Correctional Officer Stress Cause, Implications, and...

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,†¦show more content†¦The threat of inmate violence against officers, actual violence committed by inmates, inmate demands and manipulation and problems with coworkers are all conditions that officers have reported as contributors to stress (Park er, 2006). The job of a correctional officer encompasses a wide array of activities. Officers are required to maintain order, security and control (Castle Martin, 2006). Through the day their responsibilities may be revised as they are faced with an ever changing environment. As correctional staff feel conflict exists within their assigned duties and perceive a lack in control over their tasks, work stress will result (Tweksbury Tiggins, 2006). Correctional job stress has grown dramatically as result of the increase in inmate populations, legal interventions, and competing ideologies (Lambert, Hogan, Barton, 2002). Many offenders are serving increasingly longer sentences and therefore do not fear punishment or respect the authority of correctional officers (Black 2001). Although the inmate population continues to grow, employment has consistently decreased. This alone leads to a lack of time for correctional officers to complete required tasks, such as head counts, searches and p aperwork (Finn, 200). Furthermore, with limited staff available one officer may be in charge of a large number of inmates leading to feelings of anxiety. When short-handed, the response time in which additional officers will arrive following aShow MoreRelatedModernizing Mental Healthcare And The Juvenile Justice System Essay2186 Words   |  9 Pagesproblems and concerns of mental health, being included in a juvenile mental health court can provide psychological, behavioral, educational, social, and familial clinical assessments for use in determining best approaches to treating the underlying causes of many delinquent behaviors. Throughout the 1930s, the Chicago School of Psychology recognized treatment for juvenile offenders that focused on the economic and social aspect of the criminal activities of juveniles, (Granello amp; Hanna, 2003).Read MorePrison : Recidivism And Reentry3158 Words   |  13 Pagesto mask their problems. Also, providing the proper medical treatment for w omen with mental health problems could lessen the chance for drug abuse. Having resources available to mothers to help take care of their children properly can reduce the stress they feel that may lead to their drug use. One alternative to incarceration for drug related offenses are the use of drug courts. Drug courts are specialty courts with judges who impose supervision, drug testing, treatment, and sanctions insteadRead MorePrison : Recidivism And Reentry3158 Words   |  13 Pagesto mask their problems. Also, providing the proper medical treatment for women with mental health problems could lessen the chance for drug abuse. Having resources available to mothers to help take care of their children properly can reduce the stress they feel that may lead to their drug use. One alternative to incarceration for drug related offenses are the use of drug courts. Drug courts are specialty courts with judges who impose supervision, drug testing, treatment, and sanctions insteadRead MoreSymptoms And Treatment Of Mental Illness3857 Words   |  16 Pageshow conditions beyond a person s control, such as mental illnesses like depression or personality disorders can cause these individuals to get into trouble with the law. Methods: Diagnosis and identification of mental conditions that could cause a person to commit crime are examined and contextualized. Genetic causes and research are examined. Results: Symptoms of mental illness can cause people to get into trouble with the law. It is important for law enforcement personnel to be trained, so that theyRead MoreMental Illness And Depression : How Conditions Beyond A Persons Control?3859 Words   |  16 Pagesas to how conditions beyond a persons control, such as mental illnesses like depression or personality disorders can cause these individuals to get into trouble with the law. Methods: Diagnosis and identification of mental conditions that could cause a person to commit crime are examined and contextualized. Genetic causes are examined. Results: Symptoms of mental illness can cause people to get into trouble with the law. It is important for law enforcement personnel to be trained, so that they canRead MoreCriminal Justice Policy And Planning4719 Words   |  19 Pagesdeterrence to commit crimes 3. Whether criminal justice officials discretionary choices in the application of mandatory sentencing laws are made in a racially neutral manner. 4. How can alternative methods be used to lower correctional cost and provide more effective correctional guidance. In my opinion, the case study 3.2 did not explain some major points. 1. How effective are the current programs, What can be done to improve these programs. 2. How can we learn from the pros and cons that are associatedRead MoreOccupational Stress: Causes and Management11211 Words   |  45 Pagesï » ¿Occupational stress and scientific monitoring Introduction The topic, occupational stress and scientific monitoring has been chosen because work stress is a major health hazard in modern workplaces and accounts for a lot of physical and emotional stress, family problems and substance abuse that come from those undertaking both blue and white collar jobs. Occupational stress is also a major cause for reduction in workplace productivity and increased workplace accidents that lead to hefty insuranceRead MoreCrisis and Emergency Management15250 Words   |  61 Pagesconstantly changing government workplace. Basic research lays down a solid foundation of understanding by describing and explaining the world in which public managers live. Applied research adds a practical edge by drawing out the decision-making implications of research findings. Action-research takes this practicality a step further. It provides timely and concrete advice to pressing challenges; advice that speaks to managers’ lived experience. It does this by involving ma nagers at every stage ofRead MoreStatement of Purpose23848 Words   |  96 Pagesworking as a counselor or therapist. Note: The best statements of purpose include the above ingredients, along with an explanation of why you want to attend graduate school. If possible—and always be sincere—link your interest to a genuine purpose, cause, issue, or concern, which may be rooted in personal or familial experiences, and avoid intellectual solipsism—the pursuit of knowledge as an end in itself with no ulterior purpose other than satisfying your intellectual curiosity. Ohio WesleyanRead MoreMedicare Policy Analysis447966 Words   |  1792 Pages4 and from underserved populations; and 5 (C) require the Secretaries to compile and 6 disseminate to employer health plans informa- 7 tion on model health literacy curricula, instruc- 8 tional programs, and effective intervention 9 strategies. 10 (c) WELLNESS PROGRAM COMPONENTS.—For pur- 11 poses of this section, the wellness program components de12 scribed in this subsection are the following: 13 (1) HEALTH AWARENESS COMPONENT.—A 14 health