Foundations

This past week in Nashville, Tennessee, the International Association of Correctional Training Personnel held its annual conference. This is a collection of correctional trainers from all over the nation – and the world – who meet annually and share modules, techniques, and tactics for the very important job of educating corrections professionals.

Though the scope is international, I was not aware of IACTP until about seven years ago. Bill Hudson, former IACTP board member and corrections training head for Michigan, advised me of this Association. On his recommendation, I attended my first IACTP conference in 2005.

I admit that I was apprehensive prior to the meeting. Although I work under the larger umbrella of corrections, my sub profession is that of a prison librarian. And though I am an adjunct instructor of corrections for a community college, I went to the first conference with a self-imposed inferiority complex. At the risk of self analyzing, I wondered how a prison librarian who teaches part-time would fit in with veteran corrections trainers.

My self-doubt was quickly put to rest by the friendliness of this group. There was a great vibe of inclusion and curiosity about new members. And I witnessed a healthy intermingling of groups – not at all a clique-laden proposition.

It seems to me that IACTP attracts a creative and extroverted type. To be certain, there is a bell shaped curve of personalities. From the shy to the gregarious, IACTP runs the gamut. But even the quiet members seem to have talents and drawn out of them during training sessions. It is the mixing of various specialties in getting goals accomplished seems almost magical to me.

In addition, I attended many programs with different presenters. This allowed me to view a variety of techniques and tactics in teaching adults. One presenter was able to reel in a group of enthusiastic and gregarious participants/trainers with a soft voice and finger chimes. Another wielded a slideshow of dogs set to music during intermission. This was a creative and effective way for her to entertain the crowd while arranging her notes and getting a drink of water. A third dropped funny, self-deprecating lines that were not only amusing – they also buttressed his points.

IACTP is not just about teaching techniques. The Association also features presentations of great varieties. A few among them are: working with an intergenerational workforce, writing in corrections, professionalism, icebreakers for staff relation modules, avoiding set-ups, copyright concerns, and legal issues.

As a prison librarian, I can relate to the working conditions of your average institutional training officer. This is a person who is the only one of a kind in an institution. There may be training sergeants, for example. However one person is usually responsible for the training in a facility. Because of this, the problem professional isolation is not far away. But this is rectified through the IACTP network and through the annual conference. The training world is brought closer together the quarterly journal The Correctional Trainer.

There are lots of corrections organizations in the field. And though the scope and size varies, I have always felt that home at a corrections conference. Quite simply, this is a place for professionals to gain new ideas, enjoy professional camaraderie, and relate to others about the stress of the profession. However, of all of the conferences I have attended, I am most at home with IACTP. If anything, this Association has taught me the power of individual initiative and the benefits of pooling talents. I hope that Nashville was successful and enjoyable for all who attended.

For more information on IACTP, please check out www.IACTP.org.

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joebouchard Dear Reader

There’s nothing quite like a clear, starry night to make most people feel small and insignificant. The overwhelming size and complexity of the universe can pull routine thinking into a different mode. In other words, it is all about perspective.

Contemplating the cosmos relative to our own existence is one way to gain perspective. A more down to earth way, if you excuse the pun, is to ponder the many complexities of all operations as compared to your own area of responsibility.

Considering operations in the prison, it behooves us to maintain a broad perspective. It is often a matter of seeing how your work assignment fits into the larger picture. Here are some concepts that help achieve this:

Structure – Operations should flow with regularity. Schedules should be easy to remember. The rhythm of movement is like a heartbeat and circulation system. Almost all staff and prisoners like structure.

Flexibility – General operation should have a structure – but not a rigid one. There should be enough flex to accommodate deviations to the schedule. And aberrations are common enough. Some things that thwart activities starting on the dot are: fights and assaults, mistakes in meal preparation, equipment failure, weather events, and mobilizations.

Judicious corrections – Sometimes, circumstances call for radical rearrangements and rescheduling. However, as adjustments occur with staff and prisoners, we must be careful as we evaluate each new paradigm. Tweaking the schedules as necessary is important to do. But this should not be an exercise in wholesale reconstruction with many architects of varying opinions. Ideally, opinions can flow to a centralized location so unilateral, unfiltered modifications do not happen.

