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of correctional employees is missing the discipline of
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structure that comes from previous work experiences.
For the most part, I consider the DCSO, my first “real
job.”
When I started in 2016, I had very little structure and
accountability. I remember the first time my lieutenant
spoke to me about leaving keys on a desk because “an
inmate could get to them.” Later that night, I received
a “Letter of Concern” along with my missing keys. I
say this because, generally, many who entered this field
decades ago were fresh out of the military. They were
already accustomed to structure and had developed
security awareness. Using previous experience as a
way to help others is important. And as a leader, I make
2. Introduce the “Broken Window” Theory
these points with my employees early on.
In younger team members, I notice they are gener­
ally less­structured and naïve, and they require more
guidance. Examples include:
• less likely to arrive a few minutes early for shift
• less likely to iron their uniform, and—my biggest
briefings,
concern—
• lack of security awareness (as I demonstrated
early in my career).
To help guide these newbies, I train them about the
“broken window” theory. That is, when we enforce
small details, it leads to mitigating or preventing bigger
issues from happening. We start small and work our
way up.
Shortly into receiving encouragement, guidance,
and further training, new officers begin to notice the
small details on their own. One incident that comes to
mind was an officer noticing high foot traffic in front of
a certain inmate’s cell door. This led to the search and
discovery of 88 strips of suboxone and enough fentanyl
to cause a mass medical emergency.
Once similar situations like this occurred, it was as
though a light switch flipped on in their work habits.
These new officers realized they weren’t “just watching
inmates,” but studying them for unusual patterns and
behaviors. Emphasizing the small details that prevent
bigger incidents from occurring pays off in a correc­
tional environment.
Although, the older generation has more experi­
ence in the category of security awareness, it may be
accompanied by bad habits that develop over time.
For example, it is easy to fall into the trap of a routine:
clocking in the same time every day, working the same
unit, performing the same tasks over and over. This can
lead to our arch nemesis: complacency.