Danger ahead!!!
COMPLACENCY IN
JAILS: STAYING
SAFE INSIDE
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WHAT IS COMPLACENCY?
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Synonyms
 Comfort
 Contentment
 Satisfaction
 Easy-goingness
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What does complacency mean?
• a feeling of being satisfied with how things are and not wanting to
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•
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try to make them better : a complacent feeling or condition
marked by self-satisfaction especially when accompanied by
unawareness of actual dangers or deficiencies;
having or showing a lack of interest or concern;
Feeling of contentment or self satisfaction coupled with an
unawareness of danger, trouble, or controversy; Contented or self-satisfied to a fault.
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What do we know about Complacency?
 Complacency is a natural function of the brain.
 The brain is designed to automate repetitive
behavior.
 Most of our day-to-day behavior is automated; it
happens without conscious or deliberate thought.
•
 Complacency is the bane of physical security and
personal safety..
 Complacency is not the result of apathy, carelessness, or a
flaw in your personality; it is the way the brain functions.
 No matter how vigilant we are, as time goes by
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with
no problems occurring, we become
complacent and let out guard down.
o The brain can handle routine actions without conscious
guidance
o Repetitive tasks become automated to free up our attention for
things that are new, unusual, or threatening.
o If it were not that way, we would be overwhelmed by the
simplest of tasks.
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Complacency
Have you ever been driving and thinking about
the solution to a problem and suddenly find
yourself at your destination with no
recollection of how you got there?
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THREE (3) TYPES OF RISKS
There are three types of risk
1. Intentional – Employee knows full well what they are doing.
2. Unintentional – Employee is unaware of risk.
3. Habitual – The employee knows the risk, but has been doing the behavior
so long that they are no longer as alert to risks.
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INTENTIONAL COMPLACENCY
Positive Reinforcement of a Negative Act
This is where the employee knows full well that the activities they are doing are not safe
and that there is a significant amount of risk associated with the activity. The activity is
usually against
a policy or procedure. The employee knows both the risks and benefits of
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doing a task at risk but the benefits, in his or her mind, outweigh the risks.
CRITICAL ERRORS
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Eyes not on task
Mind not on task
Taking shortcuts
Line of fire
FOUR FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO CRITICAL ERRORS
*FATIGUE
*CONTENTMENT
*RUSHING
*FRUSTRATION
These states set us up for eyes and mind not
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on task, which can lead to taking shortcuts
and putting us in the line of fire.
UNINTENTIOAL COMPLACENCY
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Immediately after the event, people were vigilant and
leery of everything out of the ordinary.
Now, everyone is carrying on as they did before the
attack.
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Habitual Complacency
People who are repeatedly exposed to dangerous or
violent situations, such as police, corrections,
firefighters, etc., become less concerned and cautious
about them.
We become complacent about our personal safety from
repeated exposure to potentially threatening situations that
do not actually occur.
Example:
Prairie dogs howl when predators approach so as to warn other
members of their pack. When prairie dogs live near humans or
other non-threatening animals, they quickly learn to not howl
when people or other non-predatory animals approach. An
example of habituation in humans could be a homicide detective,
who, after seeing many crime scenes, becomes accustomed to
seeing violence. Habituation to particular odors is also very
common in humans.
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Over time, the absence of consequences causes us to
become lax about safety.
Human Factors That Contribute to
Complacency
General Fatigue, e.g.
Overtime, Shift Work
Constant Exposure to
Criminal Element
Family/Personal Issues
Frustration e.g.
bosses, co-workers,
inmates, low pay
Corrections Fatigue
Routine
Rushing
Boredom vs.
Adrenaline Rush
Lacking
Communication
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Skills (Staff/Inmates)
Dangers of
Complacency
 DEVELOP THE “THAT’S GOOD
ENOUGH FOR NOW”
MENTALITY
 DEVELOP
BADHABITS;
SHORTCUTS
 DEVELOP “KNOW IT ALL” ATTITUDE;
REFUSE TO LEARN NEW WAYS
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“WHO GETS COMPLACENT?”
