In the field of corrections, officers rarely enjoy the luxury of perfect conditions. Staffing is tight. Tempers run hot. The work is loud, fast, and unpredictable — and it happens in an environment where people do not want to be. In that setting, “inmate management” can sound like a sterile phrase, but it’s the day-to-day reality of keeping people safe, including staff, inmates, and the public.
In a recent Lexipol webinar, “Command Without Conflict: Strategies for Safer Inmate Management,” 1st Lt. (Ret.) Gary Cornelius framed effective inmate management around a practical model he calls the “Four Cs”: When you consistently apply these four elements, Cornelius says, you create a safer, calmer facility climate — not because conflict disappears, but because you reduce the conditions that allow it to spread.
The Four Cs aren’t abstract theory. They show up in the mundane moments that decide whether a or spirals into chaos: a booking intake with a first-timer who’s terrified, a housing unit dispute over a phone call, a staff member frustrated by a supervisor’s criticism. Cornelius’ approach reminds staff to “work smarter, not harder” by applying professionalism and consistency to reduce tension while maintaining firm boundaries.
Communication: Setting the Tone Early
If inmate management begins anywhere, it begins at intake. Booking, classification, and orientation are the first stops on what Cornelius calls the “incarceration highway,” And indeed, those first impressions matter. New arrivals notice how staff talk, how the environment feels, and whether they can predict what will happen next.
For staff, communication helps establish order without turning every interaction into a contest. Cornelius emphasizes controlled, respectful dialogue — not familiarity. The more formal the communication, the more control you maintain. Clear directions, calm tone, and steady presence help people regulate in an environment that’s already emotionally overloaded.
That matters because the opposite is contagious. When staff respond to yelling with yelling, or to violence with violence, the unit just gets louder, not safer.
“Violence is not communication,” Cornelius says. “I remember going down the hallway and receiving and talking to inmates. I’m not going to yell at them. They bang on the door, I’m not going to bang it back at them and so forth. That’s not communication.”
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Communication means knowing what you’re hearing as well as what you’re not. Some incarcerated people arrive cooperative. Some arrive loud, resistant, or disoriented. Some withdraw emotionally. Some are experiencing mental illness. In each case, the goal is to stay professional, observe behavior, and keep interactions structured enough that you can make good decisions about housing and safety.
“The turn around method … when you get to the parking lot, you’ve had a bad shift, a bad day … turn around and look at the jail. They’re still in there. You’re going home.”
Control: More Than Locks and Keys
In jails, control always involves physical barriers. There’s a reason for that high wall around the facility. But physical controls are just part of the picture. Real control, Cornelius argues, includes self-control and behavioral control — the ability to influence the environment by keeping standards consistent and emotions in check.
“Here’s the thing about control,” he says. “You got physical control — your walks, locks, doors, cameras, radios, staff movement, searches, uniformed presence, restraint devices — that’s your physical control. But also control means tapping into that inmate’s thoughts of anti-violence norms, values and beliefs.”
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That “anti-violence norm” concept is critical. Even while in custody, many people still respond to expectations of basic decency — especially when those expectations are consistently enforced. Staff can appeal to this basic human instinct by addressing behavior directly, setting boundaries early, and choosing de-escalation before ego. That doesn’t mean being soft. It means using the full range of options: verbal direction, documentation, administrative sanctions, housing changes and (when necessary) physical force based on sound policy.
In other words, control is built through predictable consequences and a stable presence. If staff members are calm, consistent, and alert, the unit is easier to manage. If staff are reactive, sarcastic, or visibly frustrated, they unintentionally hand control back to the loudest people in the room. (Hint: That’s usually the inmates.)
Comportment: Communicating Without Speaking
Comportment is an old word with very modern relevance. It involves physical appearance, personal bearing, and how you carry yourself in a high-stakes environment. In corrections, people read staff constantly, observing their posture, tone, facial expressions, how they respond to pressure, whether they seem confident or rattled.
