By Michael Pittaro, assistant professor, Criminal Justice at American Military University
It’s no surprise that working as a corrections officer is stressful. Working in a prison is dangerous and officers are constantly concerned about physical violence. In addition, many prisons are overcrowded and understaffed forcing officers to work mandatory overtime and inconsistent rotating shifts.
[Related article: Stress Management Strategies for Correctional Officers]
While these are legitimate sources of stress, it turns out the two leading stressors associated with corrections work are:
- Organizational and structural issues within the prison administration
- Weak or inconsistent leadership practices
Does it surprise you that the primary source of stress, dissatisfaction, and discontent among corrections officers is with prison administrators, not the inmate population?
Full story: Visit the In Public Safety blog
