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Is Missouri DOC Better Than it Was 5 Years Ago?

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It has been more than 5 years since Missouri DOC came under new management. With a new Director and quite a bit of "house cleaning," the idea was to replace the "good ol' boy system" with something better. At least that was the sales pitch.  It is worth noting that turnover at many Missouri prisons went up significantly after the change in leadership. This includes seasoned staff who had spent many years working within the institution walls. With so many jumping ship, it certainly did not appear that the new management was well received. Supporters of the change would argue that it's all part of "cleaning house" and that the institutions were improving. Let's take a look at some of what has transpired in the last few years. On the positive side, pay for corrections officers went up significantly. However, it seems that this was the only way they could keep the prisons staffed. Understaffing has been a huge issue for the department

The reality of a Corrections Officer's job.

https://www.koat.com/article/jailhouse-video-shows-attack-on-officers-las-cruces/28584036

Sums It Up

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perfect description of a Corrections Officer's job Buy it

Missouri Department of Corrections: A Look at the Past Year and What to Expect From 2019

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Missouri Department of corrections had quite the year in 2018. Lawsuits, riots, attempted murders and escapes. We saw the department illegally threaten, harass and abuse staff like never before. We also saw an unprecedented response from staff and former staff standing up against DOC corruption. Let's look at some of the biggest moments from MODOC in 2018. Court Cases and corruption One could argue that court cases defined Missouri DOC in 2018. The smoking ban which went into effect April 1st was the result of a lawsuit by an inmate. Of course, the settlement and tobaco ban was less to do with the inmate legal action and more an opportunity for Director Precythe to push forward her policy changes. Numerous employee lawsuits came about in 2018 as a result of blatant harassment, discrimination, and unconstitutional application of policy. The most high profile legal case, however, had been in progress a lot longer. The class action suit against the department which addressed em

Yet Another Staff Member Assaulted at JCCC

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Sometimes, the things that are hard to look at are what the people need to see. Brutal assaults at Jefferson City Correctional Center have been on the rise. The department tends to not report them or to creatively report them as non life-threatening injuries rather than attempted murders. Offenders have beaten, stomped and stabbed officers with little response from administration. The Department tries to keep this information from the public because the truth is disruptive to their corrupt scheme. If people see the reality of the prison system and the dangers to staff, it will be a lot more difficult for central office to rob the people blind and profit on the backs of the officers they throw to the wolves. The latest JCCC Staff assault occurred when a segregation Offender attacked an officer with a homemade weapon. The officer was cut and stabbed leaving him with deep lacerations on his face. This officer will have scars for the rest of his life inside and out. The offender ma

Missouri Department of Corrections: A Case Study in Management Failure

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It is a fact that the quality of your employees is directly connected to how they are treated by management. If an employee is treated as though they are valued and respected, they will give the most to their job. In terms of staff retention, the key is so simple that it's honestly a bit confusing how so many managers don't understand it. The key to keeping your staff is to give them a job they don't want to leave. Sounds simple right? Well, it's taken many years for employers to realize this concept. What it comes down to is the way we look at the relationship between employer and employee. Should an employee be thankful for having a job that puts food on the table? Of course, but should the employer be equally thankful to the staff for the work they do? Again, this sounds like an easy yes, but employers often miss this part of the equation. When thinking of this particular error in management, I am reminded of an Officer who left the Missouri Department of Corr

The Department of Corrections Does Very Little Correcting

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Corrections is an interesting term for the prison system. The word prison itself is really only used out of habit as most such institutions are now called Correctional facilities. Somewhere a long time ago people decided that prison sounds too harsh. It sounds like a place where convicts are thrown to punish them for their crimes. "Wouldn't it he better if we were correcting, not punishing?" They thought. The idea of a prison being a bad place for bad people was slowly replaced by the concept that facilities could be used to rehabilitate those who had turned to a life of crime. The idea of rehabilitation is admirable. Turning a life around rather than throwing it away in a dark prison cell is certainly more beneficial to us all. However, not all are capable of rehabilitation and many of those who are, are not given what they need to change. This is the problem with calling modern-day prisons "Correctional Centers." Prison is kind of like sending your kid