Interconnectedness – Usually, a new way of operating leaves us with a Rubik’s cube. When one thing is moved, there are visible ramifications that seem to further complicate the puzzle. Because of the interconnectedness of time, the intricacies of timing and the scarcity of resources, one little change can derail what was originally conceived as a smooth running operation.

Safety – Our mission statement place high priority on safety for staff, offenders, and the public. All considerations of operation should have this as a cornerstone.

Patience – A change in operations can be a stressful event for both staff and prisoners. But, time is a great equalizer. Often, we simply need more time to absorb the new changes. This is particularly true if the change supplanted an old, long-term paradigm.

I remember a lesson on perspective from my childhood. When my cousin and I were children, each of us thought that the full moon followed us. To test this, we stood back to back one night. As we walked in different directions, the moon appeared to follow each of the beholders. We both thought that the other was wrong and lying. Thus, an argument ensued. Realistically, change is not always unanimously agreed upon. It is not always welcome and is not always easy. But, larger perspective helps to make it easier and a little more welcome.

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joebouchard Assessing the organization, Staff relations, Training

I have lived in a heavily wooded area for nearly 2 decades now. I had no idea that I would eventually be able to identify a bobcat by sound. Still, I am no expert tracker. I do not read the signs of nature such as paw prints or broken twigs as well as others.

Inside of a prison is a different story. There is human psychology behind each movement and action. Some of it is unintentional. Other times, a clue is left as a ruse.

Recently, I noticed something that gave me reason to consider signs. There was a recent upswing of interest in a particular section of the library. That interest had not been there before. Suddenly, there were three or four prisoners gather around the section of shelves. Invariably, one of the prisoners crouched and looked at the right side of the middle shelf. Why the sudden interest?

Four different ideas occur to me.

Valid interests – Perhaps a news story or newly released movie sparked interest in the subject area on the library shelf. I had seen the rise and fantasy books with each Lord of the Rings movie that came out in the early part of last decade. The congregation around a specific area of interest is possible given media attention.

Social – Maybe the area of congregation just happened to be where a social group got together to exchange salutations. It was certainly not disruptive. So I just watched and pondered the possibilities.

Diversion – It is possible that these prisoners (in collusion with others) got together to focus my attention towards them rather than at another place in the room. While looking at the West end of the room, something could’ve been happening at the East hallway. Using ceiling mirrors and direct observation, I saw nothing out the ordinary.

Blocking – The last possibility that occurred to me is that something was going on in the area where the prisoners were gathered. I saw no weapons. There did not appear to be any sexual activity. The facial expressions did not look to tense. Yet it seemed to me for some reason that something was going on. The feeling had no immediate justifications.

I waited until the library was clear of prisoners and searched the shelf. I discovered a metal piece of shelf measuring 2″ x 1″. It was moved away from the wall a bit, like a little tab. In other words, someone was trying to work the metal. True, a 1″ x 2″ rectangle of metal might seem like a small threat. Still, I imagined it affixed to a melted toothbrush handle. When done correctly, that would be a formidable weapon.

In a way, I was missing the forest for the trees. While I thoroughly searched the books, I forgot about the shelves themselves. It was only by accident I found the metal, as it was in a hard place to see.

Ultimately, this gave me another place to look during routine searches. As a postscript, the metal was adhered to the wall with a rivet. Now I see the signs of who might continue to frequent the area and what their facial expressions may be.

I know the growth patterns of trees and altered flight paths of birds can possibly mean something. I do not know what these events mean however. I’m aware that with nature, there’s no intentional deception. But when we read the signs in human action and interacting there may be a ruse.

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joebouchard Contraband Control

There was once a high-low driver who enjoyed her job very much. She did her job well. On her forklift she was an artist on the move. As she hauled heavy loads from tangled piles to precarious points, she and her high-low personified poetry in motion.