Comportment connects directly to safety because it shapes your command presence. A professional appearance and calm bearing send a message that the facility is well-run — and that rules will be enforced without drama. A sloppy appearance, visible irritation, or emotional responses communicate the opposite.
Cornelius points to the all-too-common mistake of taking job-related frustration and stress back into the housing unit and “leaking” it to inmates. That behavior doesn’t blow off steam; it creates leverage for manipulation. “Don’t do that,” he warns, describing how quickly inmates may instinctively exploit perceived division or resentment.
He also offers a mindset tool for stress — the “turn around” method — that reframes the emotional toll of a hard day.
“The turn around method … when you get to the parking lot, you’ve had a bad shift, a bad day … turn around and look at the jail,” Cornelius says. “They’re still in there. You’re going home. You win.”
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That message isn’t about minimizing stress, but about increasing resilience. Comportment includes the discipline to reset so you don’t carry today’s anger into tomorrow’s decisions.
Conscience: Corrections Is a People Profession
In a profession built on safety and security, “conscience” has the most potential to make people uncomfortable. But Cornelius argues it’s essential — because corrections is a human service job whether staff choose to see it that way or not.
“Inmates are people too. It’s a people profession,” he says. “And … if you are an officer working in a jail and you don’t get that, maybe you shouldn’t be there because they are people and they have to be treated like people.”
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But conscience does not mean naïve trust. It does not mean ignoring risk. Rather, it means meeting basic human needs, following policy, and treating people with dignity. Doing this is both ethical and operationally smart. When people believe they will be treated fairly, they are more likely to comply, communicate, and seek staff help before problems turn into violence.
Conscience also shows up in the small, practical things: ensuring inmates receive hygiene items, medications when required, special diets when ordered, access to services per policy. Those details are not paperwork; they are the foundation of legitimacy. When expectations are clear and consistently met, a facility’s climate improves.
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How the Four Cs Create Smoother Shifts
Cornelius notes that people entering jail have several options in how they adapt. Some keep to themselves to avoid conflict. Some align with gangs or other groups for protection. Others feel vulnerable and stay close to corrections officers and other staff. For the safety of everyone in the facility, the goal should be to keep vulnerable individuals connected to staff — not because staff can solve everything, but because trust and communication reduce blind spots.
“If I want a smooth shift,” Cornelius says, “I want that inmate to stay close to me.”
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That “smooth shift” idea is not a self-serving preference — it’s a strategy for safety. When staff manage behavior professionally, maintain consistency, and keep communication open, they reduce the number of situations that require force, emergency response, or disciplinary escalation.
The Four Cs also help staff remember the human need for emotional connection. In custody situations, that need can show up in healthy ways (programs, family contact, positive social interactions) or unhealthy ways (manipulation, dependency, boundary testing). Cornelius stresses empathy while warning staff to watch for traps.
“Everybody wants to be loved, appreciated, cared for, desired … and empathy,” he says. “Empathy is the keyword. … Emotional feedback? That could be used to manipulate you.”
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This is where the Four Cs reinforce each other. Communication with empathy builds rapport. Control maintains boundaries and predictability. Comportment projects stability. Conscience keeps the work grounded in dignity and legitimate authority. Together, they reduce the emotional volatility that drives so many incidents.
Safer Facilities: A Practical Framework
There will always be conflict in corrections. People will still argue. Fights will still happen. Mental health crises will still create challenges for correctional officers. But the Four Cs offer a way to consistently move the environment toward stability — shift by shift, interaction by interaction.
For leaders, the framework supports training and coaching on what to do, how to carry yourself, how to speak, and how to maintain standards under stress. For frontline staff, it validates that the safest path is often the calmest one.
Inmate management is not just enforcing rules. It is shaping climate. And in corrections, climate is safety.
If your facility is working to lower tension, reduce incidents and support staff well-being, the Four Cs offer a clear place to start: communicate with professionalism, control yourself and the environment, maintain strong comportment, and lead with conscience — because how you manage people is how you manage risk.
This article from January 2023 has been substantially revised and republished.
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