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SATURDAY, JULY 20, 1974
BAD PUBLICITY COULD BE USEFUL TO PRISONS DEPARTMENT
ADVERSE PUBLICITY CONCERNING PRISONS STAFF MEMBERS COULD IN THE LONG TERM PROVE TO BE USEFUL IN BRINGING HOME TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC THE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT PROBLENS THAT CONTINUALLY TEST THE INTEGRITY OF A PRISON OFFICER.
THIS WAS STATED TODAY BY MR. J.A. HIGGINS, COMMISSIONER OF ESSENTIAL SERVICES CORPS AND DIRECTOR OF HANPOWER, AT THE PASSING- OUT PARADE OF 71 PRISON OFFICERS WHO HAVE COMPLETED THEIR TRAINING.
MR. HIGGINS NOTED THAT REPORTS OF ALLEGED DISHONESTY REGULARLY APPEARED IN THE NEWSPAPERS, BUT ADVISED THE GRADUATES NOT TO BE DETTERRED BY THIS. SUCH REPORTS COULD IN FACT BE HELPFUL TO THE DEPARTMENT IN THE LONG TERM.
THERE IS NO SERVICE, EITHER INSIDE OR OUTSIDE THE GOVERNMENT THAT WORKS UNDER THE PRESSURES THAT ARE EXERTED ON MENDERS OF THE PRISONS DEPARTMENT, HE SAID, NOTING THAT PRISON INSTITUTIONS HAD TO BE GUARDED AND ADMINISTERED 24 HOURS A DAY, 365 DAYS A YEAR.
+QUITE APART FROM THE THREAT OF VIOLENCE WHICH IS ALWAYS PRESENT, PRISON OFFICERS ARE THE TARGET FOR OTHER FORMS OF INTIMIDATION BY RUTHLESS ELEMENTS.
+THIS CAN BE IN THE FORM OF THREATS, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY COMMUNICATED TO THE OFFICER, OR BY PLACING TEMPTATIONS BEFORE THE OFFICER WHICH MAY BE DIFFICULT TO RESIST AT THE TIME, HE SAID.
MR. HIGGINS URGED MEMBERS OF THE DEPARTMENT TO MAINTAIN A HIGH DEGREE OF VIGILANCE AT ALL TIMES TO AVOID SUCH PROBLEMS AND PITFALLS.
TO BE A SUCCESSFUL PRISON OFFICER REQUIRED CHARACTERISTICS WHICH WERE NOT COMMON TO EVERYONE, HE TOLD THE GRADUATES. STRICT OBEDIENCE TO DISCIPLINE, IMPARTIAL TREATMENT OF PERSONS IN YOUR CARE, AN UNDERSTANDING OF HUMAN NATURE, LOYALTY TO YOUR COLLEAGUES AND SEN JOR OFFICERS AND FINALLY PRIDE IN THE SERVICE TO WHICH YOU BELONG.+
MR. HIGGINS SAID THE GRADUATES HAD BEEN WELL TRAINED AND WISHED THEM SUCCESS IN THEIR CAREERS.
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NOTE TO EDITORS:
COPIES OF THE FULL TEXT OF MR. HIGGINS SPEECH ARE AVAILABLE FOR COLLECTION FROM THE G.1.S. PRESS ROOM, DEACONSFIELD HOUSE, 6TH FLOOR.
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