Federal Judicial Center to publish short mindfulness microlearning videos for probation officers

The Federal Judicial Center (FJC) is preparing brief microlearning resources and additional trainings aimed at helping probation and pretrial services officers adopt mindfulness, compassion and self‑compassion practices, according to an interview on the FJC’s Off Paper podcast.

Helene Krieger, a retired supervisory probation officer who has led officer wellness initiatives for the federal probation system, said the FJC is producing short videos — “all 5 minutes or less” — that will include guided meditations and introductions to concepts for quick, on‑duty use. She said those materials will be available on the FJC website and on the wellness app used by officers.

Krieger also said she is part of a resilience and workload management planning group that is coordinating virtual everyday wellness training for districts and that FJC planners hope to offer a positive neuroplasticity training with a certificate before the end of the calendar year.

The podcast provides no specific rollout dates, budgets or district participation lists; Krieger characterized timelines as “in progress” and said additional trainings were targeted for next fiscal year. The FJC produces a range of continuing education for officers in coordination with the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, the Federal Probation and Pretrial Academy and other partners, which are noted as training collaborators on the episode.

Listeners interested in the resources Krieger mentioned are directed to university centers, apps and authors she named and to a resource list she said would be posted on her website once updated.