NCJ Number
212772
Journal
Corrections Today Magazine Volume: 67 Issue: 7 Dated: December 2005 Pages: 72-74
Date Published
December 2005
Length
3 pages
Annotation
This article describes the issues most salient to the effective training of correctional staff.
Abstract
While staff training can be one of the most crucial components to changing institutional or workplace culture, if the training is not designed correctly it will quickly be forgotten. The author focuses on seven main issues that can help ensure effective correctional staff training: staff expectations, performance roadblocks, teamwork, effective communication, designated trainers, and peer mentoring. The skill sets that should be taught to change institutional culture focus on crisis intervention, behavior management, and handling offenders with serious mental disorders. The author shows how effective training modules demonstrate to staff how the skill set learned in the training session will directly impact their performance on the job. It is also important to address the performance roadblocks that hamper an employee’s ability to effectively perform their assigned duties. Training should incorporate a focus on the organization’s vision and mission statement, which should also be used in the hiring process. Designating resources to provide staff trainers with professional development and the time needed to develop training content will have a positive impact on the quality and consistency of correctional staff training programs.