JimD and Daywalker

[Jim Malone]

HI guys, it seems both your Correctional facility's needs some sort of psychological counseling for the CO's real fast!
You guys seem to work in the dark zone too much!
Luckely you can blow off some steam inhere.
Keep up the good work and Stay Safe

[DAYWALKER]

Well Aloha Jim Malone!

Man your thread title brought about the reflexive, "Awww, now what did I do?" I have ingrained from working in ****. The only time admin gives the ol' "pat on the back" is if they're trying to put a paper "bullseye" on our backs or a knife through it! Only time we get spoken to is when something goes wrong...

I dunno what brought about this thread of yours, but I appreciate it...er, does this offer apply to SimonG and sgt? :p

Take care and God bless JM!

PS: MAN...that avatar of yours I will NEVER get used to! :D And you say WE need the psychological counseling? :rolleyes: :p

[Simon G]

Hey JM!

Whada ya trying to say!!! Anyway, I thought statistcally, next to Postal workers, those of use "behind the wall" are as balanced as you can get!! :p

God bless,

Simon.

[The Deacon]

Look on the bright side fellas, statistically, you're less likely to be killed on the job than a pizza delivery kid, less likely to be seriously injured than a carpenter, and less likely to commit suicide than an undertaker. Don't ya love statistics!

[DAYWALKER]

Look on the bright side fellas, statistically, you're less likely to be killed on the job than a pizza delivery kid, less likely to be seriously injured than a carpenter, and less likely to commit suicide than an undertaker. Don't ya love statistics!

Aw geez Paul...

Thanks...I think! :rolleyes: And people get paid to figure this sorta stuff out? :p

God bless ya man! :D

[2edgesword]

Daywalker

"I have ingrained from working in ****."

That's almost an understatement.

My three brother-in-laws are all correction officers (NYCDOC). During the first few years they all went through a serious personality change, taking on some of the characteristics of inmates (language, aggressive attitude, etc.). All of them ended up getting divorced.

After a short stint in corrections (also at Rikers) I realized one day while making my 1 1/2 drive home in typical NYC rush hour traffic that either I was going to have to make my own attitude adjustment in order to deal effectively with inmates on a daily basis while locked up with them for eight to sixteen hours a day. In addition I was serious contemplating moving from Long Island to NYC because the committing was like having another part-time job. The alternative was giving up the job. I made the decision to leave the job which according to my wife was one of the happiest days of her life.

After about eight or ten years they all seemed to "mellow out" and return to normal. They all got remarried and one of them retired after 20 years of service about two years ago. The other brother-in-laws will be retiring sometime during the next two or three years while still in their forties with a decent pension and benefits. The early retirement sounds great but I'll always wonder was it worth the cost.

I have a tremendous respect for law enforcement officers but a special respect for people in corrections. There is a unique stress that goes with that job. It comes from numerous directions, inmates, administration, the press and the public. I give major kudos to you and your fellow CO's.

[Dr. Snubnose]

PS: MAN...that avatar of yours I will NEVER get used to! :D And you say WE need the psychological counseling? :rolleyes: :p [/QUOTE] from DAYWALKER

LMAO...Doc :D

[Vincent]

working as a Co seems like a Pretty entertaining job, Plus you could make some really good money over your regular paycheck.

[Jimd]

Look on the bright side fellas, statistically, you're less likely to be killed on the job than a pizza delivery kid, less likely to be seriously injured than a carpenter, and less likely to commit suicide than an undertaker. Don't ya love statistics!

Paul, I feel much better now. The above statistics will nearly make me forget the three officers that have been stabbed in the last couple of months, and those others of us who were assaulted recently. :p

Seriously, guys...thanks everybody for the kudos and kind words. They do help.

[Jim Malone]

I wanted to make clear that some people understand how difficult your job is.
Cops pick the criminals up, interrogate them, but you guys have to live with them. You balance on a fine line, if you become too friendly they take advantage from you, if you are not friendly then you become a target. You always have to watch your back, and if you get caught in a fight you are certain that everyone will turn on you. Unlike cops you can't carry weapons to defend yourself, and if you defend yourself YOU get blamed, and the "brass" gets annoyed because you defend yourself.
When a fight breaks out you have to make the decision wether to interfere or wait till it cools down.

You are constantly submerged in an enviroment that has different laws, called "the law of the jungle".

When you drive home and go to your family you feel the giant gap between "inside" and "outside".

It seems tough to "turn the knob" every morning and enter such a violent and depressive area, trying to stay human yourself.

I know it might suprise you guys that suddenly out of the blue someone thanks you for what you do, but everyone needs to have some sort of support.

JimD posts clearly shows that the way he deals with it is writing it down on the forum, and it's a healthy reflex.

I just wanted to give you the message that there are people out there that understand and appreciate what you do for the community.

There is no hidden meaning behind this post, just appreciation.

i would like to end my post with a Nietzsche quote from his book "beyond good and evil"

He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.

[Jimd]

I wanted to make clear that some people understand how difficult your job is.
Cops pick the criminals up, interrogate them, but you guys have to live with them. You balance on a fine line, if you become too friendly they take advantage from you, if you are not friendly then you become a target. You always have to watch your back, and if you get caught in a fight you are certain that everyone will turn on you. Unlike cops you can't carry weapons to defend yourself, and if you defend yourself YOU get blamed, and the "brass" gets annoyed because you defend yourself.
When a fight breaks out you have to make the decision wether to interfere or wait till it cools down.

