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The Importance of Relationships in Correctional Programming
Randy Shively Alvis – Columbus, Ohio
Phil Nunes Alvis - Columbus, Ohio
Relationship is Underemphasized- why?
We get caught up in curriculum learning
Fidelity - presenting curriculum by the manual instructions
Look at recidivism gains as the key measure
Staff feel undervalued and disliked by inmates
Relationship Defined
Rapport
Minimal trust
Willingness to disclose
Time spent in rehabilitative activities
Responsivity Principle
Responsivity principle - the styles and modes of service incorporated into the treatment/intervention program; it should be matched to learning style of participating offender
External and internal factors that can influence capacity to participate in and benefit from programs
Internal factors include: cognitive ability, learning style, strengths, personality, gender, culture, readiness to change. External factors include: evidence-based presenter, therapeutic relationship
Responsivity (cont’d)
Responsivity partly involves an individual’s motivation to engage in program and to commit to change
Andrews and Bonta discussed therapeutic relationship between offender and presenter as one of several key elements in effective correctional programs
Clients are more motivated to participate and challenge their thinking when they respect and are engaged with staff presenter
Make offenders Controlling Rigid Must do it my way Punitive No values Obedience not teaching Thinking errors of staff Lack of choice Canned programs
Paramilitary Concepts Kill Relationship
Listened to Choices given Meaningful relationships Positive reinforcement of behavior Hope Constructive feedback Caring staff Replacement thinking (RAPP)
Therapeutic Concepts Invite Relationship
Relationship building is vital in creating a “Clinical Culture”
Gives staff and inmates common ground to relate and work together
Helps inmates stay engaged in programs and complete programs
Helps with morale on the units
May be the most important element to keep clients motivated
What does “Clinical Culture” look like?
Inmates and staff have basic respect for one another
Power struggles are minimized
Antisocial beliefs and behaviors get challenged – common language
Inmates held accountable for all thoughts and behaviors
Clinical Culture is Created Intentionally
Examples at Alvis House:
DD Hiking Club Womens: Resident and Staff of Month pick each
other Graduation Ceremonies Family Nights/Meals Hiring Own Clients- Social Enterprise
All Correctional Staff need to “live the culture”
Use common language with inmates
Give inmates input and ownership of their programs
Model behaviors to inmates they want to see more
Give behavior incentives to encourage behavior change
TA and Correctional Rehabilitation
Correctional treatment practices/models include relapse prevention (and other CBT models), cognitive oriented therapies and motivational interviewing
Effectiveness increases with collaborative client/counselor relationship with mutually agreed upon goals
Positive therapeutic style including empathic, warm, rewarding and directive approaches
Non-confrontational
TA and Correctional Rehabilitation
Therapeutic relationships build trust and rapport
Training should enhance these skills
Therapeutic relationships with offenders should be characterized by mutual respect, openness, warmth and enthusiastic communication
Offenders Report of Success
Name one or two staff who made the difference
“My case worker did not give up on me”
“I was sick and tired of being sick and tired”
“I realize some things they are doing in here related to what I will face out there”
Relationship Importance in Eye of Beholder
Tommy
Mike
Joe (Depressed)
Importance of Line Staff
“ Line staff can be the most consistent and influential element in the offender’s life. They will make or break your program”
Randy Shively
Importance of Line Staff
Often know the clients the best: consistent, frequent and lengthy interactions with clients
Best equipped to enact good behavior programming and cognitive programming
On site to model de-escalation for clients
Can gain accurate documentation of behaviors/ changes
Quote
‘Every interaction with a client can be a teachable moment” Randy Shively
What are the implications for operations staff? Therapeutic staff?
Therapeutic Alliance
60% of outcomes in therapy can be attributed to Alliance factors between client and counselor
30% of outcomes in therapy can be attributed to Allegiance factors
8% of outcomes in therapy due to model and technique
Wampold, 2001
Obstacles to Therapeutic Relationship
Time not made to “know client” up front
Therapists frequently fail to identify failing cases (Norcross, 2009)
We fail to seek client’s buy-in
We get into power struggles with clients
Sometimes “our system” gets in the way
Obstacles to Relationship, Cont’d
Attitude of staff- affects climate
Lack of activities to engage clients
Viewing program as us (staff) vs. them (clients)
Not taking interest in their success - only a statistic
Ways to Build Therapeutic Alliance
Importance of time spent up front with clients
Relationships are important hidden rule of those coming out of Poverty (Bridges out of Poverty)- develop rapport prior to hard work
Find ways to work in agreement with client on goals- programs
Ways to Build, Cont’d
Meet the clients’ immediate needs when possible to build trust
Have an intentional plan in “interacting with clients”
Invest in clients’ trust banks with a positive balance – deposits vs. withdrawals
Therapeutic Style Balanced
“Therapeutic style does not preclude need for firmness, responsibility and accountability in addition to empathy, warmth and support, in fact a healthy balance is necessary”
Randy Shively
How staff respond is key
“I’ve come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element in the consumer’s life. It’s my personal approach that creates the climate; it’s my daily mood that makes the weather. I possess a tremendous power to make a consumer’s life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration; I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated and a consumer humanized or dehumanized”
Haim Ginott
Clash of Cultures
Security
Serves society through confinement of inmates
Regimentation Consistency of rules Implicit authority of
staff Punishment culture
Treatment
Serves society through treatment of inmates
Individualized Informed consent Negotiated compliance Helping culture
Clash of Cultures
Security
Focus is the needs of the institution
Safety and security
Treatment
Focus is the needs of the offender
Learning, change, growth
“Relationship”
Treatment
The means by which the patient/client engages in the therapeutic process
Cornerstone of treatment
Security
Staff is compromised Money Sex Power
PerceptionsSecurity staff by treatment staff
“Knuckle-draggers”
Non-empathic
Rigid
Overly punitive
Violations seen as need for treatment rather than punishment
Treatment staff by security staff
“Hug-a-thug”
Soft
Gullible
Motivated to help offenders avoid the consequences (punishment) of their behavior
There is some basis in reality for these perceptions!
