TYCGIDDINGS

Go figure.  On July 5, 2011 I get a no-explanation summons to go to The Hill.  OK.  Get there, and a couple JCO 6's greet me and say it's time to receive my LIVE (oh?) Yearly Evaluation.  Hmmmm.  As usual, ALL ratings are just "meets expectations" --- same as every time, over 6 years now.  OK, fine.  So far.

Then the kicker.  I get read a letter that I think was done TOTALLY  off the books.  And that was carried out in a TOTALLY unethical and most likely illegal manner.  And yes, I did sign it.  But here comes kicker #2...

Right below where I signed, the letter reads "signature only confirms receipt of this letter.  Your signature does not signify your agreement with this letter nor does your signature limit your ability to protest this action".  WHOO HOO!!  GAME ON!!

Just as a teaser, there's more ~~ like, the other 6 signed below ME, where it says I thought/assumed he would be signing as a witness ~~  honestly can say I did NOT read HIS part of the document ~~ he signed attesting that "I have witnessed that this letter was present to the above named employee and he/she DECLINED (capitals mine) to sign the letter.  Huh??  They SAW me do it. 

Looking over the paperwork a few days later I noticed that some dates were wrong on it, too.  AND THAT'S NOT ALL.  Ohhhh, no, not by a long shot.  When I contacted the JCO and asked it be amended to reflect the facts, you wouldn't hardly believe the horse-and-pony show make believe bullshit I was expected to swallow.  Ohh, well.  Can't expect any more around here; shoulda known that by now.

After getting home from work recently  I was looking at it again and "discovered" -- in plain sight -- another VERY suspicious anomoly.  This has led me to call the Director of the McLennan County State Juvenile Correctional Facility, and, get the number of the TYC head of legal matters in Austin.  Haven't called her - yet - but her name is Ashley and she can be reached at 1-512-424-6278 if you're like me and have no taste for filling out grievances against people whose supervisors consistantly turn a blind eye to their behavior.  Yes, it's true.  Some thing about some people makes them Capital-S Special.  I've never ever even considered filling out a grievance on anyone here -- I'm not "that kind" of person.  If you will talk openly and honestly with me, I don't need to put out any damn paperwork on you to prove I'm right.  If all you do is open your mouth and emit HOT AIR, well, our conversations are OVER.

I can't say why I don't fit in an exalted and favored stratosphere here, myself.  For SOME reason, one would imagine... I just don't really know.  But that's not what I'm here to write about today... what's on my mind is this:

Are you ready to share my pain?  There's a staff who not once ever never a single time has arrived to work on time, and I mean IN THE DORM when the Big Hand is on the 12.  NOT ONCE, in months and months now; don't even remember.  Today my co-"worker" was 2 hours late.  I get a call at 12 minutes prior to suppoesed to being off work and am told to expect this person would be an "hour" late.  Turns out it was two.  NO surprise.

It's never a question of IF this person will be late or not -- or, maybe not even make it in at all.  EVERY SINGLE DAMN DAY.  WITHOUT EXCEPTION. ALL CAPS!!!!

We've got people who've called in  more this MONTH than I have ALL YEAR... AND get in late, leave early, do nothing, hide out, go out on FMLA multiple times AND get requested days off!!?  WTF??!  Just for the record, I've called in TWICE this whole year, and IF I should be as much as 3 minutes late entering the dorm I sincerely APOLOGIZE for my tardiness to my co-workers who are ready to go home.

Yep... meets expectations.  Or SNOT.  Snot ME.  Grrrr.  As I've mentioned before -- it's not in my realm of responsibility to ream this person out a new rear end -- after the second consecutive time.  To write him up after a 3rd or 4th instance and to get SOMEONE, ANYONE, to FIRE their lazy butt if co-workers are having to claim overtime to ensure dorm coverage because of this employee.  One CANNOT come in to work late every day -- every day --  by "accident".  Hell, if I lived in town and woke up at a quarter till, I could STILL make it at least to the GATE on time.  Sheeesh.  You can excuse exceptions, but when you do nothing about it becoming a habit it becomes accepted as the rule.  