She manipulate machine like a well-practiced violinist plays. The high-low was her instrument. Among her skills were her muscle memory and knowledge of the machine’s capabilities. She knew its quirks and its power. Above all, she knew the layout of the shop floor. To say that she could navigate blindfolded on the shop floor was not an understatement.

Little did she know that the way she had operated for years was about the change. First, in an effort to economize, the layout of the shop was reconfigured. The routes on which she effortlessly maneuvered her forklift were in no way like they had been.

Also, the older but comfortable forklift was replaced by a smaller one. She was rendered completely ham-handed because the controls were different than her well seasoned forklift. The play on the steering wheel and brake pedal were so different from what she was used to, she wondered if she would ever adjust.

In anticipation of change, she was given some new driver training. At first, she thought that this would be beneficial. After all, she had a new machine to acclimate to. But the trainer was unsure and gave contradicting orders while monitoring the practicum. She found that because of the tight controls and nervousness of the trainer, there was too much overcorrection as she drove.

In a word, the training was nerve-racking. She was, in effect, unlearning the finesse and pathways that she developed employed for nearly 2 decades. Matters were made worse by the many subsequent changes to the layout of shop floor. It seems that once the new configuration was in place, no one could go without suggesting a change.

She learned that the only constant in her work life was change itself. The anxiety of the ever morphing paradigms and are continually retooled skills led into her life home. She became irritable and unpleasant, contrary to her vivacious and gregarious attitude.

One day, she was moving an expensive load. It seemed rather well-balanced on the skids. However, her feeling of equilibrium was displaced by the trainer who yelled instructions contrary to her movements. Because of an over-correction that she made, the high-low lurched. Four things happened:

1. The load fell to the cement floor, breaking all the specialized, expensive parts.
2. During a second of panic, she collided with a support column. The shoddy, little new forklift, far from being the heavy metal model that she was still used to, was now out of commission.
3. She fell during the collision and landed wrong. Trying to brace her fall, she broke her left wrist. Adding insult to this injury, her left hand was her dominant hand.
4. She felt that she was suddenly useless at something which she did so well for so many years.

The high-low driver was hit with many changes from the different angles. Her old, familiar fork lift – her critical tool – was replaced by something unfamiliar and of a light duty design. It is almost like when staff are thrown blind into a new computer system with no instruction. Her training was not comfortable. The map of the workplace was literally transformed into something alien – sometimes changed twice a week.

Of course, in uncertain economic times, change is more likely to occur. There’s no question that this causes stress, especially in an anxiety prone vocation such as corrections. How do we lower the stress and increase safety in the meantime? Here are some things for all of us to reflect on during tumultuous times.

• Immediate change may be necessary. But it takes time for prisoners and staff to absorb these changes.
• Old habits die hard. Long-term, engraved task patterns are hard to undo.
• Shortcuts can make long delays.
• Patient and well-conceived training will go a long way in fostering the success of new changes.
• Safety is always the most important component in corrections.
• When suggestions for change are sought, some may forward ideas in order to make a mark on the process. The suggestion may be based on ego rather than the benefit of overall operations.
• Anxiety is common in times of uncertainty. It is up to the individual to refrain from adding to it.

There were so many dimensions to change. In the end, we are all small parts to large, interconnected whole programs and safety machine. Change is not comfortable – but it is inevitable. Because of this, we must cope in the best way possible.

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joebouchard Assessing the organization, Self Scrutiny, Staff relations

I don’t have the figures on this. In fact, I doubt that they even exist. I do wonder, however, how many people in one hundred would look up when you tell them that someone painted the word gullible on the ceiling.

Two questions arise when this point is applied to corrections.

1. What are the dynamics that come from staff who are naturally trusting and who believe most of what they are told?
2. What are the limits of staff jokes?

Staff dynamics and the trusting type – Please note that I am using the word trusting rather than gullible. The former is probably more applicable in most cases. The latter can only be used in a pejorative sense.

We all enter the corrections profession with our own personalities. Experience, training, and interactions with colleagues and prisoners temper our individual outlooks. Some of us come in as very trusting. Then we are trained in how to avoid manipulation. We eventually see examples of how unchecked facts and assumptions place us in embarrassing situations and also in peril. In other words, some of the trust gets knocked out of most of us.

