Workplace Violence Prevention for Correctional Personnel

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Workplace Violence Prevention for Correctional Personnel

OPVS Bulletin - Workplace Violence Prevention for Correctional Personnel

Have you ever had an employee, co-worker, supervisor or an offender threaten, harass, assault you physically and/or verbally? Have you or a co-worker ever been stalked, harassed, or assaulted by a significant other while on the job?

You may have heard an employee say: "I am going to get even.... I have a gun and will be back to shoot you.... My former spouse keeps calling me and hanging up.... It is my supervisor's fault I was fired, I will show them.... My co-worker is talking abut blowing away his supervisor."

Does this sound familiar to you? We have all heard similar statements such as these and have even joked about former and current employees about their potential of "Going Postal."

Mostly, we don't take employee comments such as these seriously and prefer to think that they are just "blowing off steam!" However, these are all examples of Workplace Violence.

Violence in the workplace is a topic of concern to all. News stories on television and in newspapers depicting employees killed or harmed by disgruntled co-workers, former employees, ex-lovers, or clients are becoming commonplace.

Workplace Violence can have devastating effects on the quality of life for employees. Workplace Violence has a potential impact on all of us - fear, stress, injuries and death.

From the moment the first threat is made, the employer begins to accumulate losses due to lost productivity and absenteeism by the primary victim and secondary victims, the co-workers.

Although all these examples of Workplace Violence are a cause for concern, not all occupations, geographic locations or individuals are subject to the same level of risk.

In 1993, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cited correctional workers as one of the occupational groups with the highest rates of work-related homicide.

Correctional personnel are at the greatest risk, whether that career is in adult or juvenile corrections, an institution or in the community. People who seek careers in corrections are usually aware that they are entering a high-risk profession.

The supervision of criminal and juvenile offenders with histories of violence increases the likelihood of victimization.

Staff safety issues must all take into consideration that violence in the workplace can occur at the hands of employees in addition to the offenders under their supervision.

The purpose of this bulletin is to provide correctional personnel with helpful tips to consider in order to prevent or reduce the hazards associated with Workplace Violence.

The following information will provide current statistics on the effects of violence in the workplace, practical information on warning signs, descriptions or profiles of potentially violent workers, prevention strategies, and resources available in California and nationally.

It is hoped that this information will be used personally, and shared with family and friends as well as in training sessions for supervisors, and in the development of staff safety policies.

REMEMBER: "Zero Tolerance for Violence"

Refer to the Department's Workplace Violence and Sexual Harassment Policies and follow the procedures that are in place to report threats and incidents of violence.

FACTS

Each year, between 1992 and 1996, more than 2 million U.S. residents were victims of a violent crime while they were at work or on duty.

Annually, more than 230,000 police officers became victims of a nonviolent crime while they were working or on duty.

An estimated eight percent of rapes, seven percent of robberies, and 15 percent of all assaults occurred while victims were on duty or working.

Over 30 percent of victims who were working during a violent victimization faced armed offenders.

74% of domestic violence incidents occur while the victim is working or on duty.

What is workplace violence?

Workplace Violence is defined by the U.S. Department of Justice as "acts against a person at work or on duty, including physical assaults (rape and sexual assault and aggravated and simple assault) and robbery."

Workplace Violence includes all conduct and circumstances that create a threat to an employee's safety from violence. It includes both fatal and nonfatal conduct, and both actual violence and threats of violence.

Types of Workplace Violence

Workplace Violence is composed of four types of violence: workplace homicides, nonfatal assaults and threats, domestic violence in the workplace and sexual harassment.

Workplace Homicides

While homicides at work occurred in a wide variety of occupations, nearly half of the homicides occurred in the retail trade such as: convenience stores, restaurants, drinking establishments and gasoline service stations.

Although workplace homicides due to disputes between coworkers, clients, or spouses usually make national news, the majority of homicides that occur are committed during a robbery or robbery attempt.

In 1995, 15 percent of workplace homicides were at the hands of a personal acquaintance or work associate. Four percent of victims were killed by a current or former spouse or relative and 11 percent by a work associate.

Nonfatal Assaults and Threats

The nonfatal workplace violence problem includes all behaviors and circumstances that threaten an employee's physical safety, including the following:

Physical assaults such as beatings, stabbings, and shootings.
Sexual assaults, such as rape, sodomy and other forcible sex offenses.
Kidnapping or other acts of false imprisonment.
Robberies and theft.
Harassment and stalking.
Obscene phone calls and other verbal abuse.
Intimidation creating fear.

Domestic Violence

Domestic violence is a problem that does not disappear when women leave home and enter the workplace. It is a workplace issue that encompasses behavior that occurs both on and off the worksite.

Domestic violence in the workplace includes all behavior that interferes with an individual's ability to safely and securely perform their duties at work. It includes conduct ranging from harassing and repeated telephone calls, faxes or email to unarmed and armed "visits" as well as homicide.