Guess my best option is to keep in mind an old saying I first heard years ago:  "When life (or your job) deals you a shit sandwich, sometimes the best thing you can do is ask for more bread."  Allright -- BRING ON the overtime! Open another loaf!! I'll just end up owing it all back in taxes anyhow; but still, gotta be glad I got a job, right? 

Sigh.
   

 http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/opinionla/la-ed-juvenile-20110706,0,3151563.story ~~ This is a recent L.A. Times Editorial  -- and a QUICK MUST READ!  I'm tellin' y'all ~~ check out this link NOW and come back to this blog post when you're done.  Don't worry... I'll wait.  It's kinda like waiting to get relieved at work.  Smile.

Now... do you think I might be (over or under) qualified?  Obama would LOVE ME, I know.  And I'd be ready to give him a big warm Man Hug, too, because I WANT TO HELP HIM.  OK, I don't  have a Ph.D in anything, but I DO know a thing or two about people, and, maybe even kids,  and how to get the best out of them.  It's called CLEAR COMMUNICATION and JOINT ACCOUNTABILITY.  I'm not afraid to be told -- or tell -- much of anything as long as it rings authentic and REAL.  Real is something I can do, and know the kids usually respond well to it.  They're going to have to be told SOMEDAY that TYC isn't "like" prison, it IS prison.  They are young, yes, so can be called "youth" -- but don't forget the term "convicts" is just about as applicable, eh?

So, I want to be The Man With The Plan for the Feds -- got a problem with that?  WHY THE HELL NOT?  If I feel unappreciated/unfairly treated/endangered here, wouldn't it be nice not to have to deal with anyone but ADULTS (one would hope) who were sincerely dedicated to doing the hard work necessary to help reform these kids in a positive way?  I'M READY.  SIGN ME UP.

If I was the Big Boss of the Federal Joe Delinquent Prevention Agency and had a Big Meeting (grapevine is that one is scheduled this coming week) with ALL the Top Brass (supervisors) and Worker Drones (us)... I'd make whatever I had to say "short and sweet", then turn over the floor for people to come up front  and have 3 minutes to say what was on their minds, starting with the JCO I's and going up through the ranks.  A couple youth, selected by random from a pool of willing participants, could also be allowed to speak up.  WOW!!  What a concept!!  Betcha  a lot would get worked out so everyone knew their role in the Big Picture, and how to apply the Tao of Corrections on the job for best results.  We won't give anyone any answers; we'll give everyone better questions, OK?  

Instead of having a youth fill out a Thinking Report after undesireable behavior -- let ME do one on HIM.  I'd ask questions like:

Do you ever see your peers also doing this type of behavior?
What has happened when they did a similar thing?
What do you want, NOW?
What are you doing to get what you want?
Is it working?
Did it work last time?
What else can you do to get what you want and resolve this dichotomy?

WHAT??!  You DON'T KNOW what a DICHOTOMY is??  Well, look it up or not, sonny, but it's what the Real Wolrld is made of, and in a word, that is called "CHOICES"... sometimes under conditions perceived as polar extremes or opposites -- and we oftentimes gotsta make 'em on the fly.  Live with it.

So!   IF you learn ANYTHING here at TYC, learn to make good choices out of whatever options present themselves in all circumstances  -- the first time, every time if you can.  If you train yourself to do this -- with our help -- you will have the best chance of success outside the gatehouse, back in the Real World.  If not, look before you leap, my children:  The fire is NOT what you want, in OR out of here.  Trust me; I are a college graduate.

To mirror what conditions the kids can expect on the outside, we have to have OUR OWN expectations... not just those for incarcerated youth, but for people in general.  Most of us adults could probaly agree on the basics.  When it comes to the kids, we expect little, and get little, because we DON'T want to hurt their feelings, or have them be bored, or riot, or injure someone, not to have sports... but DO wink-and-nod at food brought in by supervisors and caseworkers, giving unearned privileges like TV/movies, entertainment, ETC all the way up to who-knows-what  etc etc... and so it's no real surprise the mess we're in, ya know?

