The Shakedown by National Institute for Jail Operations (NIJO)

Regardless of our level of responsibility, corrections officers are leaders.  As we move up in the “chain of command”, part of our responsibility is to “inspire” those we are leading to follow us.  There is a great deal out there about cultural factors, educational factors, personality factors, etc., but how much do we consider generational factors?  Research shows that this is a major factor, and...

Warden Dawson and special guest, Barbara Gould continue the “wellness” conversation by confronting the difficult topic of physical health.  The Corrections profession always seems to focus on “getting the job done” and sometimes at great cost.  Though it seems like a minor investment at the time, if we don’t make our own physical health a priority, it can cause some serious issues.  Some of those...

Warden Dawson and special guest Barbara Gould begin a much needed-discussion about officer wellness.  We preach “care, control, and custody” with emphasis on the inmate population, but what about taking care of ourselves?  The discussion begins with some practical tips for taking care of our mental health. Copyright 2022.  National Institute for Jail Operations (NIJO), Aaron Dawson, The Shakedown...

Warden Dawson and Sean Stewart close out this series by providing some practical steps that Corrections supervisors and leaders can take to help protect their employees.  There are valid and effective safeguards that will protect them, if they are put in place. Copyright 2022.  National Institute for Jail Operations (NIJO), Aaron Dawson, The Shakedown Podcast.  All Rights Reserved.   DISCLAIMER: T...

Warden Dawson and Sean Stewart discuss the easy pitfall of being swayed by our interaction with inmates to take it personally.  Many of these inmates have made a lifestyle out of influencing and conning people.  We MUST keep our guard up and not be one of their victories.  Sean Stewart also talks about the importance of building and utilizing our "soft skills."  He compares these skills...

The conversation continues with Warden Dawson and Sean Stewart talking about the danger of favors.  “Give and take” is a cultural norm that can be an effective tool.  It can also be a dangerous tool if favors are offered or received that violate moral standards or the law.  Practical tips are offered as well as real-world examples. Copyright 2022.  National Institute for Jail Operations (NIJO), Aa...

Warden Dawson and special guest Sean Stewart begin a 4-part series on the mental factors in play while being a Corrections Officer.  In this episode, they discuss contraband and how we as Corrections Officers can get pulled into the trap of introducing contraband.  It always starts with simple things.  Copyright 2022.  National Institute for Jail Operations (NIJO), Aaron Dawson, The Shakedown Podc...

Warden Dawson and Dr. Sampson wrap up their discussion of Conflict Management by discussing the importance of emotion in resolving conflict.  Emotions are a powerful force that can work to our benefit or our detriment.  They discuss how we can communicate emotion effectively, as well as recognize emotion in others as a part of our overall communication.  The 2 greatest “emotional communicators” ar...

In the third episode of the Conflict Management Technique Series, Warden Dawson and guest Dr. Steve Sampson look at some practical skills that can help us bring down the intensity of a situation, if not avoid it altogether.  These skills are quite simple but are often overlooked, ignored, or treated lightly. Copyright 2022.  National Institute for Jail Operations (NIJO), Aaron Dawson, The Shakedow...

Warden Dawson and Dr. Sampson continue the conversation about conflict by looking at some more internal causes of conflict.  Each of us needs to be aware of these facts as we consider and prepare for conflict that may come about in our daily interpersonal interactions. Copyright 2022.  National Institute for Jail Operations (NIJO), Aaron Dawson, The Shakedown Podcast.  All Rights Reserved.   DISCL...

Warden Dawson is joined by Dr. Steve Sampson to discuss his upcoming book and subsequent training.  Conflict is a part of life and can be either good or bad.  Warden Dawson and Dr. Sampson discuss some of the facts and causes of conflict that each of us bring to the table within ourselves. Copyright 2022.  National Institute for Jail Operations (NIJO), Aaron Dawson, The Shakedown Podcast.  All Rig...

There is a lot of interest in utilizing more and more technology in jails, specifically as it relates to inmates.  Kiosks, communication devices, tablets, etc.  Are they beneficial?  Are there areas of concern?  Is technology worth it?  Warden Dawson and special guest Lt. Moats take a practical look at the use of technology in jails based upon their own experiences. Copyright 2022.  National Insti...