In many cases, we develop and maintain a good sense of humor. We learn that jokes will happen and that they are not always a big deal.

Still, there are some trusting colleagues who take an extreme stance on reimaging their reputation. Often, these are staff who are burned by the jokes and lies of others too often. They go from over-trusting to meticulously double-checking and triple-checking all that they hear from staff and prisoners. In this extreme, paranoia is not far away. Benevolent staff may guide this type to a more moderate stance. Less scrupulous staff may make sport of this staff member.

Prisoners who would endeavor to manipulate may detect these types and target them. In these cases especially, members of team corrections must refrain from disenfranchising colleagues. Otherwise, compromised staff become puppets to manipulative offenders.

Limits of staff jokes – There is no specific answer for the question of “What is the lower limit of staff jokes?” It varies from work place to workplace. Some institutions may be naturally laid back while others are strictly business. One will even find variations between shifts in the same jail or prison.

There are so many factors to take into account. Some of them are:
• Facility history
• Agency’s emphasis on the harassment and discrimination policy
• General sense of humor of staff
• Interactions of key members of staff
• Tone of the current administration
Even if one believes he or she has a working knowledge of all of the above, it is not fool proof. Any variable can set a simple joke into a bitter war with collateral damage. Even if a colleague plays on the trusting nature of another in the spirit of breaking tension, it may not end well.

Perhaps the best advice, quite simply, is to act professionally. When in doubt about a joke, don’t do it. Besides, the humiliation of a colleague will last much longer than a cheap, quick laugh.

So, in consideration of all of this, who is it that we should trust? The answer is that we have to trust one another. There will always be over-trusting staff and there will always be those who test their patience with “humor”. Through it all, we have to remember that prisoners and staff watch these interactions.

One of my colleagues from a Louisiana Jail offered this maxim:
“Don’t believe everything that everyone says. But, don’t stop listening.” In an environment such as corrections where things are not always as they seem on the surface, this is sound advice.

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joebouchard Staff relations

Buckle up! It may be a bumpy ride! Our destination is Change.

A drive down a street is not necessarily the same experience for all. Imagine that we are traveling to a destination called Change. Some will want to drive full steam ahead, anxious for some new scenery. Others will dig their fingernails deep into the upholstery, resistant to the new paradigm. Between those two extremes is where most of us lie, cautiously apprehensive – but not necessarily full of trepidation.

It is amazing how the same journey can evoke different emotions.

Still, not all drives down the road to change are the same. Sometimes there are quick, difficult curves to negotiate. At other times the road is direct and unwavering. And the speed at which circumstances forces us to travel is often indifferent if the road is straight or convoluted. We might anticipate bumps and potholes and find none. Conversely, a well-plotted path may prove unexpectedly perilous. One never knows.

There are so many dimensions to the concept of change. Many books have been written on the topic. Here some just a few thoughts about change:

• Change is uncomfortable. In much the same way that a twisted road or fast acceleration in a car can bring on motion sickness, with change we feel vulnerable from the speed of events. But just because this is so, does not mean that we should not take a walk around the concept change from time to time. In fact, in times of economic uncertainty when everything is on the table, it behooves us to assess modified operations.

• Some people look at the changes only in their immediate area. Others have the ability to view the wider panorama. Operations are interconnected. A small ripple in one area may magically develop into large waves elsewhere.

• Often, change requires time for staff and prisoners to adjust. For example, if newly implemented changes do not appear to be running smoothly on day one or day two, this is not cause to rally for a complete overhaul. Rather, it is a time to make notes and to plan for possible modifications at a later date.

• A calm demeanor of staff while speaking to prisoners during times of change is crucial. Prisoners will look to staff for cues about how the change is progressing. If staff seemed tense, prisoners may become tense. If staff appear to lose faith in the leadership, prisoners may do the same. And that makes conditions conducive for tumultuous events in any facility.

