What is the proper way to handle personal notes about inmates to maintain professional boundaries?

• A. Keep personal opinions in official logs.
• B. Keep professional, non-opinionated notes in official logs; personal opinions should not be recorded; separate personal notes from official records.
• C. Personal notes should be shared with inmates.
• D. Personal notes should be posted publicly.

Answer: (B)

Maintaining professional boundaries means documenting only objective, job-related observations in official records and keeping any personal reflections separate from those records. This approach matters because official logs are used as factual, auditable records for safety decisions, investigations, and accountability. Introducing personal opinions can bias the documentation, lead to misinterpretation, and undermine the credibility of the record.

Personal notes should remain private and separate from official files. Sharing personal notes with inmates breaches confidentiality and boundary expectations, and can compromise safety and professional integrity. Posting personal notes publicly is not appropriate and violates privacy and security considerations.

By keeping professional, non-opinionated notes in official logs and separating personal materials, you protect the rights of inmates, maintain consistent and trustworthy records, and uphold proper professional boundaries.