Training the Probation Department
One of the key aspects of juvenile justice reform is changing the culture at the Probation Department. When we practice yoga, we are often confronted with our own preconceived notions and ideas about who we are and what we are doing, and we practice to let them go. The trick is with a staff person who is charged with keeping order and safety among a group of incarcerated adolescents is to give them new tools that ensure they retain their authority (and their safety) but project a calmer, less intimidating comportment. In an incarcerated setting, everyone is stressed. It’s better for the kids and for the staff themselves if they are able to breathe and take steps to calm themselves before elevating a tense situation.
A staffer told me that they were originally trained solely to break up fights, and so all he did for years was look for fights to break up, whether they were actually happening or not. He said that it made him constantly tense and on edge. He described how he "caught himself" gearing up, ready to move in and discipline two boys whom he realized were just playfully teasing each other and laughing. It is increasing awareness of that moment just before action that we look to refine through yoga practice. And there is no better place where that awareness can be cultivated than our juvenile halls and camps.
If you would like to discuss how we can help benefit the trauma-informed aspect of the training of Probation staff and on the community classes in underserved communities, please contact me at [email protected]
Trainings, Lectures and Events held at UCLA, USC, CSUN, CSULA, NAMI, and for many non-profits, group homes, hospitals and schools.
One of the key aspects of juvenile justice reform is changing the culture at the Probation Department. When we practice yoga, we are often confronted with our own preconceived notions and ideas about who we are and what we are doing, and we practice to let them go. The trick is with a staff person who is charged with keeping order and safety among a group of incarcerated adolescents is to give them new tools that ensure they retain their authority (and their safety) but project a calmer, less intimidating comportment. In an incarcerated setting, everyone is stressed. It’s better for the kids and for the staff themselves if they are able to breathe and take steps to calm themselves before elevating a tense situation.
A staffer told me that they were originally trained solely to break up fights, and so all he did for years was look for fights to break up, whether they were actually happening or not. He said that it made him constantly tense and on edge. He described how he "caught himself" gearing up, ready to move in and discipline two boys whom he realized were just playfully teasing each other and laughing. It is increasing awareness of that moment just before action that we look to refine through yoga practice. And there is no better place where that awareness can be cultivated than our juvenile halls and camps.
If you would like to discuss how we can help benefit the trauma-informed aspect of the training of Probation staff and on the community classes in underserved communities, please contact me at [email protected]
Trainings, Lectures and Events held at UCLA, USC, CSUN, CSULA, NAMI, and for many non-profits, group homes, hospitals and schools.