what are your initial thoughts when you think of a prison officer?
TRANSCRIPT
What are your initial thoughts when you think of a Prison Officer?
Therapeutic Alliance:Wearing Two Hats as a Prison
OfficerOfficer Laura Smillie
&
Officer Emma Guthrie
Prison Service Statement of Purpose
"Her Majesty's Prison Service serves the public by keeping in custody those committed by the courts. Our duty is to look after them with humanity and help them lead law-abiding and useful lives in custody and after release."
Aims
Explore some of the challenges a Prison Officer faces when working in a therapeutic role
with female offenders.
Have your earlier views altered?
What Can Make This Balance Challenging?
Maintaining Security
Use of Control and Restraint
Searching
Self-harm
Intense Emotions (including ours!)
Mental Illness
Negative Views of Authority
Additional Difficulties - Staff
“They should get nothing”“They’re a lost cause”“Why do you care what happens to them
after what they did”“I can’t believe you get paid to do that”“Lock them up and throw away the key”“Here come the care bears”“Why try to rehabilitate they’ll never change”
How We Try To Obtain a Therapeutic Alliance
• Want to do the job in the first place• Be consistent yet responsive to situations.• Transparent• Empathic• Don’t take things personally• Be persistent yet know when to leave it and
move on• Patient• Know the people you work with• Stay positive• Sense of humour – never lose it!!
“…not your
friend, s
omeone
who cares &
cares about
your
situatio
n…..”
“…staff had to
intervene, if
they hadn’t I
wouldn’t be
here now….”
“…as soon as an officer came into
my room I’d jump on them…..”
“…I had no respect for
officers, I would continuously
kick out & punch….”
Conclusions
We work in a challenging environment and we believe a balance can be made but you
have to want to make that balance.
As we’ve highlighted there are increasing numbers of females being held in custody who have complex needs therefore isn’t it more important to ensure we wear TWO
HATS!
Thank You
Any Questions?