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Abstract Submission

Agency Culture

No Matter What You Wear to Work: Bridging the Gap Between Uniform & Non-Uniform Staff

Wednesday, May 22, 2024
8:00 AM – 9:30 AM East Coast USA Time
Location: Grand Ballroom A
Description: For a myriad of reasons, the divide between custodial and human services staff remains pernicious in correctional organizations. Perhaps as old as the seemingly opposing forces of authority figure versus helper, this binary can exert a corrosive effect in jail settings where, in fact, everyone on staff serves the same mission. For many decades, a progressive Sheriff’s Office in Massachusetts has set about intentionally bridging the divide between officers and uniformed supervisors on the one hand, and counselors, educators, and health care staff on the other. The result has been what visitors describe as a palpable sense of unity and teamwork. How does it happen? What difference does it make? This workshop will answer these questions and more.

Learning Objectives:

  • 1. Name 3 practices that support cooperation between uniform and non-uniform staff
  • 2. List several contributing factors to an inmate climate of productive engagement
  • 3. Understand how the role of Correctional Caseworker becomes a bridge connecting all components of the facility
  • 4. Establish a culture of interdisciplinary solidarity
  • 5. Describe how Hampden County Sheriff’s Office overcomes the perceived polarity between security and support functions