Go | New | Find | Notify | Tools | Reply | |
| Member |
Been doing the job about a year and a half. Supervise guys out on bond/bail - so charged, not yet convicted. They gotta report to me and follow conditions. I refer to them (as is custom in my area) as clients (though some people have a bone to pick with that). Some observations thus far: -Calling me and saying, "Hey so uh, when is my next appointment," when you know you missed it is very insulting to my intelligence. The poor acting when they hear they miss it, "Oh, no way!" is entertaining. -Guys read and sign their conditions in court with a clerk and then come to me, when I read and sign them again. Many freak out, not knowing what the judge has ordered as a condition of their release. "I have a curfew!? I need to work nights!" "Did you tell them that in court?" "No I just signed it and left to come here." -Domestic cases are very emotionally draining. When I contact the victim the next day, 9/10 times they say they only wanted to call the cops to scare their boyfriend/husband/baby daddy who hit them. Doesn't quite work that way. -Some guys are proud to be there and take a selfie with our Corrections front door sign for their social media. -The number of people who have no job, no money, welfare, getting evicted, and have children is too damn high. -Lots of clients I have are pretty decent guys who screwed up. Some gun enthusiasts (though I don't engage them in gun talk), bankers, stock brokers, whatever. I'd say I get along with 99% of people. 1% hate my guts. The other 99% I'd be fine seeing out in public, shaking their hand and saying hello. -I say "please" and "thank you" to everybody, wish them luck and tell them to have a good day. I am pretty sure some of the clients of mine have never heard that before. After a few appointments, they say it back to me. -I give it my all to help people find housing, or connect with a social worker who can decide if they can see their kids. Most times people will take all the resources that I give them and when we meet next time they admit they didn't follow through. One guy took my list of shelters I found for him and printed tossed it back in my direction. A year later I still use that exact printed list to help other people find shelters that he didn't want. -Telling somebody they can't see their own kids for Christmas is heartbreaking. -When you miss your appointment with me, not answering your phone when I call doesn't help you. I'm just going to breach and a warrant will go out. -I am amazed at how people can go through life not working, not going to school, not doing anything, and still complaining about having to meet me once every 2 weeks. And still be late by 3 hours. -People who have worked in custody centers who become POs have a much more "hardened" personality - I imagine for survival. I could never work in a custody center. That's all I can think of for now. | ||
|
| Member |
Hit them with a "Technical Violation" when they miss a date with you. 90 days in the joint will get their attention. ON another note - had a parole come in on a technical for having a beer. Wife bought him a six pack. Parole condition was no alcohol, firearms, no contact with an ex con and must attend meet with Parole officer, on time. PO can walk into a parole's house at any time to check on the parole. Saw him drinking a beer. Turned him around and cuffed him and off he went back to prison. During the Prison reception sit down he told me his wife bought the beer....then phoned his PO about it. Turned out, wife had another guy in the wings. Christmas time was rough on some inmates with kids. ********* "Some people are alive today because it's against the law to kill them". | |||
|
Member |
I understand that you're following custom in your area and have no problem with that. Personally, referring to such individuals as clients seems a bit of a stretch. I've always viewed a client as someone who pays another person or entity for professional services rendered. Given that they have not yet been tried or convicted, defendants would perhaps be more appropriate than clients.
The end result of lives led refusing to take personal responsibility for anything, making bad choices and still expecting you to compliment them when they arrive 3 hours late. | |||
|
| Member |
Thanks for sharing. Can you tell me how you got into that field? Do you work for county? State? Not sure how any of that works. -------------------------------- Proverbs 27:17 - As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. | |||
|
| Member |
Good observation, but I would make one slight modification. They call 911 because they want immediate safety and the thing that is happening at that moment (beating, threatening with a weapon, whatever) to just stop. They are not thinking about having him arrested, prosecuted, them having to show up in court, or any of that. Doesn't make it much easier to deal with though, even understanding that. | |||
|
| Member |
You ought to watch Straight Time if you have not seen it. Here is a brief clip: | |||
|
| Member |
I worked in corrections for almost 30 years. When I drove up, they were called 'old things' but mostly just convicts. Then we were told to refer to them as inmates. Then it was clients while calling them Mr. so-and-so instead of calling them by their last names. I left somewhere in there. The risk is taking that negative attitude home with you. | |||
|
| Member |
I would also add that more than 50% of the convicts I was around considered selling drugs as 'a job'. | |||
|
| Member |
My first "real" job out of college was a probation officer in a small, rural upstate NY county starting in 1978. I did pre-sentence and child support/custody investigations, plus supervision of people given probation in place of a jail/prison sentence. I lasted 4.5 years. It was very discouraging, working with people - in most cases entire families - who needed a LOT of help. I had no idea this "underclass" existed in my home town, after leaving I was happier pumping gas for several months months. It's easy to leave a job when you're single with a good savings account. | |||
|
The 2nd guarantees the 1st |
It would be interesting to see how you probation officers' job differ in different parts of the country with different clientele. "Even if the world were perfect it wouldn't be." ... Yogi Berra | |||
|
Chip away the stone |
I'll just offer a big THANK YOU for trying to make our world a little better by being a positive influence on people most of us steer clear of if at all possible, and for also helping the innocent who enter your orbit. | |||
|
Member |
Echo that! Place your clothes and weapons where you can find them in the dark. “If in winning a race, you lose the respect of your fellow competitors, then you have won nothing” - Paul Elvstrom "The Great Dane" 1928 - 2016 | |||
|
| Member |
That's very true. Many cases they just want the abuse in the moment to stop.
Thank you.  I try every day, really give it my all. Some days are easier than others. | |||
|
| Member |
| |||
|
| Powered by Social Strata |
 | Please Wait. Your request is being processed... |
|
© SIGforum 2024