Seventy-four percent of battered women are regularly harassed at work by their abusers, either in person or by phone. The workplace frequently becomes the abuser's most accessible forum for intimidation and violence because it is the one place the abuser can count on finding his victim.

Sexual Harassment

Statistics show that one in two women will suffer from some form of sexual harassment at least once in the course of their academic and professional careers.

Sexual harassment includes not only inappropriate comments, touching and even propositions, but gender-hostile behaviors that jeopardizes a person's physical safety and psychological well-being.

Harassing behavior includes:

Assaults
Verbal threats
Intimidation
Lewd remarks
Reprisal or reprimand
Physical aggression
Stalking
Rape and molestation
Other behaviors that places a person in fear of their physical safety.

WARNING SIGNS OF POTENTIALLY VIOLENT INDIVIDUALS

The following indicators have been associated with acts of Workplace Violence. These warning signs do not mean that the individual will actually be violent, but may be a cause for concern:

Sudden irrational beliefs and ideas.
Verbal, nonverbal, written threats of intimidation.
Fascination with incidents of workplace violence.
Disregard for the safety of other employees.
Fascination with weapons.
Productivity and attendance problems.
Signs of alcohol and drug abuse.
Argumentative, increased altercations with others.
Chronic signs of depression.
Significant stress: personal, family, financial.
Blame
Paranoia
Feelings of being victimized.

PERSONAL CONDUCT TO MINIMIZE VIOLENCE

Follow these suggestions in your daily interactions with people to deescalate potentially violent situations.

Project calmness: move and speak slowly.
Be an empathetic listener: encourage person to talk.
Acknowledge the person's feelings. Indicate that you can see they are upset.
Maintain a relaxed, attentive posture and position yourself at a rightangle to the person.

DO NOT

Reject the person's demands from the start.
Make sudden movements which can be seen as threatening.
Challenge, threaten, or dare the individual.
Make false statements or promises you cannot keep.
Invade the individual's personal space.

PREVENTION STRATEGIES

The most significant steps we can make towards preventing Workplace Violence is to take all threats seriously, train staff, and take immediate, appropriate, corrective action when the situation arises.

In order to practice preventative, as well as responsive approaches to inappropriate behaviors that can lead to Workplace Violence, we must:

Have policies that state "zero tolerance" for any inappropriate behavior that intimidates, harasses, or threatens any of its employees (Refer to the Department's Workplace Violence and Sexual Harassment Policies).

Provide an environment that is conducive to reporting any such incidents by having policies that clearly state how the agency will respond and whether or not the victims complaints will be confidential.

Incorporate training on appropriate behavior in the workplace for all employees, as part of both orientation and continuing education.

Implement supervisor's and manager's training on how to identify and intervene in situations where inappropriate behavior is evident.

Supervisors and managers shouldcreate an atmosphere where employees feel comfortable discussing complaints and resolutions.

Be fair, objective and clear about your expectations with all employees and be a role model for others.

Know the warning signs that lead to Workplace Violence.

WORKPLACE SAFETY PLAN

If you have a personal restraining order, submit a recent photograph of your abuser and a copy of the protection order to your supervisor, the legal department, chief of security and local law enforcement.

Obtain a civil protection order or sometimes called a "Corporate Restraining Order."Make sure it is current and on hand at all times. Include the workplace on the order. (For assistance in the Department, contact the Legal Office).

Provide a picture of the perpetrator to reception areas and/or security.

Identify an emergency contact person should your employer be unable to contact you.

Reveiw the safety of your parking arrangements.

Have security escort you to and from you vehicle.

Request a change of work site, job assignment or work schedule.

If possible, have your telephone calls screened.

Work with your supervisor, Health and Safety Officer, security staff, and the Employee Assistance Program.

Call "911" if in immediate danger.

SUGGESTED SAFETY MEASURES

Workplace Security

Provide adequate lighting in parking lots and worksites.
Increase number of staff on duty during high-risk hours, or change theschedule.
Make sure work areas have accessible telephones for use in an emergency.
Trim hedges so attackers cannot hide behind them.
Make sure you inform your coworkers of your whereabouts at all times.

Vehicle Security

Park vehicles in well-lighted areas.
Visually check front and rear passenger seats before entering.
Keep doors locked.
Be alert of your surroundings.
Use different route of travel each day.
Park in secured area if possible.
Be aware of anyone possibly following you to/from work.

RESOURCES

California Youth Authority
Office of Prevention and Victims Services
(916) 262-1534

California Youth Authority
Labor Relations/Employee Assistance/Safety Office
(916) 262-1447

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
1-800-632-7422

California Youth Authority
Legal Office
(916) 262-1465

California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (CalOsha)
(415) 972-8500

National Center for Victims of Crime
(703) 276-2880
www.ncvc.org

The National Institute For The Prevention Of Workplace Violence
949-770-5264
www.workplaceviolence911.com

Workplace Violence Research Institute
(714) 720-0854

Local Police and Sheriff's Departments

Local State Attorney General's and County District Attorney's Officescan be contacted.