Memories from the Forgetful

Some of you may or may not know this about me, but in my past life I was a Corrections Officer. (Well, not really my past life but what feels like lifetimes ago.) If you know me you are probably trying to picture me with a taser or something. Don't worry, I didn't carry a taser! I just bopped people on the head with my maglite and I pretty much looked identical to this lady right here.



Haha, I know that's incredibly inappropriate and inaccurate, but I couldn't find any pictures so you got stuck with that. My job was actually interesting and I felt like I was helping people who really needed it. It was also safe, we got the petty felons with drug and alcohol related convictions. The point was to rehabilitate through behavioral therapy. It was called a therapeutic community although I am sure it did not always feel therapeutic to our residents. (Yes, in our facility they were not prisoners or inmates, very P.C.) And the closest I ever got to being hurt was when a resident got mad and threw a chair in my direction, I did not get hit and he was sent to real prison.

The worst part of the job was strip searches, I recall, at one point, one girl was so embarrassed and kept apologizing. It was so weird and awkward. (Like performing a strip search was not awkward enough already.) I do not miss that. Also, there was a co-worker who made me cry on more than one occasion. She didn't like me at all and I had never been anything but nice to her. Oh yeah and working on holidays sucked, too. So maybe it's not as great as I remember.

One thing that I learned from working in a "jail" was speaking my mind and standing up for myself and what I believe in. (This was a huge milestone for me, because I was also a doormat in a past life.) Maybe it was the lady who made me cry or maybe it was having to be responsible for more than 45 felons at a time... ALONE. I'm not sure but I am glad I had the opportunity and I kind of miss it every once in a while.