Correctional Officers and Trauma

Work-related stress is increasingly recognized as one of the most serious occupational health hazards affecting individuals. The effects of work-related stress include health-related problems, systemic pressure, absenteeism, burnout, and long-term disability. The correctional institution is a highly stressful work environment because of exposure to critical incident stress (CIS) in addition to normal work stress. Experiencing CIS repeatedly may have an immediate effect or a cumulative effect that shows up years after the incidents have occurred. The correctional environment is a paramilitary environment, with the related stress-ors that such a setting involves. Administrators may expect high performance under situations of severe stress and may not be empathetic with the effects the environment has on the staff. The actions of the inmates are often traumatic for correctional ...