Danny, Correctional Manager

That whole dynamic there is our daily reality. You never know how things are going to turn out. You have a discussion, and then you give an inmate bad news. He can either take it well or he can really decompensate. So, you are always somewhat on your toes, having to adapt quickly. And this is one of the great challenges of our work as Correctional Officers.

Hi, my name is Danny, and I am a Correctional Manager at Cowansville Institution’s Operations Desk. 

Basically, this is what we do at the Operations Desk, we really handle all aspects of the overall security of the penitentiary. So, when events happen, a package delivered by drone or a fight such as the one we had this morning, an event can be a fight between inmates or something like that, the Manager will determine if we need to isolate the area, deploy staff onsite, analyze the situation, and then, once the event is over, at that moment, we are the ones who make the decision to resume normal operations.

One of the fun parts is when we actually manage to defuse a situation, when an inmate becomes aggressive, or sometimes we have mental health cases where the guys really need an immediate intervention, and then, to be able to reduce the risk, to bring him back before a tactical intervention or a use of force is needed.

I think that one of the first communication techniques is really for us to remain calm, and then to slightly lower our voice, to sometimes slow down our speech so that when the inmate is overwhelmed by emotions, gets carries away, we can just try to calm him, consider his point of view and show him we are listening to his need. And even then, this will sometimes calm things down a great deal and then discuss with him what can be done to help. All the while upholding our standards, and all that. 

One of the challenges we have with corrections, which, I believe, is constantly evolving, is really our ability to adapt to change. In the span of a 25-year career, I saw a lot of… an evolution within the inmate population. You are talking about, in terms of contraband, well, I saw throw overs, tennis balls thrown over fences and arrows. 

Now, we’re dealing with the reality of drones. We had an example last night with a drone, a drone delivery. So, the Service really needs to be proactive, to come up with solutions, and sometimes, you know, those changes don’t always sit well with everyone, so we’ve got to understand them well and then implement them.

So, all of that leads to a more dynamic way of managing things. I think what’s really important is connecting with our officers and leading by example in our behaviour with inmates. And now that I’ve been a Correctional Manager for a couple of years, that’s really what I try to bring to the table.

I’d say the key thing is not losing sight of the Correctional Service’s dual mandate, that is, yes, there’s custody and security, but also everything related to reintegration. So, it’s really about balancing the two, where we need to keep the public, the staff and other inmates safe, while also keeping in mind that reintegration component and helping inmates move forward and eventually return to society. 

I think it’s important to treat inmates with respect, and you get that respect back. And I think that’s really one of the key factors in earning their respect. And when we interact with them, it’s really about leading by example and, in our day‑to‑day interactions, believing in what they’re doing, believing in their rehabilitation.