Power Orientation & Criminal Thinking

Presented by

Mark D. Kendall & Kelli Held

Have You Ever Read…

• The Criminality Personality, V.1 - 3

• Inside the Criminal Mind

• Straight Talk About Criminals

• Before it’s Too Late

• The Myth of the Out of Character Crime

Goal

In order to work more effectively with the Criminal Personality and reduce workplace frustration the learner

• Will be provided with an understanding of the Power Orientation Error.

• ID the ineffective methods when addressing it

• ID the effective methods to address it

Power Orientation

Putdown

Zero Stage

Anger Stage

Power Thrust Stage

Power Orientation

Putdown

Verbal

Non-verbal

Physical

Financial

Mental/Emotional

Perceived

The Putdown is Defined in the Mind of the Beholder

“The criminal is always angry because the world rarely meets h/her expectations. Think of it this way. If every day of your life you expected everything to go exactly as you wanted and you counted on people treating you as you believed they should, you would experience countless disappointments. The criminal expects things to go h/her way, and thinking something makes it so. The slightest disparity between h/her expectations and reality constitutes a severe blow to h/her self-esteem. H/her thinking runs in extremes so that no middle ground exists between being number one and being a zero.” Dr. Samenow, Straight Talk About Criminals

Putdown

Zero Stage

Anger Stage

Power Thrust Stage

Something Doesn’t Go as Planned/Pan out

Statement of Fact

Feedback

Murphy’s Law

R.C.A.

Transparency

All Encompassing

Permanence

Triumph! Controlling others & achieving victory at their expense

Number 1 Again

Power Orientation

Putdown

Zero Stage

Anger Stage

Power Thrust StageA Client

Voice Mail Example*

“Most Common Error When Dealing with Criminals”, by Dr. Stanton Samenow:

In any contact with a criminal, one must avoid verbally cornering and attacking h/her.

“No matter how tough the offender seems, s/he has a very thin skin and quickly becomes defensive. The criminal perceives even the slightest reproach as a devastating blow to h/her entire self-worth. One can be confrontative without being provocative. In all interactions, it is important to convey one’s message in such a manner that the criminal does not feel personally threatened.”

Maintaining an even and respectful tone is far more effective than coming across as accusatory or hostile.

Ineffective Responses to Power Thrusts

• Ignoring = Condoning

• Telling & Dictating

• Judging, Putdowns, & Personal Jokes

• Lecturing

• Condescending Tone

• Taking the Power Thrust Personal

Effective Responses to Power Thrusts

• Asking instead of Dictating

• Firm, but Fair

• Objectivity

• Neutral Tone

• Avoid Personal Reactions and taking the bait.

• Using Your Skills…

“Effective Of Use Of Authority”Univ. of Cincinnati’s Core Correctional Practices

1. Be direct & specific concerning your demands, using a normal voice.

2. State the specific choices & the consequences of those choices.

3. Provide respectful guidance toward compliance.

4. Praise compliance or enforce consequences.

Processing the Error

“Target the Thinking”

We Address the Past

So We Can Assess the Present

To Prepare for the Future

Preceding Thoughts

PresentingZero StageThoughts

Where can these thoughts lead

me?

Intervention & Prevention Thoughts

What’s the big deal. I’m 25yrs old. I should be able to have a couple beers. I haven’t used dope in 3 mos.… Client Drinks and ends up blowing a positive alco-sensor the next day.

• I look like a chump sitting here.

• You know they’re laughing at me.

• I’m going to jail.

• Refuse Accountability

• Fuel the Anger and Power Thrust

• Excuse to use

• I set myself up.• My daughter is

coming home soon.

• I’ve come too far.

• I have to follow these rules & that means no drinking.

Past, Present, Future

Struggling with Are these thoughts helping? What can I tell RCA myself?

Some Closing Comments…

Sources

• Dr. Stanton Samenow, Straight Talk About Criminals, 1998.

• Dr. Samuel Yochelson, Dr. Stanton Samenow, The Criminal Personality, V.1: A Profile for Change, 1977.

Presenter Information

Mark D. Kendall, markkendall@orianahouse.org; 330-535-8116, Ext. 3037

Kelli Held, kelliheld@orianahouse.org; 330-535-8116, Ext. 2339