For the general population, only 9% meet the criteria for PTSD across their lifespan, but in correctional populations, almost 100% experienced trauma in their life.  The correctional setting is found to be some of the most stressful environments – not just for the inmates but the personnel as well. It has been established that self-care and mindfulness are stress-busting techniques, but too often, these are relegated when it comes to priority as anyone in the field of criminal justice have already a lot on their plates.

For this course, Dr. Robin Timme, the Senior Expert from Falcon, Inc., joins us to provide practical tips on how to handle and overcome stress in the correctional setting, and integrating these to training. He is renowned in the field of correctional behavioral health, having taught and spoken in national conferences.  He is a trailblazer for shaping policy, supervising behavioral health professionals, handling high-risk and high-needs cases, and supporting innovative programming.

Areas he delved into on this session include:

• Trauma’s critical role in jails and prisons and how it affects both inmates and corrections workforce.
• Placing importance on both process and content during training and other teachable sessions.
• The purpose of corrections to incapacitate criminals, deter re-offense, provide retribution and rehabilitate.
• The concept of the pinky effect and how this tends to happen with the rehabilitative goal of corrections and observed in our efforts toward teaching and practicing self-care.
• An anecdote on his first contact with the correctional system as a practicum student and how it paved the path of his career.
• The concept of trauma-informed, what it means, its role in what we do, and how to fully integrate the trauma-informed approach in the corrections setting.
• Understanding the extent of trauma based on statistics in correctional populations.
• The four types of stressors in the correctional setting and examples of which.
• Researches that provide insights on the effect of trauma in correctional staff which include:
  • Burnout leading to unsafe facilities, high turnover and low productivity.
  • Lower lifespan of corrections officers compared to the general population.
  • Increased risk of psychological distress, mental issues, cognitive decline, chronic illness, and even substance abuse.
• How post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) manifests through:
  • Intrusive and distracting memories, flashbacks, or dreams.
  • Avoidance of trauma triggers.
  • Numbing to make trauma tolerable.
  • Changes that negatively impact mood, reaction and thinking.
• Resilience and its characteristics that must be cultivated in response to stress.
• Kaiser Permanente and CDC’s efforts which found that Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) has lasting impacts.
• Understanding how life experiences tend to affect our propensity toward resilience.
• Strategies towards wellness and how to integrate mindfulness activities in training.
• During the Q&A segment, attendees raised their inquiries on:
  • Applicability of learned helplessness in corrections professionals and how trainers can inspire their students to make a difference.
  • Interpreting how a question in the resilience survey was positioned.
  • The increased acceptability for the need for wellness and mindfulness in the field.
  • Signs of toxic stress that might go unrecognized due to desensitization.
  • Extending help to employees who might be impacted by stress.
  • Other mindfulness exercises that can be implemented in trainings.

Falcon Inc. brings together the most distinguished, credentialed leaders in the field. With dozens of specialized correctional mental health experts and hundreds of years of collective experience, Falcon Inc. exists to ensure your programs are successful and effectively address the unique challenges of your mental health populations. Grounded on proven methodology and driven by some of the best and brightest minds in the industry, we provide expertise to government and community leaders for the advancement of stronger, safer, and more innovative programs that produce real, sustainable results.

Audience Comments:

• “A better insight as to the Jail Staff functions.” –Desilynn
• “Dr. Timme outlined very practicable strategies for helping clients increase presence, such as the 5 senses activity. ” –Anthony
• “Easy exercises, realistic ways to present information that will connect with correctional officers.” –Mechelle
• “I enjoyed the mindfulness exercise examples, the 14 factors for developing resilience and some of the stats. Thank-you!” –Pam