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"At
one time I shared an office with three other P.O.'s and a probationer,
he was well over six-feet tall and was about 250 pounds. He was
very angry. He looked like a bear," said Johnson, who at five-feet,
four inches, has faced down the most intimidating probationer with
kindness.
"The
louder he talked and more agitated he became, the more calm I became.
I lowered my voice and finally, he had to lower his voice."
Johnson
said while angry outbursts are less acceptable, they have gotten
worse over the years.
"Probation
Officers are dealing with a much higher level of frustration from
probationers," Johnson said.
Westborough
District Court Acting Chief Probation Officer Stephen Santora appreciates
Johnson's approach.
"I
have often seen her come out of her office when she hears an angry
person shouting or getting exercised. After she gets involved, you
never see the situation escalate. She usually diffuses it," said
Santora.
Johnson
said she tries to communicate to probationers that they are responsible
for the situation that they are in and must be accountable for their
actions.
"I
tell them that they are in control of their destiny," she said.
Johnson
acknowledges that this approach does not necessarily work with every
offender. But, she does remain optimistic.
"I
still believe people can change. It is in their power," she said.
Johnson
cites one of her former probationers as an example. She admits that
she did not hold out much hope for a young woman offender who struggled
and was oftentimes on the losing side of a chronic substance abuse
problem. The probationer informed her that she was pregnant and
Johnson had her doubts about the woman being able to rise to the
challenges of motherhood.
"She
had the baby and turned out to be the greatest mother. All along,
she had the ability and the will inside her. To mark her second
year of sobriety, she asked me to speak at her AA meeting. She has
been off probation for one year," Johnson said.
Johnson
credits the skills she honed to Probation Officer Training seminars.
She encourages her colleagues to do the same and get rejuvenated."
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