My idea of a Dream Job is when I would go to work for the State I love to live in and do my best to help co-workers develop a common vision of effectively implementing an important mission for aiding people who need social care services.  EVERYONE would be a "stakeholder", a "shareholder", and a PARTNER to the next person... because we would be motivated to love our neighbors as ourselves, knowing that TOUGH LOVE is hard, but REAL and NECESSARY in some neighborhoods.  And that's OK.  If you've never had to give/take tough love, you're not particularly LUCKY.  Still wet behind the ears. more likely.  Sometimes ya gotta do what ya gotta do, accept, and move on.  Even when it hurts.

TYC Giddings is not Mr. Roger's neighborhood.  We would do well to help provide the kids with life-enriching intangibles such as PRIDE, SELF-ESTEEM, COURTESY, and RESPONSIBILITY TO OTHERS instead of snow cones and such.  They won't appreciate them after they leave here, but if they learn to refer to us a Mister and Miss instead of #@!!*, well, shucks... that's a start, and EVERYONE WINS -- no harm in THAT!

September First looms... out with the old, and in with the new??   Who can say...

No one has really made it clear to ME what to expect when we go from TYC to TJJD -- can anyone help me out?  It would seem there might be some changes ahead,  but WHAT?

Are we ready for it... are the kids... we can only hope.  When/if the word goes out to JCO's like us that groups are being formed to cuss and discuss new developments and ideas -- I'm rarin' to go for it!  From what little I understand, the changes aren't supposed to all be in place till December first... so we DO have time to get the ball rolling.

A clean start, a clean slate, a new and improved outlook, better results of our efforts: Those are what we have to set as goals.  If we continue doing "business as usual" -- and that includes using CoNextions, I'd say -- then we'll head into even deeper kimchi, if you get my drift.  I'm GUNG HO to see TYC Giddings be what it used to be, what it CAN be, and what it SHOULD BE in regards to meeting our Mission Goals of helping the Joe Delinquent's out there become productive citizens in society. 

We don't need to treat these young felons any WORSE than we'd treat our own children we love... nor necessarily any BETTER, either.  They ARE here to serve time for doing serious crimes, remember?  Being FAIR is FAIR, and good enough, and sometimes we are called on to decide this matter on the fly... and need to be trusted to do our best.  If matched up with CONSISTANCY, the kids will not see us as being so much as "FIRM" as "REAL".  This is where the basis of respect lies, treating one another in a way that is socially appropriate.  Being REAL means we're not going to be victims or victimizers, and we'll get what we've deserved and earn -- and give the same right to others, pretty much without exception.

The kids want this discipline and direction.  We JCO's are here to help  them see the light as to how all this stuff works.  We can show them the Tao, and if they follow it, all the better.  We can't push rehabilitation down their throats, but we CAN be given appropriate authority, tools, and consequences to deal with kids who REFUSE to "get it" after a second reasonable request.  NO WAY should we have to take the chance of being injured on the job for DOING our job!!  If the kids don't like it, well... maybe they will make some effort to wake up to what we're trying to do to help them.  If not, they'll continue to get away with as much as we lack the conviction to prevent.

It might help clarify issues facing us all if a POLL was conducted.  I think if honest questions were asked and honest answers provided it would be possible to focus on problems and solutions, instead of just having folks whine and deny.  So here's some questions you can consider... 1 is lowest/least/no  and 5 is highest/most/yes.  You can respond using the SHOUT BOX on the THINKING REPORTS page and indicating by entering question number and your answer.

1. Do you think the Admin/Supervisors babies/pampers our youth, making our jobs even harder?
2. Does your JCO 5 communicate with you regularly in a clear, honest, and respectful way?
3. How likely do you see yourself working here a year from now?
4. How likely do you see yourself working here 3+ years from now?
5. Has it been over three months that you've had a full staff meeting on your dorm? (NO=1, YES=2)
6. Is the JCO 6 on your dorm scheduled to work specific shifts, and if so, do they actually put in 8 hours?
7. Have you had to pull 12 hour shifts an average of least once a week in the past month?
8. Do you generally get "most" of the days off you request?
9. Have you ever filled out a grievance on another TYC Giddings staff?
10. Have you ever been "under investigation"?


This is just a START.  I'm considering putting a Poll Booth widget on the site where visitors can vote on issues and see what others think... sound good?