• WIIFM or what’s in it for me is something that we all seek during times of change. Of course not everything is entirely bad. And even with radical changes, we may be able to find some benefit in it all.

• Some people actually enjoy change. They may become bored easily and want to experience different operations. Change for the sake of change is not necessarily done for the correct reason – ensuring smoother operations.

Years ago, one of my friends and colleagues stated, “I don’t mind change as long as I can control it.” She said this in a wry, sarcastic manner. From what I remember about her professionalism, she took the larger view and considered the mission statement of the agency. Despite her tongue-in-cheek admission about how things may not stay the same and how little control we may have over them, she was a realist. No matter how much change is uncomfortable, it is something that we face time to time.

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joebouchard Assessing the organization, Security, Self Scrutiny, Staff relations

Once upon a time, it seems, that a common sentiment in corrections was, “Technology be damned!” However, two factors have made this exclamation as archaic as an eight track tape player. First, technological innovations have come rapidly and with great utility. In other words, the world is forcing us to adapt as a profession. Second, these innovations ultimately can save money. And this is important especially in times of economic uncertainty.

I am not condemning corrections as atavistic. Things have changed and corrections staff are not tied to the old ways. You are a case in point, if you are reading this online. This is a document that was created without paper and through electronic means. Certainly, later incarnations may be passed in paper form. But the first corrections professionals to read this do so on-screen.

Technology is neither a panacea nor a pariah. As with most things, there are benefits and there are pitfalls.

Now, let us consider electronic storage. Many prison law libraries are planning to utilize the technological magic of electronic storage. If done right, this can save a considerable amount of money over current print systems.

Is the general library next? Consider that today’s price of an electronic book reader is around $100 and falling. Just a few years ago the price was quadruple. Companies may offer versions pre-loaded with a variety of books at a reasonable price. Perhaps it is not a stretch to say that it will be possible to outfit an individual with a book with a small library at a reasonable cost. And it is a matter of agencies delimiting the collection through a restricted publications list as outlined per policy directives and operating procedures.

This will help with security. Consider the current policy where a prisoner is perhaps allowed 25 books in his or her possession. Think of all of the places that one could hide dangerous contraband. However, an inexpensive, preloaded electronic book reader nullifies this. There would be fewer opportunities to pass or hide things when one has a self-contained library.

The electronic storage of music illustrates the speed of innovation. Agencies jumped right past the CD from the cassette tape to the MP3 player. The danger is diminished in two ways. Obviously, the CD is no longer an issue or a possible weapon. Secondly the MP3 player offers a smaller number of options for concealing contraband. There are even fewer places to hide things than in the common cassette tape player. Agencies are developing a manner of how prisoners purchase and store music. This can be applied to electronic book collections.

Does miniaturization of electronics make the lives of corrections professionals instantly better without hazard? Not entirely. In fact the rise of the cell phone as contraband is evidence that technology is a two edge sword. Cell phones are evolving to become smaller and more useful. Therefore, huge amounts of information can be stored on these devices.

Agencies and their staff must stay ahead of the technological curve by setting and knowing the limits on each device. Unless electronic book readers and MP3s are monitored and sufficiently tailored toward safety, fears of electronic storage and transmitting information apply. These must be devoid of recording, filming, and wireless capacities.

The need is great to foolproof each device through testing and research. In other words, there’s nothing like tinkering with a complementary display device offered by companies. I believe that it behooves agencies to permit staff to trouble shoot these devises prior to wide implementation.

Of course, the new frontier of technology is really just building off of advances from the past. In other words it’s not like going from an arctic setting to a tropical coastline in one step. There are graduations. With that in mind, basic vigilance, corrections experience, and technological prowess in staff is a good combination for security. In the end, old tricks remain and new tricks are created. All the gadgets in the world are worthless without staff watchfulness.

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joebouchard Security, Training

The cards seem stacked against me that day. Not only was Monday, but I was also scheduled to get a flu shot. I realize that a quick second of discomfort outweighs the potential of long-term upper respiratory misery. Still, it was early on a Monday morning and that hold its own challenge.