How to Bridge the Divide
From the top down, a “one team” approach-stop manipulation
Both sides need to be held accountable for the delivery of treatment services and the safety and security of the institution
Offenders are incarcerated as punishment, not for punishment
Common goal: Inmates abide by the rules People learn through the consequences of their
choices Take advantage of the natural consequences in the
correctional setting
Lifestyle Addict Lifestyle Criminal
“Nor has illicit drug use been shown to convertnonoffenders into offenders; rather, drug use serves to intensify criminal activity among those who are already offenders.”
Farabee, D., Joshi, V., & Anglin, M.D. (2001) . Addiction careers and criminal specialization. Crime and Delinquency, 47(2), 196-220.
Criminal Lifestyle: Four Behavioral Characteristics(Walters, 1990)
• Irresponsibility• Self-indulgence• Interpersonal
Intrusiveness• Social Rule Breaking
Stages of Change:Transtheoretical Model (Prochaska, et. al.)
1. Pre-contemplation
2. Contemplation
3. Preparation
4. Action
5. Maintenance
Motivation for Treatment
• Questionable motives• To satisfy the Court, family, or some other
external entity• Extension of manipulation• “Beat the system”
Staff Treatment Goal
Help them become drug and crime-free
Offender Treatment Goals
•Escape: Neutralize the therapist
•Destroy: Tarnish the integrity of the therapist
and the program
•Sabotage (overt/covert): Remain the same
AlcoholDrugsLyingStealingDealingB&EGamblingStrip ClubsGuns/weaponsAssaultMurderDomestic ViolenceSuicideTruancy
AngerGuilt/ShameApprovalAcceptanceRecognitionExcitementBoredomFrustrationAnnoyanceDisappointmentRejectionFailureImpulsivenessImpatience
FamilyFriendsSpouse (Ex)Child SupportProbation OfficerIRSTicketsBaby’s “Mama/Daddy”EmployerDeaths/BirthsIllnessThe NeighborhoodPaydaysHolidays
JailDeathUnemploymentLoss of EmploymentHomelessnessDivorceInsanity
I II III IVSolutions Problems Excuses Consequences
IOR
Identify: Admit to using Thinking Error and Social Behavior Problems
Own: In the moment realizes the error of their thinking/behaviors- AHA moment
Replace: Conscious effort to use prosocial thinking
Operations and Security Perspective
Phil Nunes- Chief Programs Officer- Alvis
Staff/Offender Relationships Key in Community Corrections
All staff must communicate and share offender information
All staff must be seen as equal contributors to the success of offenders
Positions and titles mean little---- all staff must be seen as an Agent of Change!
Benefits to the Program and Environment
Staff all contributing and sharing information:
Opportunity for offender manipulation decreases greatly
Clients less likely to treat security staff and therapy staff differently
Environment is healthy and behaviors caught early with fewer major incidents
Ways All Staff Support Treatment
Security staff sharing of information with treatment staff gives up to date depiction of offenders’ successes and challenges
Security staff trying to help offenders instead of always referring them to treatment staff- will give security staff influence
Treatment staff not dumping on Security staff-treating them like equals
Benefits of Team Work
As all staff viewed as change agents offenders do better in treatment
As more offender information gets shared between security and treatment staff security issues improve
Negative incidents greatly reduced on living area
All staff more invested on building supportive environment
Questions to consider...Building positive relationships in your agency
and practice....
o What are your agency values and how might they enhance or conflict with relationship building?
o Is relationship building a priority for the staff and your agency? If not, why?
o What initiatives have been taken or need to be taken as an agency?
o What are the unique challenges and views of the clients serviced that may impact relationship building?
o Does your framework, approach and intervention techniques enhance or limit relationship building?
o Are staff training , agency policies and program expectations reflective of agency values and relationship building?
Discussion Questions
In your program(s) how can you build stronger relationships between staff and clients? What are your main obstacles?
How do staff/client relationships impact successful completion rates?
What are the greatest relational barriers for clients? For staff?
References
See Handout
