Topic: The Club House / Living breathing flesh ?

We have two standing counts a day to ensure they are alive. We used to be able to write them up if they covered their heads, but not anymore, too much whining from the inmates.

Topic: The Club House / Losing control

As I respond back to this topic a year later, things are only getting worse. We’re seeing more of our brothers and sisters in the profession being assaulted leading to serious injury and death. In the last month there have been two officers killed and countless others injured.

Yet, the administrations around the country will not veer away from their hug-a-thug treatment agendas that do not work. I work for the Iowa DOC. Last summer they changed the mission statement to this : “Protect the public, staff and offenders from vicitmization”. I emailed the upper administration here wanting to know who was “victimizing” the offenders. I have yet to hear back from them. This is the idiot mentality that is running our correctional facilities around the country.

Here, like everywhere else, we are shorthanded on the security side. We are constantly told there are no funds available for additional security staff or training, yet there always seems to be an endless supply of funds for treatment staff (who are paid more to do less).

How many more lives need to be lost until these administrators realize that they can’t fix these people? I for one won’t hold my breath waiting.

Topic: The Club House / Losing control

Hey Noneya, this is Corrections.com, not the ACLU website. Go rant over there, I’m sure they would accept you with open arms!

Oh, one more word of advice to you – spellcheck!

Topic: Juvenile Jam / What about juveniles getting life without parole?

I have worked with both adults and juveniles over my 15 years in corrections, and I can definitely say working with juveniles is worse than working with adults. Juveniles just don’t give a damn. I worked at a treatment facility for juvenile sex offenders, and we had a recidivism rate near 80%. Some kids are just born evil, and I have no problem locking htem up and throwing away the key.

Topic: The Club House / Losing control

I think it is a problem nationwide. It seems the administrations are so afraid of being sued that inmates get away from being held accountable. Look at the rise in staff assaults nationwide. The administrations keep trying to baby these inmates, and the only thing that happens is that the inmates learn how to play the system. Too many bleeding hearts in power believe the inmates are the victims.

Things have changed so much over the last 15 years in corrections. When I first started, if an inmate failed to comply with orders, we assembled a team and went in on them. Now, you have to give directives, then if that fails, the hostage negotiator or psychologist has to come talk to them , blah, blah blah. The inmates know they can drag a situation out for hours, and then comply at the last minute. It has become a new recreational activity for the inmates – Watch the C/O’s jump through hoops!

Topic: The Club House / If corrections had a slogan what would it be?

Corrections – Dealing with society’s garbage 24/7

Topic: The Club House / Women working in Corrections

Male facilities are no place for a lady to work.

Welcome to the 21st century! What are you a neanderthal?

Actually, for the most part, it seems most inmates give more respect to female officers than male (sex offenders aside), but as is the case in most facilities, as long as your fair, firm and consistent, you shouldn’t have any problems. And whatever you do, never let an inmate think that they can intimidate you.

Topic: Security Central / Watching inmates at a hospital or other medical facility

In Iowa, we use the belly chain to tether the inmates’ leg irons to the bed when they are admitted to the University hospital.

Topic: Security Central / Placing inmates in a kneeling position

No problem with the on the knees approach, the only thing safer would be to have them laying face down on their bellies!

Topic: Security Central / Which cell extraction methods work best?

We always ran a four man team, with the last guy in (usually the smallest) handling the restraints. The smaller person was usually able to move around easily enough to apply the restraints after the inmate had been subdued. Depending on the agitation state of the inmate, we might use chemical agents prior to entering the cell, or electronic devices during the extraction.

Topic: Security Central / Attack dogs and cell extractions

Dogs should definitely be used for cell extractions. I have been on numerous extraction teams, and I have also observed using K-9’s to do extractions, and I must say it is both more efficient and safer using the dog. Unfortunately, in this touchy feely age of corrections, upper management and legislators don’t feel it is politically correct to use the K-9’s in this capacity. The state of Iowa has banned the use of dogs for extractions. The facility I work at won’t even permit the K-9 handler to take his dog onto the Women’s unit, because it may create uncomfortableness among the inmates. Unfortunately, administrations are once again catering to inmates instead of what is best for the staff and the public, at least in Iowa they are!