Developing Emotional Literacy in Practitioners

Abstract

Phil joined the prison service after a stint in the army and then working for his father as a car mechanic. He decided that the prison service would offer him job security, a reasonable salary and the chance to take on an important role in society. He was surprised to find that he actually liked some of the prisoners for whom he was responsible although there were always a few who could be very troublesome. On one occasion, when he was running an offending behaviour group work programme with a probation officer, he became disturbed to see a prisoner shuffling in his seat and then admitting to having bullied a younger prisoner on his wing and calling him ‘so gay’. Phil felt angry with the prisoner for his behaviour and thought he should be punished for this act of aggression towards a vulnerable prisoner. He tried to conceal his anger in the group but afterwards decided to tell his probation officer colleague that he had felt himself ‘boiling up’ in the group and he planned to report this man to the governor. He was surprised when his colleague acknowledged the legitimacy of his anger but suggested that instead maybe they could talk with the prisoner concerned, who had been honest enough to admit to his aggressive behaviour. His colleague thought there might be some potential for mediation between the two prisoners. Phil recognised that had he shown his anger in the group he would have effectively silenced the prisoner making the confession and closed the door on the potential to do some work with him on his attitudes and behaviour. He agreed to his colleague’s plan of action although wanted also to inform the wing Governor of their decision.