Correctional Officer Stress: Cause, Implications, and Interventions

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Recommended: Workplace safety

Correctional institutions are unique work settings because of the unpredictable nature of their physical environment and clientele. Correctional officers are responsible for supervising individuals whom are held against their will. The correctional officer’s main focus is that of security within the institution and for the community. However, they are typically faced with a limited amount of resources and thus must assume these responsibilities without adequate support. The relationship between work resources and job stress indicates that correctional work settings that emphasize involvement, coworker cohesion and managerial support can decrease stress levels (Waters, 1999). Unfortunately, this is a rather uncommon occurrence, leaving correctional officers to face stressors without proper intervention due to fear of stigmatization. Within law enforcement, those individuals who access “mental health” services are labeled as and treated similarly (Aredondo, Shumway, Kimball, Dersch, Morelock, 2002). However, research on effective ways to prevent or reduce the physical and psychological effects of the high levels of stress correctional officers face on a daily basis is limited and a rather new phenomenon. This literature review examines the reasons for correctional officer stress, the implications of such stress, and interventions that are being put in place to combat the consequences of such stress.

Correctional Officer Stress

Working in corrections has been associated with higher stress rates due to the unpredictable nature of the field (Parker, 2006). Correctional officers are forced into dangerous situations without adequate protection as a result of the prison environment, which can further lead to physi...

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...ons hidden behind the badge. Corrections Today, 63(6), 9-105.

Rogers, J.B. (2001). FOCUS I survey and final report: A summary of findings: Families officers and corrections understanding stress. U.S. Department of Justice.

Tewksbury, R., & Higgins, G. (2006). Prison staff and work stress: The role of organizational and emotional influences. American Journal of Criminal Justice, 30(2), 247-266.

Tracy, S.J. (2003). Correctional contradictions: A structural approach to addressing officer burnout. Corrections Today, 65(2), 90-95.

Waters, J.E. (1999). The impact of work resources on job stress among correctional treatment staff. Journal of Addictions & Offender Counseling, 20(1), 26-34.

Whitecare, W.K. (2006). Measuring job satisfaction and stress at a community corrections center: An evidence-based study. Corrections Today, 68(3), 70-73.

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