Strange use for a Behavioral Science degree?

[Inquisitive]

With unemployment being so high and many applicants applying for few available positions, employers can be quite picky and position requirements are being refined. Locally the Corrections Officer position requirements were refined to include a high number of Behavioral Science education units completed, degree preferred, but now they are having problems with employee retention.

Thoughts?

 

[bickelz]

Get money, get paid. Sounds interesting, i guess. If you think you would fit into the job then go for it. Income of some sort is always a good thing.

 

[Sloe Djinn]

The problem with retention might stem from a dislike of dealing with a corrections population, i.e. "I didn't go to college for this."

 

[Nixie]

Employers have to value employees too. Many times employers ignore the hidden benefit of working harder to keep already trained employees satisfied--the costs are "hidden" to a certain extent unless the turnover is extremely bad. Unless there is a steep learning curve, new employees take time to refine. However, our fast food mentality tends to support the mistaken idea that "any warm body" will do.

Also, education IS NOT job training! It is education. It was originally an elitist institution for the wealthy and provided them the "wordly" knowledge needed to take their place in society as an educated man. I would think that those drawn to Behavior would not be as suited as those drawn to say, criminal justice. I would think Behaviorial Science would see um, more sensitive(?) and/or logical students in general while criminal justice might be more um, action orientated. My understanding of the penal system is limited but I see it more as babysitting than actually modifying behavior. Just a general thought.

 

[Kgal]

With unemployment being so high and many applicants applying for few available positions, employers can be quite picky and position requirements are being refined. Locally the Corrections Officer position requirements were refined to include a high number of Behavioral Science education units completed, degree preferred, but now they are having problems with employee retention.

Thoughts?

Are you saying the new hires with Behavioral Science education are the ones leaving?

 

[Inquisitive]

Are you saying the new hires with Behavioral Science education are the ones leaving?

Yes. Sorry I wasn’t clearer.

Employers have to value employees too. Many times employers ignore the hidden benefit of working harder to keep already trained employees satisfied--the costs are "hidden" to a certain extent unless the turnover is extremely bad. Unless there is a steep learning curve, new employees take time to refine. However, our fast food mentality tends to support the mistaken idea that "any warm body" will do.

Also, education IS NOT job training! It is education. It was originally an elitist institution for the wealthy and provided them the "wordly" knowledge needed to take their place in society as an educated man. I would think that those drawn to Behavior would not be as suited as those drawn to say, criminal justice. I would think Behaviorial Science would see um, more sensitive(?) and/or logical students in general while criminal justice might be more um, action orientated. My understanding of the penal system is limited but I see it more as babysitting than actually modifying behavior. Just a general thought.

These are all good points. Regarding the bolded section, I see it this way too. It’s hard for me to picture someone who chose to pursue a Behavioral Science degree in the role of Corrections Officer.

I know that some basic courses on human behavior were added to the Corrections Officer training programs a while ago, but I personally thought that this new adjustment to the job requirements would mean that those newly employed wouldn't be right for the job.

 

[Grey Wolf]

Then again, the way I look at it, this would be an interesting experience for however long ones gonna work in that job. I mean, how often does anyone get a chance to see what goes behind the scenes in prisons?

 

[Kgal]

Research has shown when a prison is put in the rural areas abuse goes up. Spousal abuse. Chemical abuse (including alcohol). Child abuse.

Prisons are horrible. Especially to people who have an ounce of compassion within them. I would imagine people interested in gaining a social sciences degree would have some compassion in themselves. They'd be interested in people and all their fascinating aspects of behavior.
Prisons encourage bullies.
In general - Prisons do not encourage compassion or any variation there of.
Although - there is the exception as illustrated in the movie "The Dharma Brothers" which is an excellent film! :high5:

I can see why there is a huge turnover when it comes to employees who majored in Behavioral Science.
Prisons need to advertise "Bullies Wanted". They can cope....

'tis sad....really sad.

 

[Inquisitive]

In this instance I know that a new hire had to meet all the state and federal requirements before becoming a Corrections Officer, but were initially chosen from a pool with a tight filter. I

 

[Sloe Djinn]

In this instance I know that a new hire had to meet all the state and federal requirements before becoming a Corrections Officer, but were initially chosen from a pool with a tight filter. I’m leaning in the direction that the filter was likely too tight and I’m wondering if they altogether ignored aptitude tests.

When I first heard about this I was wondering if there was a new inmate-housing program being tested in our area, but later learned that this wasn’t the case. I’m still curious about their choice and what they were hoping to accomplish.

