Prison Officer Podcast

A recent Facebook post was highlighting the fact a citizen brought in pizza for the inmates and staff...I could hardly believe the responses from citizens and staff.  Be careful, I will probably hurt somebody's feelings with my commentary. There are so many things wrong with this scenario, from staff manipulation, to contraband introduction, to an attitude of"It's no big deal!"...

In this episode, I talk with Trauma Counselor Lindsay Faas about trauma, PTSD, and whether or not there can be post-traumatic growth from trauma.  I ran across this article - https://www.uwhealth.org/news/surprising-benefit-going-through-difficult-times The author talks about post-traumatic growth, as a benefit. The author also states that research has found that up to 70 percent of people experie...

In this episode, I talk with Associate Warden Arthur Fredericks.  We talk about his long career in Corrections spanning three decades.  He has worked at eleven institutions in six states and for five different agencies.   I connected with him on LinkedIn after reading several of his posts on leadership, training, and taking care of your staff.   His posts really resonated with me and I wanted to h...

In this episode, I sit down and have a great conversation with William Young, host of Just Corrections on YouTube.  He is also the author of two great books - When Home Becomes a Housing Unit and The Nothing That Never Happened .  We talk about how corrections can be a surprisingly great and rewarding career. How it changes all of us, and how to recognize the changes within us.  William is an advo...

In this episode, I talk with JoAnn Mertens and her decades-long career with the Missouri Department of Corrections.  JoAnn started her career in 1966 as a clerk and Correctional Matron and retired in 2000 as an Assistant Superintendent.  She was the first female Correctional Officer for the MDOC, and made it through despite, being unwelcomed as a woman working in prison, sexual harassment from sup...

In this episode, David Schilling (from Episode 32 ) is back with his new book The Jail Intelligence Manual - How Jails can Implement Low-Cost or No-Cost Intelligence Practices.  We talk about the role of an investigator, sources of intelligence in jail, how to work better with local law enforcement, and how this all ties back directly to staff safety inside our Jails and Prisons. The Jail Intellig...

My second day at the MOCK Riot in Moundsville, WV.  Corrections from all over the world have gathered from all over the world to be part of this one-of-a-kind opportunity!  In this episode, I interview participants, vendors, and staff from the MOCK Riot and hear about why it is so special, the importance of good training, and how the training at Moundsville, WV is uniquely Corrections. MOCK Prison...

What an oppurtunity to meet and talk with a great bunch of Correctional Professionals.  For those of you that can't be here, I talk about the first day of set up with all the vendors and describe a little about why the MOCK Riot is so important for Corrections.  If you are at the MOCK Riot at The decommissioned West Virginia Penatentiary, stop by The Prison Officer booth and Say HI! MOCK Pris...

In this episode, I talk with Hugh Hurwitz about the many hats he wore in the Bureau of Prisons, as well as his thoughts on why we need Re-Entry and How the First Step Act is working.  Hugh Hurwitz held multiple positions with the Federal Bureau of Prisons, including Acting Director, Assistant Director for Administration, and Assistant Director for Reentry Services. Currently, he provides consultin...

In this episode of the basics, I talk about what it takes to have Success  in Corrections.  The Basic, common sense attributes and work habits of a good correctional officer. Come listen as we talk about Correctional Basics every rookie should know, and every veteran officer should already be doing...who knows...everyone needs a refresher sometimes. Finding Your Purpose: Crafting a Personal Vision...

In this episode, I talk to Warden Jeffery Fewell about his career and his time as a Corrections Specialist in the Military.  With terms like the Stockade or the Brig, most of us know military prison from the movies.  Today’s guest spent his first 20 years in the ARMY working in Military Corrections.  Jeffery Fewell has since retired from the military and continued a career in Law Enforcement as a...

In this episode of The Basics, I am going to talk about the best practices for conducting good, productive shakedowns and cell seraches.  Where to look, how to look, and what to look for.  Come listen as we talk about Correctional Basics every rookie should know, and every veteran officer should already be doing...who knows...everyone needs a refresher sometimes. Finding Your Purpose: Crafting a P...

