Which of the following is NOT one of the ten core communication competencies for a correctional officer?

• A. Active listening
• B. Empathy training
• C. Environmental and audience consideration
• D. Implicit Bias

Answer: (B)

The idea being tested is distinguishing a concrete, observable skill from a training activity. In corrections, the ten core communication competencies describe specific abilities you demonstrate during interactions: actively listening to others and responding in a way that shows you understand, adjusting your communication to fit the environment and the people present, and being aware of and addressing implicit bias. These are things you perform in real time.

Empathy training, however, is a program or activity designed to build that capability. It’s a method used to develop empathy, not a standalone competence you exhibit in day-to-day work. So while empathy is a valued quality, the item is asking for what is not one of the core competencies itself, and empathy training fits that description as a training process rather than a direct competency.