I did not see this coming. After the shot, I was offered a homemade oatmeal raisin cookie. It was delicious. And that unexpected courtesy instantly changed my outlook on the day. Maybe Mondays are over touted as the worst day of the week.

I cannot help to wonder about the possible positive impacts of a small act of kindness at work. Like the concept of “pay forward”, any courtesy can spin into many benefits – sometimes unpredictable. Among them are:
1. Increased camaraderie
2. Improved outlooks and positive attitudes
3. Reciprocal kind acts
4. The feeling of community that ultimately increases safety.
Of course, we are very careful in corrections. When a good deed is done to us, we might cynically ask what is in it for the person who performs a good deed. We ponder the motive rather than enjoy goodwill.

However, that sort of cynicism is detrimental for staff unity. It’s unfortunate that questions of indebtedness will often arise. Yet, that is the reality of the work environment in corrections.

Favors of all shapes and sizes should not automatically fall in the crosshairs of scrutiny. If our difficult to defuse skepticism cannot be turned down, then it can be softened. For example, rather than question the motive, one might assess if the person is normally the giving type. If so, then suspicions can be laid to rest. If not, then there may or may not be something afoot.

Here are some random thoughts about courtesies in corrections:
• People often use the phrase “no good deed goes unpunished”. That’s just an expression. It is not an inevitable occurrence.
• In corrections, we work with the job that quickly squelches any optimism. Unsolicited good will between colleagues keeps alive this rare commodity of positive thoughts.
• Most people eventually will shed skepticism over good deeds.
• Some colleagues, however, will never accept kindness at face value. They are few and far between. Their existence should be acknowledged though not validated. Still, they should not be ostracized, as this contributes to staff division.
• On the other side of the coin, some people are validated by excelling in giving. Unfortunately, this may become an annoyance to most. As in anything, balance is necessary.
• Sometimes, good deeds are sabotaged by jealousy. In some cases, the saboteur may not be stealthy, wishing for any type of attention – even if it is negative.
• Forced courtesy is of no value. One of the gifts that we often gain in this vocation is the ability to assess real and feigned actions. Therefore, it behooves us to avoid ruses dressed in nice deeds.
• Competitive courtesy it is another version of staff division. It is not unheard of for two staff to battle for the title of the nicest person in the facility. This breeds contempt and fosters division.
• All of us have a job to do. Courtesy is nice. However, in excess, it can obscure the job at hand. It is safe, for example, to hold the door for a colleague in the distance when prisoner traffic may pose a hazard? Safety first.
• Above all, follow policy. All random acts of kindness should be done within the bounds of policy and procedure. For example, distribution of candy canes in late December is nice. But is it sanctioned by the facility? Is it safe if one of the candy canes becomes missing and is later sharpened to be used as a weapon?

I once saw friend of mine perform an unexpected favor at the Mackinac Bridge toll booth. The Mackinac Bridge is the five-mile span that connects the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. He paid his own toll to cross into Lower Michigan and also gave toll for the person behind them. In the middle of this four-lane bridge, a car pulled up to our car and waved to my friend in gratitude.

I do realize that what happened at the toll booth in St. Ignace, Michigan is not some earth-shattering, unprecedented act of benevolence. Still, it is clear to me that it is sometimes the little things that fuel good days. This is neither childlike nor naïve to appreciate an unexpected homemade cookie. It is human nature.

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joebouchard Assessing the organization, Self Scrutiny, Staff relations, Uncategorized

Most corrections professionals know that there should be a judicious balance between security and providing programming. Without programs such as chapel, work assignments, and recreation, institutions would be harder to manage. Programming provides useful activities that offer intellectual, physical, emotional and spiritual growth for offenders.

Naturally, there are many instances of abuse of these programs. It is realistic to assume that not all who attend a program will adhere to the rules, play fair or even use the program for its intended purpose. Realistic corrections professionals know this and can minimize the damage done by programs abusers by administering the proper verbal reprimands or misconduct reports.

Programs professionals have the duty to maintain a safe program. This improves the program for those who wish to use it for legitimate purposes. But we realize that the world is not perfect and there are schemers in the prison population.

