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Burned Out Behind the Badge: What the Research Says About Compassion Fatigue in Juvenile Probation—and What to Do About It
SESSION INFO
Wednesday, August 19, 2026
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
Session Type: Workshop
Juvenile probation officers operate at the intersection of trauma, systemic pressure, and unrelenting caseloads — yet workforce wellness remains an afterthought in most agencies. This session presents original doctoral research examining compassion fatigue, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress among juvenile probation officers through the lens of the Professional Quality of Life (ProQOL) framework. Participants will explore what the data reveals about the hidden costs of this work, how those costs manifest across supervision styles and tenure, and why traditional self-care messaging consistently fails to produce sustainable change. Drawing on findings from a qualitative descriptive dissertation study, this session moves beyond awareness to action — introducing the Fidescope Wellness Index™ (FWI™), a profession-specific wellness awareness instrument designed for community corrections professionals. Attendees will leave with a clear conceptual framework, evidence-based talking points for leadership, and a practical tool they can bring back to their agencies immediately.
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SESSION PRESENTERS
Dr. Sokoyama Songu Mbriwa
Consultant, Psychology Professor, Retired Supervisory Probation Officer, Fidescope Consulting Group
Dr. Sokoyama K. Songu-Mbriwa is a scholar-practitioner whose career sits at the intersection of juvenile justice, organizational wellness, and human potential. He spent more than 23 years as a Juvenile Probation Officer and Supervisory Probation Officer at DC Superior Court Family Court — work that became the foundation of his doctoral research on compassion fatigue and burnout among juvenile probation officers nationwide, with a primary focus on the mid-Atlantic region. He holds a PhD in Industrial-Organizational Psychology from Grand Canyon University (2024) and is a SHRM-CP certified HR practitioner.
Dr. Songu-Mbriwa is the founder of Fidescope Consulting Group, LLC, an organizational wellness consulting firm specializing in compassion fatigue, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress. He is also the developer of the Fidescope Wellness Index™ (FWI), a practitioner-centered wellness awareness tool grounded in the ProQOL framework and designed for professionals in high-exposure fields. He serves as Assistant Professor in the Bard Early College dual-enrollment program and has taught at Prince George's Community College for more than 21 years, where he also serves on the Faculty Senate. His textbook, Everchanging: Contemporary Social and Psychological Issues in Juvenile Justice, is forthcoming from Cognella Academic Publishing (Fall 2027).
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