"Jail correctional officers (COs) must be “jacks of all trades”-being able to multi task and handle many different types of inmates at one time. During a shift, a jail officer may handle anything from a suicide to a mentally disordered inmate to one acting up inside a segregation unit. It is no wonder that many veteran jail officers, when talking about their careers, agree that no two days are alike-and one never knows what type of inmate he or she will be dealing with at any given time."
"These data suggest that TG veterans experience a number of health risks compared to non-TG veterans, including an increased likelihood of justice involvement. TG veterans involved with the criminal justice system are a particularly vulnerable group and services designed to address the health care needs of this population, both while incarcerated and when in the community, should take these ?ndings into account in the development of health screenings and treatment plans."
"This report provides an independent, comprehensive review of the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ operation of restrictive housing and identifies potential operational and policy improvements.
"They are sworn to watch over some of the state's most dangerous residents. On any given day they might be spit on, assaulted, threatened, forced to break up violent fights, or asked to try and save the life of a person who has attempted suicide. Yet some employees with the Utah Department of Corrections, the agency responsible for maintaining the Utah State Prison and watching over those paroled from prison, have a salary so low that they qualify for food stamps."
"When Michael Mellen retired at age 45, after 22 years as a Massachusetts correctional officer, he could not leave behind the paranoia that he developed behind the walls."
"NATIONAL CENSUS OF FATAL OCCUPATIONAL INJURIES IN 2015
"New York’s corrections system has come under scrutiny since the death of inmate Jerome Murdough, who was held in an overheated cell in the Rikers Island jail; a subsequent report by The New York Times detailed the mistreatment of mentally ill inmates. Around the same time, New York’s Daily News reported a surge in assaults on the prison’s staff by inmates. According to the New York Post, a “blood roster” was found recently in a cell on Rikers Island; it contained the names of 10 corrections officers targeted by the Bloods gang.
"Health and wellness among those who work in correctional agencies is an issue that has always existed, but is just starting to get the increasing attention that it deserves. One of the greatest threats to correctional officer (CO) wellness involves the stress they encounter as a result of their occupation. This document reviews the body of literature on the causes and effects of stress for COs, and describes the available research on CO wellness programs and their effectiveness. "
"We spend a lot of time focusing on the mental health of our inmates, but not enough time focusing on the mental health of the people who are caring for them"
"We face some of the ugliest statistics of mortality as correctional officers. Perhaps you have seen these, they are fairly commonly cited online in other articles, but just in case you need a reality check here it is:"