The thinking report is what we're given as a "tool" to help the kids ... ahh... THINK, I guess.  I'm not really sure.  If done with sincerity and some degree of penitence, if necessary, a thinking report MAY well help bring someone to a clearer appreciation of their actions/feelings and how they may negatively affect both themselves and the community.  While the questions themselves are honest enough, we RARELY get anything more than whiney, mewing, little screechy cries for more this, more that,  more everything.  Pamper me, protect me, humor me, entertain me, feed/clothe/house me, respect me!! 

OK, maybe I will.  But you can't assault my co-workers or other youth.  You can't lie/cheat/steal... or refuse to get older even if you never grow up.  I know you aren't required to get a free education, sweat, do ANY REAL WORK, keep a civil tongue, and that's YOUR problem, kids, if you don't -- not mine.  A good Work Ethic sometimes takes losing a few jobs (etc) in order to grow and mature one, you know?  Granted, they are young, but if they DON'T THINK -- I can't help them.  So why ask them to?

One of my favorite thinking reports was written by a kid who wrote the single word "HATE" on each section of the report.  Hmmmm... let's think about that.  He's in the Big House now, where I would say he richly deserves to be.  

Here's another favorite:


SITUATION:
Aggrivated
annoyed anxious

THOUGHTS:
Pissed off
where the hell is the slip and slide and snow cones
It's boring nothing to do
I hate this dorm
it's childish
we can't do anything
I thought we was supposed to have things planed for today

FEELINGS:
confused
mad angry

ATTITUDES AND BELIEFS:
I believe this dorm is bullshit boring

NEW THINKING I CAN USE TO COPE WITH THE SITUATION:
get a self referal


Gee... what could I add to make it any clearer?  What's wrong here, or, if you read it over a few times, does some of it sound kind of promising in a way?  At least he's not seeing his incarceration as Kiddy Club for Convicts -- and that IS good. Still, he LIKES going to Security, and often does, because... because... I guess it's more fun.   Oh, boy.  Imagine that.

 I couldn't imagine what any psychologist would make of it, though, and good thing  too -- they don't pay me to interpret this for meaning or my opinion of what  makes the kids tick.  Does ANYONE evaluate them for potentially serious mental conditions after reading stuff like this??  IF not, WHY not? 

I will NEVER forget one asking me: "This (TYC Giddings) is kind of like prison, isn't it?"  Yep.  IF we run it right.  The kids not so long ago pretty much knew the score -- they were more than locked up.  They had a SENTENCE and most had enough sense to realize it really came down to at least EXHIBITING prosocial behavior in order to get outta here ASAP.  Sure, some would "fake it to make it" as they used to say, but nowdays that seems to be the norm.  Can't lose your stage, YES?  That just BLOWS.

So here we are, at a crossroads.  Either the kids win, or, EVERYONE BESIDES THEM DOES.   Ante up!  Win some, lose some, children; such is the Tao of playing the game.  If you're locked up here for #@!!, society wants you here to listen and learn from people who are trained to model and promote real-life proactive values.  We fail  to do this with the kids and EVERYNE LOSES.  That includes anyone reading or writing this, and everyone who never will.  The stakes are very high now and this is no longer a game.   If/when anyone asks for my honest input on my thoughts and feelings about situations here I can guaren-damn-tee y'all I'll put some THINKING into it!  

Do a thinking report right now on your own, with the situation being that you've just read this post and ... 

OK -- check this out.

Wasn't told I was expected to pull a 12 a few days ago by any supervisor, nor did my schedule reflect it.  Came to work the usual time, and was informed I should have been there 4 hours earlier.  Ahhh.  Communication breakdowns are common on this dorm.

Then, was told I had to stay for 4 hours PAST my otherwise 8 hour scheduled  shift.  ??!  Best not to try to argue/make sense/explain/negotiate with someone who's -- HELLO!!? -- not listening.  Well, OK.  Screw me, AGAIN.  I'm pretty used to it, and who am -I- to complain?

Towards the time when my shift would normally have ended, I call the ODS -- any hope for getting any coverage so I don't have to stay late?  Will see, they say.  Oh, yeah, right... sure.  Thanks.  Bitterness sets in, but allright, will do what I am told, obey the reasonable request, and just shut up... for the time being.

