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Understanding the Correctional Officer’s Work Environment to Enhance Therapy
(Beginning to Intermediate Level)
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES:
- Summarize the California prison environment as it relates to the therapist’s work with Correctional Officers and their family members.
- Summarize the major issues affecting the California prison system as they relate to the Correctional Officer’s work environment.
- Describe the personality profile of a Correctional Officer.
- Describe how stress affects the Correctional Officer at work and home.
- Summarize the relationship dynamics that often exist between Correctional Officers and inmates.
- Summarize the primary mental health issues, which affect Correctional Officers.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section I - Introduction
- The California Correctional System
- Adult Facilities
- The Reception Area
- High Security and Transitional Housing
- General Population Level 3 and 4
- General Population Level 2 and 3
- Female Offender Facilities
- Juvenile Facilities
- Youth Conservation Camps
- Youth Correctional Facilities
Section II – Major Issues in California Prisons
- Overcrowding
- Gangs
- Work Environment
- Inmate Attacks on Guards
- Behind The Wall Video
Section III – Profile of an Inmate
- Training for Correctional Officers
- The Role of Correctional Officers in the Prison System
- The Correctional Officer’s Job
Section V – Therapeutic Focus
- Stress
- Job Survey for Correctional Officers
- Job Burn-out
- Spill-Over
- Therapeutic Implications
Section VI – Prison Visit: 3 – 4 Hours
- How to Schedule the Visit
- Dress Code
Section VII – Post-Test
Section VIII – Bibliography
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INTRODUCTION
The primary objective of this course is to provide a comprehensive overview of the California prison system and the work environment as it relates to the therapist’s work with Correctional Officers, Sergeants, Lieutenants, other prison employees and their family members.
Prisons are unique environments with rules, norms, traditions, and a hierarchy unto themselves. California prisons are also environments where over 170,000 people live and where close to 58,000 people work, making prisons almost like their own town. As in any town, there is a hierarchy and a structure to the prison system, and many domestic tasks that need tending.
Of the 58,000 Department of Correction and Rehabilitation employees, over 33,000 are Correctional Officers and Parole Agents working inside California’s prisons and youth facilities. The Correctional Officer, some of the Sergeants, Lieutenants, Correctional Counselors and Parole Agents, are part of a union, the California Correctional Peace Officers Association (“CCPOA”). The CCPOA was founded in 1957 and its mission is to “…promote and enhance the correctional profession, protect the safety of those engaged in corrections and advocate for the laws, funding and policies needed to improve prison operations and protect public safety.” (www.ccpoa.org).
On a daily basis, all correctional personnel cope with a dangerous and highly stressful work environment. Their stress and the inherent danger of their jobs, impact their families and other primary relationships.
The intent of this course is to enhance the therapist’s work with prison employees by describing and discussing the:
- Work environment in our State prisons
- Job responsibilities of the Correctional Officer in the different types of California prisons
- Personality profile of a Correctional Officer
- Profile of California inmates
- Mental Health Issues affecting the Correctional Officer
After studying the course material, the therapist is invited to take a tour of one of our State prisons, to see the Correctional Officer’s work environment first hand. Following the tour, there will be a Question and Answer period.
In this course we will be using the pronoun “he” rather than the more cumbersome use of “he/she” or “him/her” This is not because we are discounting womens’ contributions as Correctional Officers; it is only to allow the text a smoother flow. Currently, women make up approximately 25% of the prison workforce, and any issues that specifically relate to gender will accordingly be specifically addressed.
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