In the final episode in the series on Officer Survival, Warden Dawson and special guest Lt. Moats discuss finding balance in our work and home life.  Corrections is what we do, not who we are.  We may be proud of what we do, it may be important to us, and we may find a great deal of satisfaction in what we do, but it does not define us.  Each of us are so much more than our career.  Our purpose, d...

Continuing the series about Officer Survival, Warden Dawson discusses “Dealing with a Crisis”.  You have a group of people in a building/facility 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, things are going to happen.  Its not a question of “if”, but rather “when”.  That being said, we need to prepare ourselves to deal with whatever crisis comes and to deal with it the best way possible for all involved.  Copy...

Corrections is a difficult profession, and the limited number of people that stay in the career for a long time demonstrates that.  Why is that?  What is it that is causing qualified people to not stay with it?  This series is designed to address some of those issues.  We begin Officer Survival by talking about stress.  Warden Dawson, with special guest Lt. Richard Moats discuss stress, what it is...

This episode concludes Warden Aaron Dawson's discussion on communication.  This week he goes over the eight things your communication should consist of.  He shares personal experiences illustrating how each of these principles is proven to have positive outcomes, especially in the field of corrections.  Copyright 2022.  National Institute for Jail Operations (NIJO), Aaron Dawson, The Shakedow...

Continuing our discussion from last week on cultivating good communication skills, Warden Aaron Dawson asks us to consider how we communicate.  This means how we observe the situation, how we actively listen, and then how we learn from the communication.  Copyright 2022.  National Institute for Jail Operations (NIJO), Aaron Dawson, The Shakedown Podcast.  All Rights Reserved.   DISCLAIMER: This po...

In our 10th episode, Warden Aaron Dawson discusses why the ability to communicate is such an essential skill, especially in corrections.  He reflects on stories from World War II and shares personal examples helping to illustrate  different types of communication.   Copyright 2022.  National Institute for Jail Operations (NIJO), Aaron Dawson, The Shakedown Podcast.  All Rights Reserved.   DISCLAIM...

In this exciting, new episode three officers from the Chelan County Regional Jail in Washington call into the podcast to share how they combatted a serious contraband problem in their jail by implementing a very successful K-9 program.  Their K-9, Kait, is a 6-year-old purebred border collie who has helped with cell searches, walkthroughs, and contraband detection.  Her handler, Deputy Jacob Lewis...

Warden Aaron Dawson wraps up our discussion on good report writing in this episode. Warden Dawson discuss how you can make sure you write a good report, even if you don't consider yourself a good writer.  He gives seven questions that every officer should ask themselves while writing a report, to ensure they've produced a quality document. Copyright 2022.  National Institute for Jail Ope...

In this episode, Warden Dawson continues to discuss the importance of good report writing.  Good report writing is more than just good writing, it's about when you write the report.   Copyright 2022.  National Institute for Jail Operations (NIJO), Aaron Dawson, The Shakedown Podcast.  All Rights Reserved.   DISCLAIMER: This podcast may not be distributed without written permission by NIJO.  T...

In this episode, Warden Dawson talks about a topic that is disliked by many, but critical in this profession to master: report writing.  Warden Dawson shares real-life experiences illustrating the importance of good report writing and how slacking on reports can have detrimental effects on your career.  Copyright 2022.  National Institute for Jail Operations (NIJO), Aaron Dawson, The Shakedown Pod...

In this episode, Warden Dawson, continues the topic he's covered during the past two podcasts and finishes off with the importance of documentation when force is used.   (Published June 1, 2022) Copyright 2022.  National Institute for Jail Operations (NIJO), Aaron Dawson, The Shakedown Podcast.  All Rights Reserved.   DISCLAIMER: This podcast may not to be distributed without written permissi...

In this episode of The Shakedown , Warden Dawson continues the discussion of Use of Force.  In Episode 3, he discussed the fact that corrections professionals do have liability in how force is used in detention facilities.  In this episode, he'll talk about what are the standards for use of force, and how can force be used in a way which protects you and defends you from liability when it mus...

In the next three episode of The Shakedown , Warden Dawson will be covering the important topic of Use of Force.  In this episode we'll specifically consider the liability that goes along with using force in a detention facility.   (Published May 18, 2022) Copyright 2022.  National Institute for Jail Operations (NIJO), Aaron Dawson, The Shakedown Podcast.  All Rights Reserved.   DISCLAIMER: T...