Mar 2011 18:10:04 UTC

By Steven BenusaWhen dealing with a highly-resistive or combative subject — whether you are trying to obtain control with empty hand skills or engaging the subject with a weapon — being able to maintain your base, keep your balance, and stay on your feet is critically important. A good stance is about much more than how far apart you keep your feet and being sure to bend your knees. A good ...

Strip search policies in jails

Marty Drapkin — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 23:33:52 UTC

By Marty DrapkinStrip searches are an important procedure in jails and prisons. They are an invaluable means of preventing introduction of contraband items, particularly weapons and drugs, into a facility. In recent years, strip searches in jails have been a focus of civil litigation and there have been several cases involving significant money damage awards or settlements.As with other critical elements ...

Officer-worn cameras expand point of view

the Office of Justice Programs' National Institute of Justice (NIJ) — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 22:52:26 UTC

From TechBeatWhile police departments have been using in-car cameras for years, body-worn cameras are gaining in popularity, either as an additional crime-fighting device or as a replacement for in-car, dash-mounted cameras, especially among departments trying to cut costs.Proponents of body-worn video cameras say they can increase transparency of operations and reduce litigation while resulting in ...

Examining the liability trends of custodial suicides

Dr. Darrell L. Ross — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 18:45:42 UTC

Introduction Given the diversity of the prisoner population in confinement facilities and their medical and psychological backgrounds, a death while incarcerated should not be unexpected, although a rare occurrence (Kelly and Linthicum, 2006; Raba, 1998; Rold, 1998; Ross, 2001). Some prisoners of this population periodically attempt or commit suicide while confined in a jail or police lockup, and/or ...

Budget cuts lead to closing of Oregon prison

CorrectionsOne Staff — Mon, 1 Nov 2010 21:07:23 UTC

SALEM, Ore. — A 176-bed minimum security facility in Salem, Oregon has been shuttered do to budget cuts, the Statesman Journal reports.The men’s minimum security prison first opened in 1964 as the state’s first women’s prison. The final 18 inmates imprisoned at the facility were moved to the adjacent Oregon State Penitentiary.The prison’s closing is part of a $2.5 million ...

The behavior we allow is the behavior we get

Joel Lashley — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 23:08:46 UTC

Why are some schools, jails, and emergency rooms more violent than others? Why are some sections of a prison more violent than others, even though the conditions are identical? It may have something to do with social contracts.No one would be shocked to see a fight in a tavern, at a major league baseball game, or even in an emergency room. But is there anything that could be done to lower the levels ...

Making your message stick: 7 tips for trainers and teachers

Dr. George Thompson — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 18:02:58 UTC

By Kathy Mangold Verbal Judo InstituteYou’re standing there, behind the podium, because you have an expertise to share. But can you make your audience learn, especially the ones in the back row? You know the ones, tipping back on their chairs, with their arms folded and eyes half-shut. That is the challenge for anyone who is a teacher or trainer. Adult learning is about adjusting your teaching ...

What is a corrections officer worth to the taxpayers? Part II

Doug Hooley — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 21:09:00 UTC

In the first part of this two-part article, we looked at why understanding the worth of a corrections officer to the taxpayers is of vital importance to the public, politicians, administration, and to officers themselves. We then took a broad look at a variety of ways — beyond paychecks — to literally place monetary value on what it is that correctional officers do for their communities ...

Leadership under fire: When admins become commanders

Russ Savage — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 21:31:07 UTC

It is often said that employees are the most valuable resource available to the correctional administrator. But the opposite is also true. The leadership qualities of administrators are the most valuable resource to their employees. The definition of a leader for me is more than skills and traits; rather, it is the interpersonal relationship that exists between the leader and the followers. That’s ...

Making a difference with 3 rules and Vince Lombardi

Rory Thelen — Tue, 6 Jul 2010 22:37:00 UTC

By Rory ThelenWhen people ask me what I do for a living, I give a pretty generic response. I tell them I work for the Wisconsin Department of Corrections and then tell them the capacity I am currently working in (as Security Director). Then they usually ask me, “What the heck for? Have you ever been in that spot? Have you ever really thought about it?” I believe we draw our motivation to ...