After a couple of hours, I call again.  The kids don't have school, there's the other staff and a case worker in her office -- possible I might be able to go?  OH, HELL NO!!

The ODS starts going hysterical how they need to "keep their ratio".  The ratio!  The sacred ratio!!  Gotta keep it 12 to 1!  But wait a sec -- what about that ratio when it comes to those 5 hours I was just on the dorm -- BY MYSELF -- with 19 kids?  No one bothered to send me in any reinforcements when the visiting staff left after a few hours due to illness.  Not one word was said like "Gee... we don't have anybody to maintain a 12:1 ratio and we're really sorry, but manage the best you can".  Oh, no.

So YOU TELL ME -- how does the ODS get to decide what the law relating to the staff/youth is, and when/how to enforce it?  Since when do they get to PLAY GOD with my having to deal with the increased potential dangers of working on my own?  They just get to pick and choose??  Don't they care about me OR the kids???  When did the voters of the State of Texas die and leave THEM in charge??!

The ODS did not pass the law.  They are obligated to help ENFORCE it.  That's their JOB.  They FAILED.  I spent an unpleasant 4 hours of sitting around, collecting overtime, non-communicative with a staff that has the distinction (over a period of months) of NEVER ONCE NOT EVER having arrived for relief on the dorm by the time Mickey's hand reaches the 12.  NOT ONCE have they been less than a few minutes late, and oftentimes has called in with -- no other way to describe it -- BULLSHIT excuses and screwed me and others over into working unplanned overtime.  Note -- it's not MY job to chew his ass out for being late and sitting there with eyes closed while behind the desk; that's why the 5's and 6's get paid the Big Bucks, I was led to believe.  But oh, no... some people are Special.  So special, in fact, they're really not EXPECTED to have to do their job.  Who's being fooled here?

Grrr.  I was so angry for being so jacked around that I basicly wouldn't have told him if his hair was on fire.  At the end of my 12 hours, I made a twisting motion with my hand and said "Get me outta here." 

At that point, did I care about my co-non-worker, the unevenly-applied damn ratio, the kids he/we couldn't/didn't control, or TYC in general?  Precious little.  Blame me?  Here to tell you -- if and when YOU put in for 5 days off a month for the past 3 months and don't get ONE DAY off while co-workers do -- YOU try not to feel bitter, undervalued, punished (for what?) and all that stuff... and let me know how it works out.  Walk a mile in my shoes, y'all... feel my blisters.

Ever hear the old Dylan song where he sings "you don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows" -- ?  How about the 60's Army saying "we had to destroy the villiage in order to save it" -- ? 

We all know winds of change are beginning to blow on campus, and for good reason.  People are speaking out, other people are coming and ready to ask questions, and I'm just waiting to see where the cards fall after the dust settles.  I'm hoping for the best... am willing to be part of the changes that will need to be made... and yes, actually still have hope for our future AND the future of the kids we're trying to help.  What doesn't kill us hopefully will make us stronger.    The fabric of our campus is falling apart; what can we do to keep from bottoming out?

Chances -- and changes -- are necessary, ASAP.  An old Pink Floyd song goes "You take the blade... you make the change... you rearrange me 'till I'm sane" comes to mind and kind of relates to what's going on at our campus.  POTENTIAL Agents Of Change will be decending upon us soon, and we need to not be afraid to speak frankly of our concerns.  The insanity needs to stop.  We can't go forward without upheaval, as painful as we know it is sure to be... we gotta do what we gotta do.  At very least, the saying "HONESTY IS THE BEST POLICY" should be foremost in your mind if a supervisor or someone from Austin comes around and asks you questions... just be prepared to accept that the truth isn't always flattering and often will hurt.  But the truth will also set us free and re-establish our reputation as part of an agency that really cares for its employees, the youth of  Texas, and our communities. 

We deserve to earn our pay as CORRECTIONS OFFICERS instead of ... what?  24/7 daycare workers?  Better to die on our feet that live on our knees, Brothers and Sisters.  Let the truth be told!