EVERYONE
 BOOKING/INTAKE OFFICER
 SEARCHING OFFICER
 TRANSPORT OFFICER
 ADMIN STAFF
 SECURITY STAFF
 MEDICAL
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PERSONNEL
 JAILER
 MAINTENANCE
OFFICER
 ROAD CREW OFFICER
 KITCHEN SUPERVISOR
 TRAINING OFFICER
 CHIEF DEPUTY
“
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ is the slogan of the
complacent, the arrogant, or the scared. It’s an excuse
for inaction, a call to non-arms.”
Colin Powell
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”
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“We spend a lot of time focusing on the mental health of our inmates, but not enough time focusing on the mental health of the people who are caring for them”
“Correctional officers suffering from stress‐related illnesses have higher rates of premature death, increased rates of substance abuse, and even higher rates of divorce.”
“Stress comes in many forms (e.g., administrators, trauma, critical incidents, violence, personality differences, manipulation by inmates, inmate defiance, exposure to disease, fear, etc.) and not managed appropriately can and does kill. One of the most elusive aspects about stress is that the effects of bad decisions and poor choices are not always immediate, leaving many to take health and wellness for granted. Doing time is taking a toll on your body and mind.” Powerpoint prepared by: Tracey Reed, Jail Consultant
“What can I do?”
1.Educate
Employees about
“Corrections
Fatigue”
2.Educate
Employees about
“Gen-Flex”
3.Train Employees
on “Verbal Judo” Powerpoint prepared by: Tracey Reed, Jail Consultant
CORRECTIONS FATIGUE
• The cumulative negative transformation of corrections professionals’ self or personality over time as a result of insufficient personal and/or organizational strategies and/or resources for adapting to the demands of corrections work. Powerpoint prepared by: Tracey Reed, Jail Consultant
Nature of Corrections Fatigue
Unavoidable occupational hazard
Gradual process
Enduring if not counteracted Involves emotional distress Involves physiological stress Powerpoint prepared by: Tracey Reed, Jail Consultant
CORRECTIONS WORK REALITY
“What I come across at work wounds my
soul.”
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Operational
Issues
Corrections Fatigue
Organizational
Traumatic Issues
Exposure
Declined Health and Functioning Dysfunctional Workplace Ideology/ Behavior Negative Personality Changes Powerpoint prepared by: Tracey Reed, Jail Consultant
Organizational Stressors
• Role conflict: Disciplinarian vs. helper
• Insufficient training
• Demanding social interactions
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Operational
Issues
Corrections Fatigue
Organizational
Traumatic Issues
Exposure
Declined Health and Functioning Dysfunctional Workplace Ideology/ Behavior Negative Personality Changes Powerpoint prepared by: Tracey Reed, Jail Consultant
OPERATIONAL
STRESSORS
 High Workload
 Low decision
authority
 Harsh physical
conditions
 Overtime
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Operational
Issues
Corrections Fatigue
Organizational
Traumatic Issues
Exposure
Declined Health and Functioning Dysfunctional Workplace Ideology/ Behavior Negative Personality Changes Powerpoint prepared by: Tracey Reed, Jail Consultant
TRAUMAtic Exposure
Direct (“Firsthand”)
Indirect (“Secondhand”)
• Witnessing assaults and other types of
violence and injuries first hand.
