From Chaos to Compliance

<p><strong>Parole and probation officers must deal with individuals suffering from psychiatric or substance abuse disorders on a frequent basis. Ellis Amdur and Alan Pelton offer parole and probation officers a comprehensive set of strategies to keep themselves as well as the general public safe while functioning at the highest level of professionalism. </strong></p><ul> <li>The first section of this book offers an overview of the role of community corrections in dealing with the mentally ill and/or substance abusing offender. </li> <li>The second section is tactical: everything from field safety and tactical planning on one side to honing your intuition to pick up early signs of danger on the other. </li> <li>In the third section of the book the authors focus on us: what we can do to achieve a state of integrity and powerful calm. Rather than abstract pronouncements they offer specific strategies including a method of breathing for the purpose of maintaining one's own center in crisis situations. </li> <li>They then discuss specific behaviors ranging from confusion and obsessive concerns to psychosis mania and acute disorganization.</li> <li>In one very important section they discuss interactions with manipulative individuals (at worst those referred to as psychopaths) people who present a danger to the psychological and physical well-being of anyone with whom they come in contact. </li> <li>They then move on to a discussion of aggression whether directed at the parole or probation officer or others. </li> <li>There is a specific section set aside on dealing with aggressive youthful offenders. </li></ul><p>Amdur and Pelton discuss how to de-escalate aggressive and chaotic individuals once a crisis is in play. De-escalation tactics are specific - one learns how to immediately recognize what mode of aggression the person is displaying and then one can effectively implement the de-escalation tactics that are best suited to deal with the aggression one is facing.</p>