Just to be clear on this matter -- I remain willing and ready to play a bigger role (besides site webmaster) in being part of the SOLUTION at TYC Giddings instead of contributing to the PROBLEMS we face.  My solution ideas include brainstorming with ANYone and EVERYone who can come up with reasonable ideas on what MIGHT work.  I have ideas on how to help the kids learn a new trade and establish their own businesses, for example.  I do NOT want to destroy the villiage to save it.  I DO want to see that what DOESN'T WORK be removed from the way things are done... and then have the remaining parts stitched together into something new and FUNCTIONAL for a change.  Guess I'm ready to quit playing Let's Pretend.  SIGH.   Where's the Emperor's clothes when he needs them?  All we all sheep??!

What say we could have a bonfire of all the CoNextions (how illiterate!) binders out on the football field, huh?  Invite the kids, teachers,  and JCO's -- only the poor unfortunates who've actually had to put up with it.  That'd be a start, anyhow, but doubt if it's in the cards any time soon.  Quite a shame it is, too.  Austin/Admin bought into the system a few years ago when obvious changes WERE NEEDED -- but ConFections... ahh... ConVictions.... urr, ConNextOnes was soon discovered to be the WRONG PROGRAM for our situation... and nothing was done.  And we're paying for it in spades now, right?  You bet!!

One last platitude:  "You make your bed, you sleep in it".  OK, that's what we've done.  Now look at the mess we're in.  Time to clean the sheets, time to pay attention to our mission and mistakes, and time to end the insanity.  We'd be crazy not to.

No fooling.

Oh, don't we love it!?  In lieu of timely and real information, we get rumors.  Instead of working on honest interpersonal interactions, we get gossip.  It's time for a change.

It's the FACTS we want, really... but we're either too lazy, too burned out, too afraid, or too non-caring to find out what's going on around here.  And we don't deserve any better unless we speak up to people who can bring about the changes we want, who can help make this a better/safer/more meaningful place to work.

I've tried to keep this site free of outright rumors and gossip, and well, it's hard.  I hear soooo much of it that it makes me wonder -- "Is that really true?"  True or not, once the cat's out of the bag most people will accept ANYTHING they hear if it sounds even the least bit probable.  I've heard from others a number of rumors concerning ME, and oh my... were they ONLY true!!  Truth is, my life's not NEARLY as wicked and/or exciting as some people probably believe.

So... if we want to be kept up on things, we need to ask questions of people we trust.  WHERE ARE THESE PEOPLE??  As mentioned before, I've tried, and lost faith with the supervisory JCO's, the Admin, and those up in the ivory towers in Austin who are only concerned with keeping thier jobs by making it look like everything is JUST GREAT here on campus.  Yep, I've "gone through the channels", and still don't feel like I've been heard.  I've written to the director of TYC, my legislative representatives in Austin, and more -- and still, no one seems to care that TYC Giddings is heading down a dangerous path.  Dangerous for staff and youth, and dangerous to the good people of the State of Texas -- because the kids are routinely being let back out into society with precious few coping skills in dealing with life the Real World.  It seems inevitable that this will mean MORE rapes, MORE robberies, MORE violence, right?  What do the kids learn here?  They learn if they whine and cry and fill out enough grievances they can get staff fired, continue to victimize others, and get away with pretty much whatever they like.  This, too, needs to end.  We JCO's have the OBLIGATION to HELP these kids by providing structure and discipline... and we need directives to adopt a REAL "zero tolerance" policy to deal with negative behavioral situations on the dorm.   Otherwse -- mark my words -- they will get worse, not better.

Can we do it on our own?  No.  Are the JCO 6's going to help us?  Probably not.  The JCO 5's mostly are just concerned with passing the buck, kissing butt, and keeping their jobs so they can retire, so they're out, too.  WHO TO TURN TO?

I'm thinking it might  be time before long to share this site with my Boss, my MAIN BOSS -- the man we ALL need to answer to -- governor Rick Perry.  Just to be frank -- I think Perry is a putz.  I can't hope to think he really CARES about you or me or our institution -- what with all the campaigning he's fixin' to do -- but maybe he'll get the message that all is NOT well here, and take a proactive position to help keep from having yet another TYC scandal blow up in his face.  Who knows?  Is it worth the time and effort?

