I did some training and orientation at the King County Correctional Facility. It included a tour, which was interesting, but kind of creeped me out. I work with convicted felons of all varieties every day, so it didn't bug me to be around them. Rather, it's because I was in a group of nine or ten people, being taken into the jail environment, and looking at how the "residents" are processed through the system. At this particular facility, most of the inmates are held in dormitory style rooms with 20 people, bunk beds, showers, toilets, sinks, and not much else. Instead of the typical grey bars, though, they are behind walls of glass - the nickname for these rooms is "tanks" (think fish aquariums). As I was paraded in front of these people, I tried to avoid eye contact, mostly because I didn't want to be guilty of stripping them of their dignity any further. I know that the vast majority of them are in there for good reasons, and I'm all for it - even from a therapeutic perspective. But I didn't like the feeling of being a tourist, looking at the caged animals.

But then, as we rounded a corner and entered one of the tank areas where inmates with medical conditions, like diabetes, are held, I did make eye contact with one of the inmates - and it was one of my clients. He recognized me immediately, and smiled, waving, trying to say something to me about when he's due to be released. I had been instructed not to speak during the tour, so I just smiled, gave a nod of my head, and a quick wave. As I walked by, I could see him talking to his "roommates," saying, "Hey, that's my case manager!" Somehow in that moment, I felt a whole lot better about being there.

I'll go back and visit my clients, partly because it's my job, but mostly to see that smile again.