A key program is the law library. And the irony of a corrections agency providing resources to bring suit to corrections officials is often thrown at the civilian library staff by colleagues. Still, whether one agrees or not, there are constitutional rights to remember. And our best defenses against litigation are adherence to policy, professionalism, and good documentation.

Despite naysayers, the law library does offer positive points. Here are some of them:

Canary in the mine – Problems of any institution come to light when under the grievance procedure or litigation. The products of the library actually act as an indicator of problems. This is a repository for policies and procedures. And when deficiencies come to light, those can be remedied for the benefit of all.

Pressure relief – Law libraries also serve as a pressure release valve. Staff are safer when prisoners use legal rather than violent means to solve problems. Tensions are often diminished when offenders are productively engaged in research.

Legal remedies – Law libraries allow access for convicted persons to address conditions of confinement and seek post conviction remedies. We must remember that not all offenders are necessarily guilty of all charges.

The benefits of law libraries are certainly hard to deny. And like all programs, the law library is part of a complex system that makes an institution.

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joebouchard Security

Later this year, I will be publishing Icebreakers III. This is the 3rd in a series of corrections training books that I have written. Icebreakers III is produced and distributed by The International Association of Correctional Training Personnel (IACTP – www.iactp.org). Here is one of the classroom exercises that will be featured.

I believe that training in hands-on contraband control is essential for the safety of staff, offenders and the public. If time, space, and expense were no object, I would like to see this contraband search exercise implemented at as many correctional facilities as possible. It is called, “This is only a test”. It is a practical, hands-on learning exhibit for lessening contraband.

I know that the idea of a using a cell like structure for instruction is not strictly original. I believe that many worksites and academies employ training cells in some form or another. I imagine that the chief uses of trainer cells would be for extraction and slot safety. But I wonder just how fully utilize these trainer cells are for contraband control exercises.

Here’s how “This is only a test” works. In the training area of each facility, there’ll be built one each of the cell types used in the institution. In other words, if the facility in question has a segregation cell and minimum-security parts, each will be available as trainer cells in the training area. Optimally, these training cells are located outside the secure perimeter for user training and demonstration.

This will all staff to find the many hiding places that offenders may utilize. They would serve as a useful tool to instruct pre-professionals of many different contraband concealment methods that one can find within the prisoner’s area of control. The trainer cell also serves to hone the skills of experienced professionals.

Also, these trainer cells shall not house offenders. Trainer cells shall be stocked with goods and furniture that simulate a prisoner’s presence and should be as realistic as possible.

The institutional training officer can place any contraband item in its hiding places prior to each search exercise. Of course, we all have different perspectives. Therefore, it is wise to get other staff to help conceal the bootleg. And it is best to rotate staff in and out of that position in order to offer as many hiding scenarios as possible.

Whatever the hiding procedure, each training officer should note the nature and location of each item hidden. And in much the same way as a teacher will assess which questions are answered incorrectly; the trainer can determine which locations are typically left unsearched. This information will indicate points to be emphasized in future training.

In addition, the trainer cells can be used for emergency response team members. This is an excellent way to simulate cell rushes.

Lastly, a trainer cell is a good demonstration for members of the public that made tour the facility. This would give a pretty good idea of the physical conditions in which offenders are housed. Liability is lessened in this case. Granted, I believe that criminal justice students and pre-professionals should also witness and experience the inside of a facility in order to gain understanding of what goes on. But in many cases, members of the public who tour prisons would be able to gain enough of an understanding in a trainer cell.

Wouldn’t it be great if good ideas could be implemented immediately? However, brainstorms must be filtered through institutional needs, resources, space, and time. Still, one can dream. Just because an idea cannot be immediately put into play does not render it perpetually shelved. And creative thoughts are often modified and brought into every day practice, given time.

I believe that training in hands-on contraband control is essential for the safety of staff, offenders, and the public. The construction expense and vocational payroll to run such an exercise is an investment in a safer future.

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joebouchard Contraband Control, Security, Training