Rumors and gossip aside, the FACTS remain.  Records and paperwork are being kept, and not all of it is being generated by our supervisors and those in Austin.  A lot of it is NOT what Perry would probably want to know about -- but facts are facts.  Now, I hear a lot of juicey things I would never share with Perry, and don't need to because the TRUTH speaks loudlyt enough for itself.  Personally, I don't particularly care who's pregnant by who, or who's using cocaine, or falsifying their time sheet, etc.  I DO CARE about the youth we've been entrusted to help become law-abiding citizens... and the fact that it's just NOT HAPPENING bothers me quite a bit.  We're wasting our time and everyone's money if the recividism rate is anywhere around 50% -- it's hardly worth the effort, eh?

If a kid over 16, or 18, and hasn't had anything but NEGATIVE scores for weeks and weeks on end, is openly defiant, tears the dorm up, injures staff yadda yadda yadda -- WHAT is he doing HERE?  If we're to have a good comeback to the kid's often-asked question "what are ya gonna do about it?" we need to be able say "we're gonna ship your sorry ass off to TDCJ and let them deal with you there".  And carry through.  Every time.

The kids WANT the security of structure and consistant discipline.  Us JCO's WANT to provide it, and be agents of POSITIVE CHANGES in their lives... there's no other way around it.  I believe that with all my being.  If all the supervisors, Admin, Austin, and Perry want to do is keep their heads in the sand and deny and ignore situations and hope things will get better, well, this is NOT a place, at the very least, where people will be willing to work... and at worst we'll turn into another Crockett or where ever else it is that kids were calling the shots and in control.

It takes years for an individual to become a competent and effective JCO; we all know this.  It doesn't happen overnight, for sure.  When experienced staff are let go for no more reason than to satisfy the egos of supervisors, or being for outspoken, or, heaven forbid, fired due to some trumped-up accusation done just to make things LOOK BETTER -- TYC is shooting itself in the foot.  This means only the ineffective staff will remain to take care of business... and as things are, business is NOT GOOD.

What to do... what to do...  any suggestions?

  

Another missed opportunity to do the right thing...

NEW DIRECTIVE:  The kids are to sleep under their sheets.  OK... we tell them this, a number of times.  They KNOW the expectation.  BUT... there's problems.

Do the 2-10 JCO staff monitor this when they can watch them all go to bed at 9:00?  I'D say yes, it's their responsibility.  So, by 10:00 the kids who have chosen not to sleep between the sheets can be appropriately consequenced (at the on duty JCO staff/s discretion) for their behavior... kinda like it USED to be when they chose to wear black shorts.  Sigh.

Anyhow... I recently gave ALL the kids one ZERO for sleeping outside their sheets (not being in the right place at the right time) one night, except one, a stage YES youth that seems to have a bit more sense that most of his peers.  They KNEW the expectation, they CHOSE not to heed it and giving them any higher score seemed WAY too generous.  The Tao was served.

PROBLEM IS -- I've lost count of the times now that the relieving JCO 5 has come in and changed all the scores... the zeros become fours... the kids make thier day, things look good, no one is really asked to be accountable or try to be firm, fair, and consistant -- but it's just WRONG.  Obviously, changing offical legal records by someone who did NOT EVEN WORK THE SHIFT is plain and simple ILLEGAL.  -I- don't just haul off and change a kid's school scores, you know?  -I- don't try to second-guess my fellow JCO's, but I do question the integrity and honesty of altering paperwork to reflect... what?  In the case of the sheets situation, it's either Do or Not Do.  Did they get under the sheet?  OK.  That's probably worth a 3 or 4.  It's just EXPECTED THEY WILL, but if they don't, there are no shades of grey here.  How the hell can blatant non-compliance rate a 4?!?

Now my mind is changed due to this happening yet again, and my way of doing things will change.  The kids apparently deserve 4's for non-compliance, so why not give them all 5's for everything, all the time??  WHY NOT??  Even the best behaved kids on the dorm really don't measure up to a score of 5 for hardly anything, if you read the criteria closely... right?  I'm sure the supervisory JCO's will NEVER adjust the kid's scores that I give them DOWNWARDS, so at least giving them all 5's ensures the scores I write down will remain the legal and true documentation the State insists on.  Seems fairly sure I can explain and/or try to rationalize/bullshit my reasoning for pencil whipping the 410 sheets than can someone who changes the scores -- without informing ME in any way of what's been done -- or why, or what BETTER to do.  Can you say "communication break down?"  No, I didn't think so.  Happens all the time.  I've tried and tried to bring up concerns to supervisors and again and again I'm fed a line, told to be quiet, given the runaround and ignored.  Sound familar?

