The following is the introduction and a two segment excerpt from my eBook.
Introduction
There are many different probation agencies throughout
the nation. Some are sworn law
enforcement officers and some are not.
Some are a combination of probation and parole. Some are extensions of the prison
systems. Nearly all receive some sort of
initial training, a variation of an academy like the police go through. But shorter and they are not normally a
stress based program.
In that training, probation officers receive training in
the core topics that they will deal with in day to day work. It is the basics that they need for
performing their duties. It will cover
topics such as their specific states criminal
justice system, juvenile detention, information gathering for written records,
interviewing, restitution, fines, court reports, court presentations, casework
relationships, providing counseling, monitoring probationers and officer
safety. You will also get training on
the day to day expectations for your new position through your supervisor. Some places may additionally have a program
similar to the Field Training Officer (FTO) program in which the new officer is
assigned to a specific agency training for their probationary period. What you’re not taught is the things that you
will have to deal with to last your first five years in the job and
beyond. This book is intended to guide
you with just that type of information so you can be safe, successful and
healthy.
Talk
to People with Respect
No matter what they may have done to get arrested, treat
people with respect. When they are handcuffed and securely placed in a cage
vehicle, things can slow down. They may be running their mouth and be very
disrespectful, but that is no reason for you to drop to their level. Your
professionalism will be appreciated. I have had many arrested subjects who
thanked me later for treating them with respect. It’s also a really stupid
thing to catch a complaint and/or internal affairs case over.
No matter what they did to get placed on probation, treat
them with respect. I know the temptation is to lecture, but that really is not
our place. Leave that to the TV shows and the judge. This is part of
establishing a good rapport with your client. In their minds, rapport will
equal respect. Again, this will pay
dividends down the road in your relationship with them. Who knows, maybe
because the way that you treated them they will remember you and you will be
the one that they call when they have information about a new crime. It will also help develop respect, which can
keep you safe. If they’re not angry by
the way you treated them, they are not as likely to attack you.
Boundaries
with Clients
When dealing with clients, you need to be aware of the
nature of that relationship. That meant that it always must remain
professional. By professional I do not mean cold and calculating. Most of us
got into this profession because we care about people and we have a heart. But
you cannot let your compassion get you into a situation that you lose your job
or wind up in jail or worse.
I believe that most of the people that we service have
just made a mistake and they need another chance. But, their issues often lead
towards manipulative tendencies. Remember that we are dealing with people who
haven’t had their needs met; drug addicts, the mentally ill, sex offenders,
sociopaths, psychopaths and some just plain mean hard-core criminals. If you
haven’t had the opportunity to interact with a sociopath or psychopath, the
chances are pretty good that you will in this job. They may be so glib and
adept at interacting that you don’t realize what they are. At least not right
away.
There needs to be topics that are never discussed with
clients. These include: where you live, details about your family, your social
life and any other intimate details about you.
Some of the people I mentioned in the previous paragraph will use any information
they can to manipulate you or even possibly blackmail you. I don’t even keep
pictures of my family in the office. You may think that it’s okay to talk about
your kids to help relate to a client who is having problems with his children.
It’s your choice if you want to, but do not reveal any details about age,
schools, names and other specific identifying information.
P. O. Doe
#probation
#probationuncovered
Twitter - @PODoe2015
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/probationuncovered/
Email - probationuncovered@gmail.com
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