Empty Threats

In dealing with inmates, we are allowed to use a little bit of leeway sometimes.  For some things, we just lock them up without even thinking about it.  For others we use extra duty or room restriction as punishment.

Sometimes it just takes a good talking to.  And empty threats do tend to work wonders if they don't know they are empty.  I often say "I'm not allowed to lie to you."  Which is a lie in itself, but many of them are way too dim to realize that.

This evening I got a call to go up to 2 house.  It seems that two offenders were seen out in the wing getting in each others faces and "squaring off" like they were going to fight.  The Watcher was off tonight, so since I was the yard Sergeant, I got the call.

Once I heard the story I got them into the office one at a time.

"I got no problem locking the both of you up right now." I said.
"I can lock you up PC, or Admin PC or I can have you both put down in the Hive under investigation, which means you will be down there thirty or even ninety days."

"But Sarge!" One guy says "I'm supposed to go to the treatment program in thirty days!"

"If I lock you up under investigation, it might be two or three months before you get to your program.  And if I don't and something happens between you two, you can kiss that program and your early out date goodbye."

"Nothin's gonna happen Sarge!  I promise!  I need my program to get out!"

I let them both go after I had them scared enough.  I could have locked them up, but they would have most likely been out in a week.  And I couldn't put them under investigation if I had wanted to.  That takes a Lieutenant or above to do that.

But they didn't know that.

It worked.