When states change the game, change gears

PacoVilla — Wed, 12 May 2010 23:22:18 UTC

As noted here, correctional staff at the Kern Valley State Prison in Calif. are planning a unique and imaginative job action: Set up a up a tent-city at their prison’s doorstep to demonstrate the hardships prison employees are enduring at their facility. It is encouraging to see state employees thinking outside the box. After all, the collective bargaining box was "blown up" years ago.It ...

Our slipping grip on supervision: Why released offenders keep coming back

Brad Drown — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 21:30:40 UTC

It�s been said that insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Just what are we expecting will happen this time as we increase probation and parole caseloads and purge prisons?

Sharing equipment: Our dirty little secret

Dave Young — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 20:07:48 UTC

There's a "dirty little secret" that law enforcement officers share but usually try to deny or hide from others. I’m talking about sharing of duty and/or training equipment. You know what I am talking about. We pass riot helmets, riot suits, and other gear back and forth without sanitizing them after use. The same goes for training equipment. We pass headgear, protective suits, and hand ...

Successful steps to a career in correctional leadership

Cpl. Warren E. Price — Tue, 9 Mar 2010 22:34:00 UTC

How building strong professional relationships can help you achieve career goals

Speed, power, and repetition: Successful physical skills training

Capt. Perry Mendenall — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 23:09:11 UTC

I don�t fear the man who knows 10,000 techniques, but rather the man who practices one technique 10,000 times."

The correctional officer fast track to the E.R.

John Stanley — Tue, 2 Feb 2010 21:51:27 UTC

Every rookie officer knows that their chances of being home for the holidays are remote. Unless, of course, you get your face busted up on Christmas Eve

Playing offense: Contraband phones as a tool not a threat

Bill Teel — Wed, 5 Aug 2009 15:32:40 UTC

What if we could use contraband phones against them?

This article looks at how the field of mobile device forensics could use contraband phones to solve crimes

Why cell phone jamming alone won't win this war

Terry L. Bittner — Wed, 5 Aug 2009 15:30:43 UTC

The growing problem of cell phones in prisons is one of the most alarming issues in modern criminal justice.

The trouble, however, is that signal jamming simply isn�t the long-term answer

A guide to personal survival basics, Part 2: Countermeasures

John D. Williams — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 19:39:37 UTC

By John Williams, LASD
Understanding your strengths and your opponent's weakness are crucial to success. There are many elaborate systems of defensive techniques involving complicated wrist locks, holds, and such. But for officers with limited practice time and physical skill, what's offered next is much more practical for situations where you are a victim of a surprise assault.

Keeping the 'God Complex' at bay

Tracy Barnhart — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 20:21:19 UTC

Sometimes when I read headlines from the world of corrections in a local newspaper, I’ll think to myself, What drives an officer to use force excessively or unnecessarily? I remember when I was young talking to my grandfather about life during the Great Depression. These discussions were fascinating, but one particular story stuck with me. Back then, whenever a man came and knocked on the door ...

Are we breeding a police culture of “additional victims?”

Charles Remsberg — Sun, 22 Oct 2006 21:48:13 UTC

Part 1 of a 2-part series By Chuck Remsberg Senior PoliceOne.com Contributor Sponsored by Blauer Law enforcement agencies "should build a police culture that accepts, validates and rewards a fighting spirit." Instead too many are creating "additional victims," hesitant officers who shy from using deadly force when it�s legal and urgently needed. The result: "Some officers today are more afraid of being ...

The Deadly Moment: Lessons learned in one of the nation's deadliest prisoner escapes

Joseph Garcia — Tue, 22 Mar 2005 07:00:00 UTC

After his deadly rampage and escape and an extensive manhunt, Brian Nichols surrendered to police on March 12. Nichols is accused of killing a judge and three other people in Atlanta. Law enforcement officers can learn a great deal from the events that led to Nichols' escape and his subsequent apprehension. By addressing the issues and tactics that courtroom officials and CERT operators can take to ...