I got cut off yesterday…sorry. Two things that are very important when facilitating a support group are (1) confidentiality and (2) a location that will make it easy for members to attend. For example, if you can arrange a meeting room in your facility, it would be more likely that you would have participants than if you had the meeting off campus. Where I work, they would never allow us to have an off-the-clock meeting at the facility. They don’t even want us on the property for a few minutes after our shift ends. If there are any churches near by, they are usually happy to provide a meeting space.

Confidentiality is of the utmost importance. “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.” LOL Participants will not feel comfortable sharing their feelings, frustrations, and fears, if there is any chance that what they share will leak out of the meeting. I used to have clients sign a confidentiality promise when they started group. And if someone violated that promise, they were asked to leave.

’Hope this helps a little.

I’ve facilitated support groups since 1984, but I retired from my previous work (psychologist working with crime victims) and began working as a corrections worker in 2007.

You are very welcome, having come from working in a male prison setting, I can tell you it certainly helps to have a support system.

Thank you very much for this information. I will email her promptly.

A female captain I used to work with is a coordinator of a “Women In Corrections” support group. I have spoken with her about your request and she said to send her an email at this address and she will contact you. Katrenia.Webb@mtctrains.com Hope this helps!

I believe that there is a real need for female correctional officer support group. I would suggest that you continue to use the CJ blogs to get the word out and set-up a web site. Good luck. Bill Sturgeon

You might check out the Desert Waters Correctional Outreach site at www.desrtwaters.com, they have done some work on Women in Corrections that may be of assistance. Also, look into Corrections Staff Fellowship at www.csfministries.org, they support local chapters. I facilitate a chapter out of our prison and it has grown in numbers and is a blessing to the participants. You could facilitate a women’s chapter out of your prison.

I do not know if support groups for female CO’s exist or not. You might look up (GOOGLE) support groups in general for ideas and female support groups more specifically for issues that relate to female support groups.

Hope that helps.

Thank you very much.

This thread isn’t intended for me… I’m responding just to let you know someone read it. I wish you success!

I want to start a female correctional support group where I work. I have spoken with our Captain and he is in favor of it but I have to come up with a proposal. Any ideas of how I can get this started? Are there any out there that I can talk to to get mine started?