Corrections_Today_Winter_2025-2026_Vol.87_No.4

First published in Corrections Today magazine, January/February 2015, Vol. 77, No. 1

Play, “Offenders have no respect for staff members they can lower to their level of behavior. They do maintain a great respect for staff who, regardless of pressure, continue to provide a high level of dignity and profes sionalism — staff they can emulate.” 3 Topham defines the severity of the games as follows: Game playing means that offenders run a game on the staff, setting themselves up as victims or helpless people caught up in circumstances. Every game, which can be defined as a form of play, sport or amusement, has winners and losers. The winner — the offender — can get sex, contraband, status and the smugness of ‘getting over.’ The loser — [often] the corrections professional — faces termination, demotion, discipline [or] criminal charges, or if assaulted, injury or death. 4 “Knowing what to watch out for and how to behave professionally and authoritatively while doing your job will enable you to avoid manipulation and its consequences. This will lead to a safe working environment, operational efficiency and greater staff morale.” 1 Staff who are susceptible to the game Which staff are at risk to be set up? Often it is the employee who plays favorites by enforcing the rules for some offenders but not for others. It is easy for staff to be charmed or to like certain offenders more than others, but it is extremely important not to show favoritism, as this will feed into the games offenders like to play.

Article summary: The article explores manipulative tactics offenders use on correctional staff, empha sizing the importance of professionalism, consistency and awareness to prevent exploitation. It outlines common vulner abilities among staff, strategies to maintain boundaries and the CHUMPS framework for avoiding manipulation. Effective team work and adherence to policy are critical for safety and rehabilitation success. Why this is still relevant today: Correctional environments remain high risk for manipulation, making this guidance essential. Modern facilities face staff short ages, burnout and evolving offender tactics, increasing vulnerability. The principles of professionalism, consistency and commu nication outlined in the article are timeless, ensuring safety, ethical integrity and program effectiveness. Training staff to rec ognize and counter manipulation remains a cornerstone of correctional success. Evergreen wisdom:

“It is very important staff not share personal problems with offenders, as this becomes an easy way to manipulate staff.”

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Background: Adobe Stock/Shariq.B; Microphone: Adobe Stock/Сергей Тарасюк; Card Catalog: Adobe Stock/Andrey Kuzmin

Winter 2025-2026 | Corrections Today

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