He's just a bit crabby

[lolabobs]

Today I got a request to complete an assessment for an offender to see whether he was suitable to move to an open prison. Quite a significant issue therefore as granting the move would see him in open conditions, able to leave the prison, go into town etc.

So I called the current prison to get info as to what he's done since his sentence, any adjudications for bad behaviour, what offence focussed work he's done, his attitude to the offence, his conduct etc etc ie essential things to assess whether he has made any changes, what risk he presents and so on.

I introduced myself, explained my purpose and sat, poised, pen at the ready...

... to hear the prison officer launch into a furious rant all about how FED UP he is of havng to answer calls form Probation Officers, all wanting information. Why do they even bother to call him, WHAT IS THE POINT?. How is he supposed to do his job if all he is doing is answering the bloody phone and looking up information. He has HAD ENOUGH and it's driving him up the wall. What do we need the info for anyway, all they want is a decision from us, not all this bother. He just gets into the screen he wants and then he has to answer the 'phone and answer more questions...

It was quite astonishing!

He did start to give me the info (which is a strong part of his role btw) but paused to chunter on a bit more between each snippet.

Then he apologised if he'd been a bit crabby...

Comments

[lauramcewan.livejournal.com]

crabby.

KING crabby.

[lydia-petze.livejournal.com]

Love your icon.

[lauramcewan.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[lolabobs.livejournal.com]

He was indeed, King Crabby of Crabby town.

[cynatnite.livejournal.com]

If?

[lolabobs.livejournal.com]

It makes me fearful of his version of rude!

[jekesta]

God, why do you need INFORMATION about how the prisoner behaves to decide where to keep him?????? WHY DO YOU NOT JUST GUESS, AND DECIDE WHO IS A GOOD PRISONER AND WHO IS A BAD PRISONER BY RANDOM TICKING OF RANDOM BOXES? Or maybe you could make their horoscope chart and if their moon is rising in Venus they shoudl be allowed privileges. That is the penal system I voted for.

[lolabobs.livejournal.com]

I shall decide in future by making them complete their tv preferences and make judgement based upon where they place Al Callavicci in the scale of awesomeness.

[vonandmoggy.livejournal.com]

Some peoples' children! :P

[lolabobs.livejournal.com]

Frank Spencer indeed!

[thechangingman.livejournal.com]

I had to answer the phone once.

I didn't like it.

[lolabobs.livejournal.com]

Brava!

[lydia-petze.livejournal.com]

Oh god, what a cock. Fancy being asked to do his job while being paid for it.

At my last job, there was a bloke at one of the depots with a giant chip on his shoulder - I hung up on him more than once.

[lolabobs.livejournal.com]

See, I got the rant, but it's the type of rant that you have *after* you've hung up the phone. If you're not a cock that is.

[kat-lair.livejournal.com]

Oh dear. This example would have aptly demonstrated the theory-practice issues on offender risk assessment for my lecture...

[lolabobs.livejournal.com]

Oh my - the theory vs practise chasm...

[lolabobs.livejournal.com]

Oh and conversely - I have an offender who is hospitalised, completely bed bound, can't speak, has no hand co-ordination, can't use a computer, can't do *anything*. Yet I am supposed to visit him regularly in order to manage his risk...

[kat-lair.livejournal.com]

Oh CJS, how so logical and well-organised...

But yeah, I spend majority of lectures telling students how the system or various things (offender behaviour programmes, risk assessment, eye-witness testimony etc.) should ("observe here years of research that has shown x is good") and then the last ten minutes going "observe here the political asshattery/resource limitations/ill-informed public opinion etc. that often ensure that what is good does not get done". Awesome. And hats off to you.

[hardboiledbaby]

O__o Good heavens. Methinks someone else might need an assessment...

[lolabobs.livejournal.com]

It doesn't make me fill with glee at the thought of calling in future I have to say.