A very sad situation, this is.  I was thrilled to hear of the new directive, since it's EXACTLY what NEEDS TO BE DONE around here.  The admin needs to jumpstart the system with small steps like the sheets directive, and MAKE IT STICK.  That means close collaboration with the JCO 1-4's since WE'RE actually the ones who will be responsible for documentating compliance and providing consequences.  This is a easy and simple thing to do, and I don't think I'm speaking just for myself by saying this is what us JCO's are HUNGRY FOR.  The black shorts fiasco, the marching fiasco, the non-zero tolerance for soooo many things is due to Admin not drawing a line in the sand and saying something like -- "Our JCO's have been tasked to draw a line with your piss poor behavior.  Pass at your own risk.  Go over the line and you lose your privileges. The DORM loses its privileges -- no if's, and's, or but's.  Non-compliance means NO TV, games, cards, radios, outdoor rec... and you can just FORGET about cookouts and movies with popcorn.  If overall dorm behavior improves and is consistant for a number of days/weeks (not hours) then we may discuss these matters."  And for each violation, WHATEVER it is -- we JCO's can work out what we will NOT budge on -- they will lose all these comforts for a day or better yet a week or more.  What's fair is fair.  Now, THAT would ensure compliance!!

But no... no, we equivocate because we're told what to do -- but not how to do it.  I'm not STOOPID.  Tell me what you want me to do and I'll do it for the most part.  Explain WHY you want me to do something, get me on board, and I'll run with it!!    

As long as clear policy implimentation and other information isn't  provided, honest questions are not honestly answered, and frank feedback not solicited --  we're going to continue dithering around, just hoping that somehow, of its own accord, situations are going to magicly get better around here.

It's Peter Pan Land out there, but where's Captain Hook??  HELP!!  I'm surrounded by Tinkerbells!!

KID : "I need a new toothbrush."
ME:  "I'll go see if we got any."
(No toothbrushes available; no surprise)
ME:  "Sorry, we don't have any."
KID:  "Call the "A" side and get me one."
(I call; "A" side has none -- again, no surprise)
ME:  "They don't have any either, sorry."
KID:  "Call the dorm-next-to-us and see if they got some."
ME:  "No, I'm not going to do that right now.  We'll see you get you one when the next (expected any minute, late) staff shows up."
KID:  "@%&*#! etc etc etc."

I explain why -- impending shift time was not a good time for doing this -- and the (Hispanic) kid goes on with a bit more yadda yadda yadda and then a (Black) peer says I'm not doing what the Hispanic wants because I'm a "RACIST"!

Oh yeah!!?  I almost forgot!!  But I can NEVER forget years ago, when I was yet a fresh newbie JCO, when a zillion 225'ed phase zero kid told me I was a RACIST because I wouldn't give him a pencil.  Now, I can't say for SURE -- it WAS a LONG time ago -- but it kinda seems my response was "No, I'm not giving you a pencil because I'm a racist.  I'm not giving you a pencil BECAUSE YOU'RE AN ASSHOLE" or something like that.  Could/would NEVER say anything like that nowdays, of course, but way back then for some reason I thought that "telling it like it is" would be the best way to get through to  these guys.  Nowdays I know better.

Still -- if you haven't guessed already -- at least according to a couple of the kids, and, I know for sure some fellow mis-informed co-workers -- I am a racist.  No, wait... maybe not.  Maybe I was just doing my job to the best of my ability and got called a name that- probably more so than anything else LEAST describes my outlook on race.  To call me a racist is an insult to me, personally, and my generation as a whole.  Baby Boomers fought and died to help bring about better racial equality in this Country of ours... and to belittle this effort, painfull as it has been at times, really makes me angry.  I just ignored it this morning, but deep in my heart I know what goes around comes around -- and when that kid comes up against a REAL racist I hope he remembers to keep his damn mouth shut.

GRRR.