Summary

A former prison officer reflects on the challenging yet enlightening four months spent working in a young offenders' institute, detailing five unexpected lessons learned from the experience.

Abstract

The author, initially intending to pursue a career in economics, found themselves unexpectedly working as a prison officer due to the attractive salary offered by a graduate scheme. Despite the difficult nature of the job, which included physical assaults and a depressing environment, the author gained valuable insights into the impact of one's surroundings on mood, the importance of empathetic language, the primacy of job satisfaction over salary, the acceptance of personal limitations, and the necessity of genuine motivation in one's work. The experience was a personal and professional crucible that ultimately led to a more fulfilling career path aligned with the author's interests and values.

Opinions

The author acknowledges the profound effect that a bleak and colorless environment, such as the prison, can have on an individual's mood and mental health.
Language is seen as a critical tool in interpersonal relations, with the distinction between empathy and sympathy being particularly significant in establishing rapport and understanding with others.
A high salary does not compensate for a lack of job satisfaction, as evidenced by the author's willingness to leave a well-paying job that was a poor fit for their personal and professional well-being.
It is important to recognize and accept one's own inadequacies in a role, as the author did by admitting their lack of suitability for the prison officer position.
The author emphasizes the importance of intrinsic motivation, suggesting that a genuine passion for one's work is more sustainable and fulfilling than extrinsic motivators like salary.

5 Unexpected Lessons From Being a Prison Officer

They were the most challenging 4 months of my life.

I’m not sure how this happened. But it did. For a whole 4 months, I was a prison officer at a young offenders’ institute.

It was never my intention. I majored in economics and lined up a corporate job. But then I saw an ad for a graduate scheme offering a £30,000 salary. Hence my CV took a surprising turn.

Any regrets? It’s hard to say. There were many sleepless nights and I hated the gates. Being physically assaulted was highly likely whenever I stepped inside.

Still, there were positives. I made a handful of friends and learnt some unexpected lessons. Here are five of those from working in one of the toughest environments there is.

1. Environment matters

Feng Shui’s a stretch. However, I do at least appreciate the effect of an environment on our mood having worked behind bars.

The prison depressed me. Even when the sun was out, it was grey. The doors. The floors. The classrooms. The place was devoid of colour and it wore me down.

This shouldn’t come as a surprise. In 2017, a former Google designer likened smartphones to ‘slot machines’, and he went on to suggest turning phones to greyscale could help combat compulsive checking behaviour.

The environment wasn’t all. The company didn’t help. Many of my fellow officers were cynical, middle-aged men who had long lost hope for the young people in our care. Many called them scum. Dead legs. I challenged them, but it was draining doing this every single day.

People like this drag us down. It’s far better to surround ourselves with those who lift us up in environments which make us smile.

2. Language is everything

On my second day on the landings, I made a mistake.

I was detailed with ensuring the young people on my wing returned to their rooms. Most of them went in but a couple of lads refused.

In an attempt to persuade, I told them I sympathised with their situation but rules are rules. They needed to go.

“How can you sympathise?!”

F*ck. He had a point. Realising my blunder, I thought back to my training as the young lads messed around. Luckily, another officer swung by. The two lads returned to their rooms and all was good.

I’ll never forget my brain turning to mush, though. What I should have said was I empathise. I had no idea what they were feeling and I’ve never been in their situations. Sympathy was out of the question. I could try and empathise, though, by putting myself in their shoes.

It’s a subtle difference but an important one, as if often the case with language. As Matt Mayberry from Entrepreneur magazine puts it, the way you speak impacts everything around you.

3. The money doesn’t matter if you hate what you do

My salary was ridiculously good. It was one of the reasons I applied. The problem is, if you’re wishing your time away, the money doesn’t matter. This 2013 study of workers in Belgium noted something similar. It found employees were willing to accept a lower wage for particular benefits, including a more interesting job and extra holidays.

I knew I hated the job the moment I stepped inside. I don’t know what I was thinking. I didn’t like my colleagues, the work was boring and I felt a constant unease.

This unease was the worst. You knew something could kick off any second. Things would seem fine as you patrolled the classrooms, but then a spark would ignite and you’d have to intervene. It was a constant mix of anxiety and boredom.

That, let me tell you, is not a nice combo.

4. It’s okay to say “I suck at this”

As much as I hated the job, I also sucked. I didn’t know how to connect with the young people, I ducked away from responsibility and I didn’t have a commanding presence. I wasn’t the officer I hoped I’d be.

I knew this early on. Sure, I tried to get better and learn from others. Sometimes, though, no matter hard how we try, we’re just not Beyoncé.

That’s okay.

I handed my notice in after 3 months (it should have been sooner). I didn’t know what I wanted to do next. Not a clue. I just knew I had to get out of the situation before I did something stupid.

Eventually, things worked out. I found something I like and I’m as happy as I’ve ever been. It just took 4 months of misery to get here.

As members from Forbes Coaches Council point out, if you dread going to work and your gut is telling you to leave, they could be signs you’re not a right fit for the job.

5. You can’t kid yourself for long

When I first went into the job, I convinced myself I wanted to help the young people. To show them another way. It was my primary motivation.

Problem is, it wasn’t.

Deep down, I knew the real motivator, and it wasn’t to help. It was the salary. It pains me to say it but there’s no way I would have considered the scheme had it been anything less.

It couldn’t be more different with my work now. I find myself going above and beyond for the brands I work with just because I enjoy it. And I’m learning all the time. These are my motivators and they align with my interests.

If your “why” isn’t on point, something’s got to give. As Lisa Mooney from Small Business Chronicle says, when the truth catches up, you may not be as satisfied in your work.

Takeaways

There are times when you’ll suck. You’ll make mistakes. You’ll feel like sh*t. It’s all part of the process.

Make enough, though, and eventually you find something better. Something that suits your needs and wants. Where the environment lifts you up. Where you enjoy the people we work with. Where you’re challenged in a good way.

Ultimately, I may not be the Beyoncé of the prison world, but I gave it a go. That’s all we can hope for.