Thank
you for visiting our site. Whether you work in corrections, know someone who
does, or neither, we welcome you.
Corrections officers (COs) serve society by keeping incarcerated offenders
securely in prison and by aiding in offender rehabilitation. Yet corrections
professionals are probably the least appreciated branch of criminal justice.
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As overtaxed administrators deal with shrinking budgets, courageous COs
contend with increasingly violent offenders. These brave men and women operate
in chronically dangerous and overwhelmingly hostile environments. Not
infrequently, COs witness or endure serious assaults.
An estimated 33,000 assaults occur on the
average against corrections officers annually in the U.S., a staggering 88 per
day.
In addition to security concerns, other basic psychological needs, such as the
need for trust and the need for meaning, are not usually met in correctional
settings. This may render the correctional environment a psychological and
spiritual “black hole” for some.
Not surprisingly, the cumulative weight of these challenges ends up taking its
toll. Low morale, high staff turnover, physical and emotional health
challenges, long-term disability, and alarmingly high rates of suicide afflict
corrections professionals.
Effective coping-skills trainings can empower staff and boost morale.
Education for the staff’s significant others may help maintain a healthy
family life which, in turn, would enable staff to function well at work.
We at Desert Waters Correctional Outreach desire to come alongside corrections
professionals and join hands with them in fighting the good fight against
crime behind the walls.
Desert
Waters is a Colorado 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation with the
mission to increase the occupational, personal and family well-being
of staff of all disciplines within the corrections profession.
We operate independently of any government agencies or correctional
corporations.
Desert Waters is funded through individual and corporate donations, grants,
fundraising events, and training, consulting and counseling fees.
We serve staff and their families in several ways.
Our 24/7 hotline, the
Corrections Ventline™,
is anonymous, confidential and at no charge. It includes one free phone
consultation with a counselor. Face-to-face counseling is offered on a
low-fee, cash basis. (Health insurance is not billed.) Coping and
interpersonal skills trainings are offered to facilities or groups for a fee
or through grants. Consultations are aimed to build staff resilience and
solidarity with management, co-workers, and family members. Our monthly
educational newsletter is offered free of charge.
To date, there are no other organizations in the U.S. that serve corrections
staff and their families in this manner.
We hope that, as a result of visiting our site, your appreciation and
compassion for corrections personnel will increase.
Caterina G. Spinaris, Ph.D., LPC
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