I don't think that they would have ignored aptitude tests, but aptitude doesn't necessarily make for a good or motivated employee. Working with a corrections population, you do need to be street smart. If you're not, then you need to be a quick learner, observant, and determined. Behavioral science is useful in that it can give you additional insight as far as why people behave the way they do and possibly as far as how they can change for the better, however the education alone won't necessarily prepare a person for the reality of working in an environment that can be very stressful and dangerous. There may be much more to it than that, but this is what comes to mind when I think of retention, and that is a factor that may go unnoticed on administrative levels. A degree looks better on paper.

 

[Siamese cat]

I think that it might be that someone had a potentially good idea, to use people who studied human behaviour to work with those whose behaviour should be modified. But it's a long way from someone's idea to the successful realisation of it. I guess that the problem of this, among other things, was fairly well been depicted in Oz tv show.

In my country, many undecided students get into such education programs, mostly because they don't get that a diploma is only a paper needed for a certain job and not thinking of what will they actually do one day with it.

 

[the]

Sounds like they changed it so some politicians spoiled brat could get a job somewhere and it opened doors for other desperate people to get their foot in the door without the applicants realizing that they are not the corrections type.

 

[InvisibleJim]

q) Strange use for a behavioral science degree?
a) Hold a shop to ransom with it

Give me all the money! I've got a behavioural science degree and I know how to use it!

 

[Arsal]

Or

p) use it to measure the size of your head.

Person A: Good lord! The size of your head is simply humongous!
Person B: Why, let me measure it with my behavioral science degree, sir.​

 

[Orion]

From my understanding, in any kind of security or law enforcement, the individuals who goe into those kinds occupation, do it because they are naturally imbued with the experience, talent and ability to deal with high levels of aggression and violence.

Bouncers, bodyguards, corrections officers, police, SWAT... you'll find lots of STJ and STP types in there, who have grown up, or purposefully adapted and learnt to deal with violence and aggression. It's like someone said- street smarts, experience and temperament is what counts, so I'm highly confused by this behavioural science degree thingy.

Maybe they are trying to take off the negative image associated with these careers by making it seem like you need to be "educated" to get the job?

[MENTION=2578]K-gal[/MENTION]; Corrections officers aren't all bad. There is a book Meditations on Violence by Rory Miller who is a well renowned expert in the field. It's a good book.

 

[Kgal]

From my understanding, in any kind of security or law enforcement, the individuals who goe into those kinds occupation, do it because they are naturally imbued with the experience, talent and ability to deal with high levels of aggression and violence.

Bouncers, bodyguards, corrections officers, police, SWAT... you'll find lots of STJ and STP types in there, who have grown up, or purposefully adapted and learnt to deal with violence and aggression. It's like someone said- street smarts, experience and temperament is what counts, so I'm highly confused by this behavioural science degree thingy.

Maybe they are trying to take off the negative image associated with these careers by making it seem like you need to be "educated" to get the job?

[MENTION=2578]K-gal[/MENTION]; Corrections officers aren't all bad. There is a book Meditations on Violence by Rory Miller who is a well renowned expert in the field. It's a good book.

Thank you [MENTION=1378]Orion[/MENTION] for the book suggestion. I put it in my wish list at amazon.

I agree with you corrections officers aren't all bad.

What I've seen, though, is they become stressed out from working in some of them, especially high security prisons, which we have out here in the rural countryside. Then, the abuses begin, usually predicated by alcohol.

I think good people go in to take those jobs, largely because that's all that's available around here, and then the "system" begins to wear on their psyche. Well - some of them anyway. You're right, there are some types whom I think naturally can handle the situations on the inside of the prisons.

I guess I should take into consideration my location is in TX. This state is NOT known for it's "compassionate rehabilitation" methods.

I apologize for the generalization.

 

[InvisibleJim]

Or

p) Trade it as a new form of IOU.

Savvy Shopper: Dear shopkeep, might I inquire the value of this fine mirror?
Trustworthy Merchant: Why Sir, that will be $25 dollars to be purchased caveat emptor.
Savvy Shopper: Alas my liquid currency is proving short, might I trade this degree and $5 instead?​

 

[Inquisitive]

Bouncers, bodyguards, corrections officers, police, SWAT... you'll find lots of STJ and STP types in there, who have grown up, or purposefully adapted and learnt to deal with violence and aggression. It's like someone said- street smarts, experience and temperament is what counts, so I'm highly confused by this behavioural science degree thingy.

Maybe they are trying to take off the negative image associated with these careers by making it seem like you need to be "educated" to get the job?

I know that some management workshops spending time focusing on filtering the hiring pool have acknowledged the value of education in the Behavioral Sciences, even in seemingly unrelated fields. To what extent this played a role I really can’t say, but the incident caught my attention and confused me too. And I know I don’t have all the facts, so I’m likely to remain confused.

When it comes to “filtering the hiring pool” in general I’m wondering if in some cases employers aren’t being offered counterproductive advice. Because of job scarcity they may be in a position to pick up “better educated” employees, but it still needs to be the right fit.