In this episode, I visit with Todd Craig, a former Assistant Director, Warden, and Chief of the Office of Security Technology for the Federal Bureau of Prisons.  Now the National Security Director for Smart Communications, he is also considered a Correctional Contraband Interdiction Subject Matter Expert specializing in cell phone and drone interdiction.  We talk about what technology is already o...

In this episode of The Basics, I am going to talk about why it is so important that staff Get Hand's On! with our inmates.  From hospital escorts to pat searches, to working segregation, Hand's On is the most important thing you can do for staff and inmate safety.  Come listen as we talk about Correctional Basics every rookie should know, and every veteran officer should already be doing...

In this episode, I talk about a sometimes touchy subject.  PREA - The Prison Rape Elimination Act.  CONTAINS EXPLICIT CONTENT!  I will discuss why and how PREA began, and how it has affected our prisons and jails. In the second part of this episode, I share with you the new Vision Statement for The Prison Officer Podcast, and how I hope we can affect our profession positively. Finding Your Purpose...

In this episode, I talk about the controversial subject of Professional Appearance.   How we present ourselves at work can affect how inmates look at us.  I talk about my opinions on uniforms, hair and beard length, perfumes at work, and more. Come listen as we talk about Correctional Basics every rookie should know, and every veteran officer should already be doing...who knows...everyone needs a...

In today's episode, I sit down with Paul Young, a retired Major with the Missouri Department of Corrections.  Paul, now 85, retired with 34 years working for the DOC and almost 40 years in Law Enforcement in total.  Although Paul saw many changes during his career, he was able to adapt and thrive.  From working at Missouri State Penitentiary in the 1960s & 70s to running bloodhounds on ma...

In this episode of The Basics, I talk about inmate property and why it is important to manage it.  Inmate property when uncontrolled, can lead to poor sanitation, increased hard contraband, and even escape. Come listen as we talk about Correctional Basics every rookie should know, and every veteran officer should already be doing...who knows...everyone needs a refresher sometimes. Finding Your Pur...

Today’s guest is David Skarbek, an Associate Professor of Political Science and Political Economy at Brown University.  He is also the author of two books: The Social Order of the Underworld: How Prison Gangs Govern the American Penal System The Puzzle of Prison Order: Why Life Behind Bars Varies Around the World When many people outside the prison system think of prison gangs, they think of chaot...

In this episode of The Basics, I talk about the tray slot, cuff slot, bean hole, or whatever you call it, it is undoubtedly one of the most dangerous areas of your locked unit.  How you approach and handle your interactions at the tray slot could be the difference between injury and going home safe. Come listen as we talk about Correctional Basics every rookie should know, and every veteran office...

In this episode, I talk with Domenic Pezzano who retired from Corrective Service in New South Wales, Australia after more than 30 years of service.  We talk about starting out as a Correctional Officer, a riot at Long Bay where he was a hostage, and his rise up the ranks in NSW Prison Corrective Service, and his advice to those just starting out.  You can contact Domenic here Correctional Services...

In this episode of The Basics, we talk about Security Checks.  Fence checks, roof checks, building checks, and more. Come listen as we talk about Correctional Basics every rookie should know, and every veteran officer should already be doing...who knows...everyone needs a refresher sometimes. Finding Your Purpose: Crafting a Personal Vision Statement to Guide Your Life and Career! by Michael Cantr...

Whenever you talk about the Missouri State Penitentiary, you can’t help but mention Mark Schreiber.  He went to work for the Missouri Department of Corrections in the  1960s and has held many positions, starting as an officer, he ended his career as Assistant Warden of the Missouri State Penitentiary. He has always been an advocate for preserving the history of MSP and the Missouri Department of C...

Running a podcast takes a lot of time.  Running a good one takes even more...:-) I have been asked a lot to provide more content but with my schedule as an Instructor, and editing, recording, and scheduling guests, I just haven't had much time. There has been a lot of interest from schools, academies, and agencies that really enjoy some of the basic correctional officer subjects we have cover...

In this episode, I talk with Anthony Gangi, an author, speaker,  and the Host of Tier Talk, a long-running podcast about Corrections and the challenges staff face every day.  Anthony and I talk about why finding your purpose at work matters, especially when you work in Corrections. Also, welcome PepperBall! Our newest sponsor - Please click their link below to visit The PepperBall website. Tier Ta...