• Engaging in acts of violence and possibly
inflicting injuries (e.g., cell extractions)
• Witnessing suicide attempts or self-injury
behaviors
• Witnessing deaths (e.g., due to assault,
suicide or natural causes)
• Being physically assaulted
• Responding to large group disturbances or
riots
• Being part of an execution team
• Reading offender files that detail
information about violence or death
• Hearing about traumatic incidents
involving staff or offenders
• Being threatened with violence or having
family members threatened
• Becoming aware of potential for harm
of offenders, coworkers or oneself
(close calls, “near misses”)
• Viewing videos of workplace incidents
(e.g., murders or assaults) for training
purposes/as part of the job
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Direct vs. Indirect Traumatic Exposure
Both can have similar effects
Both can lead to trauma signs that develop in similar ways
Direct exposure results in more severe and longer‐lasting trauma signs/symptoms than indirect exposure
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Traumatic Stress
Signs
 Involuntary remembering of
traumatic events
 Persistent avoidance of event
reminders (triggers)
 Negative changes in thinking
and mood
 Increased emotional arousal
and reactivity
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Changes to “Self”
Identity
Worldview
Spirituality
Emotions
Behavior
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Traumatized Workplace Cultures
• Cynicism and pessimism • Rejection of “soft emotions” • Denial of effects of trauma • Reduced capacity for empathy • High authoritarianism • Disempowerment • Poor communication • Unresolved conflicts • Mounting resentments • Increased potential for aggression Powerpoint prepared by: Tracey Reed, Jail Consultant
Seven Dimensions that Shape the Workplace
Culture
Meaning
Physical Safety
Connection
Psychological Safety Respect
Power
Trust
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SUMMARY
CORRECTIONS FATIGUE
Traumatic exposure, whether indirect or direct, is inevitable in corrections work.
Traumatic exposure in combination with organizational and operational stressors over time may affect corrections staff negatively. Cultures of corrections organizations are shaped by exposure to trauma and other high‐stress events and circumstances. Effects of trauma and other high‐stress events require greater recognition and strategies to counter both individually and organizationally. Powerpoint prepared by: Tracey Reed, Jail Consultant
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HOW?
DECREASE YOUR STRESS LEVEL
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CHANGE YOUR MINDSET
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Multigenerational workforce
Understanding a Diverse Work
Environment:
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OUR GOAL
To
create
an
awareness
that
generational context is not about age,
but common experiences; generational
understanding does not take the place of
concern
for
the
individual;
and
acknowledging the team’s expectations,
not just your own.
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Influencing Factors
• Family Values
• Media
• Technology
• Games
• Music
• Social Values
• Political Events
• Economic Conditions
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Communication Strategies Across
Generations
People from different generational
groups may want the same things,
but they want them delivered in
different packages, depending on
when and how they grew up.
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Break it down…
Today, the workforce is broken down as follows:
• Traditionalists are around 7%
• Baby Boomers are 30%
• Generation X’s are 42%
• Generation Y’s are around 21%
-US Bureau of Labor Statistics 2009
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Cam Marston on the
Power of Generational
Insight
This program will educate
and stimulate positive
interaction among your
people. It will also
dramatically reduce
workplace conflict and
provide managers and
supervisors with strategies
for dealing with recruiting,
retaining, and motivating,
using thePowerpoint prepared by: Tracey Reed, Jail Consultant
generational
differences in a positive way.
MANAGING FOUR GENERATIONS
Part 1
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MANAGING FOUR GENERATIONS
PART 2
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Powerpoint prepared by: Tracey Reed, Jail Consultant
Verbal Judo
Academic-turned-cop and best-selling author George Doc
Thompson describes how tactical language allows leaders to
achieve their goals. Daniel Ames, the Sanford C. Bernstein &
Co. Associate Professor of Leadership and Ethics, confirms
that managing conflict is a critical predictor of leadership
success and shows how what works in the streets converges
with recent findings in social science; pairs hands-on leadership
training with breaking insights in psychology research.
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VERBAL JUDO “THE ART OF REPRESENTAION”
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VERBAL JUDO
“FORCE OPTIONS” GEORGE “DOC”
THOMPSON
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Verbal Judo “The Tactical 5 Step” Powerpoint prepared by: Tracey Reed, Jail Consultant
Information provided
by:
• National Institute of Corrections
The Corrections Profession: Maintaining Safety and Sanity, Part 1
Corrections Fatigue: Addressing the Issue
January 30, 2014
•
•
Jon Hess – Kent County Sheriff Dept., Grand Rapids,
Michigan
SafeSmart
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DISCUSSION & QUESTIONS
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