Assignment task:
Q1. Briefly outline what happened. What do you think was the most significant part/parts of the scenario? Why?
Q2. Based on what you have learned about mental disorders, what symptoms do you think he is experiencing? Which of the mental disorders discussed in module 2 would be most consistent with joes symptoms (ptsd, schizophrenia etc?)
Q3. As joe apply the 'question model' (reflective practice) to process your experience
Q4. If you were a what recommendations for systemic change would you put forward to prison management? Why
Q5. In your view, do you think Joe was simply 'not resilient enough' to work as a correctional officer at a prison? Why or why not?
Assessment Scenario:
Assessment scenario Joe works as a correctional of?cer at a local maximum-security prison. He has worked there for the past 25 years and enjoys his job. He gets on well with his colleagues and enjoys the shift work. During his time working at the prison. he has never experienced a riot or any other form of violence. He has, however. heard some 'horror stories' from his colleagues in the lunchroom. Joe considers himself lucky that he has never been in harm's way at work. Over the past few years. he has noticed. however, an increase in the number of inmates with mental health problems. Joe feels relatively confident in terms of how to deal with inmates with mental health problems. due mainly to the fact that he is good at communicating with people across all walks of life. When he first started working at the prison, he did also receive 10 hours of compulsory training in how to manage prisoners who express suicidal ideation. One day Joe is required to escort an intake prisoner to his designated cell. Joe notices that the inmate is very quiet and reserved. From experience. Joe knows that new inmates are often quite intimidated when entering a maximum-security prison. especially if it is their ?rst time serving a custodial sentence. Joe has a great sense of intuition, and his alarm bells are going off. When probed. the inmate says to Joe "Nah, I'm ?ne. I've seen tough before and I know how to handle it". The next day Joe arrives at work only to hear from a colleague that the new intake committed suicide during the night. Joe takes this news hard but decides to continue working that day. Days pass by in a blur for Joe. He starts ?nding it difficult to pay attention to his work tasks. His colleagues and family notice him seeming distracted. When asked by his colleagues how he is doing, Joe brushes their questions off. In fact. Joe doesn't feel much at all. He switches between feeling nothing and feeling highly irritable. Joe keeps on revisiting the short conversation he had with the inmate. He keeps asking himself. 'should I have acted on my gut instinct' and 'was there anything I could have done'. About a month later, he hears from his colleague that the inmate had left behind two young daughters. This news is heart-breaking for Joe. who has four young grandchildren himself. Joe starts ?nding it dif?cult to sleep. eventually turning to his GP for sleep medication prescription. He is finding it difficult to spend time with his grandchildren. constantly thinking about the two daughters without their father. At one point, when his wife approaches him to ask how he is doing and suggesting he see a counsellor. Joe snaps and yells at her. He cools down quite quickly. though. The next day he apologises to his wife and agrees to see a counsellor through work.
End of Scenario