You are constantly submerged in an enviroment that has different laws, called "the law of the jungle".

When you drive home and go to your family you feel the giant gap between "inside" and "outside".

It seems tough to "turn the knob" every morning and enter such a violent and depressive area, trying to stay human yourself.


i would like to end my post with a Nietzsche quote from his book "beyond good and evil"

He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.

Mr. Malone, were you an officer at one time? I ask because you have such a realistic grasp on the tribulations of the job.

You really hit a few things on the head:
--Going in to work. Every time I go in there, I'm bitterly aware of what could happen. We have the pictures of officers who have been killed in our facility on the wall just inside the Front Gate as a constant reminder. And I'm filled with dread each day, in anticipation of not only what the inmates have in store for me, but also the management.

--Defining the line of the Outside and the Inside. One minute, I'm surrounded by a couple thousand inmates, and five minutes later, at quitting time, I'm walking out into the parking lot. Talk about a literal shock to the system!!! Sometimes, when I walk out into that parking lot, and it's quiet, it almost puts me into a daze, from the noisy, boisterous environment I just left.

As a result of my job, I am definitely more aggressive. Quicker to anger. My anger is much, much more intense. I have less patience.

Leaving the job "On The Inside" is often very difficult. And lately, I can't even tell my wife about anything that happens In There, because she gets so worried about me. She doesn't even realize we had two officers stabbed within the last three or so weeks. I can't tell her. I basically have completely ceased talking about my job at home. That's difficult.

I hope my art sales on ebay take off like a rocket ship.

Thanks for your post, Jim. You have no idea how it lifts our spirits to receive thanks, and know that others out there understand how we feel and what we go through on a daily basis. God bless you.

[Jim Malone]

I am sorry but i can not comment on your question on a public forum at this moment due to special circumstances.

I hope you understand.

[DAYWALKER]

Daywalker

"I have ingrained from working in ****."

That's almost an understatement.

My three brother-in-laws are all correction officers (NYCDOC). During the first few years they all went through a serious personality change, taking on some of the characteristics of inmates (language, aggressive attitude, etc.). All of them ended up getting divorced.

After a short stint in corrections (also at Rikers) I realized one day while making my 1 1/2 drive home in typical NYC rush hour traffic that either I was going to have to make my own attitude adjustment in order to deal effectively with inmates on a daily basis while locked up with them for eight to sixteen hours a day. In addition I was serious contemplating moving from Long Island to NYC because the committing was like having another part-time job. The alternative was giving up the job. I made the decision to leave the job which according to my wife was one of the happiest days of her life.

After about eight or ten years they all seemed to "mellow out" and return to normal. They all got remarried and one of them retired after 20 years of service about two years ago. The other brother-in-laws will be retiring sometime during the next two or three years while still in their forties with a decent pension and benefits. The early retirement sounds great but I'll always wonder was it worth the cost.

I have a tremendous respect for law enforcement officers but a special respect for people in corrections. There is a unique stress that goes with that job. It comes from numerous directions, inmates, administration, the press and the public. I give major kudos to you and your fellow CO's.

Mahalo 2edgesword!

Worry not my friend. I have Faith in God and my KnifeBrothers here to "keep me in check"!

Thanks for your kind words, and I commend you for leaving! **** sucks.

God bless

[DAYWALKER]

Mr. Malone, were you an officer at one time? I ask because you have such a realistic grasp on the tribulations of the job.

You really hit a few things on the head:
--Going in to work. Every time I go in there, I'm bitterly aware of what could happen. We have the pictures of officers who have been killed in our facility on the wall just inside the Front Gate as a constant reminder. And I'm filled with dread each day, in anticipation of not only what the inmates have in store for me, but also the management.

--Defining the line of the Outside and the Inside. One minute, I'm surrounded by a couple thousand inmates, and five minutes later, at quitting time, I'm walking out into the parking lot. Talk about a literal shock to the system!!! Sometimes, when I walk out into that parking lot, and it's quiet, it almost puts me into a daze, from the noisy, boisterous environment I just left.

As a result of my job, I am definitely more aggressive. Quicker to anger. My anger is much, much more intense. I have less patience.

Leaving the job "On The Inside" is often very difficult. And lately, I can't even tell my wife about anything that happens In There, because she gets so worried about me. She doesn't even realize we had two officers stabbed within the last three or so weeks. I can't tell her. I basically have completely ceased talking about my job at home. That's difficult.

I hope my art sales on ebay take off like a rocket ship.

Thanks for your post, Jim. You have no idea how it lifts our spirits to receive thanks, and know that others out there understand how we feel and what we go through on a daily basis. God bless you.

Aloha JimD...

Yeah...I wonder about this Mr. Jim Malone :rolleyes: ! He did sound as if "he'd been there, done that".

JimD, don't worry about your artwork...like a rocket ship they'll fly. Just don't blink, or you'll miss it!

MAHALO Jim MALONE for your kindness and sincerity!!! :)

God bless you both :cool:

[Jim Malone]

"I have no recollection of that" (Bill Clinton) :D