NCJ Number
224105
Date Published
2008
Length
39 pages
Annotation
This study examined stress and the effects of stress on correctional officers and workers in America’s high security prisons.
Abstract
It is hypothesized that a higher aggregate level of stress would be found for correctional officers versus correctional workers, male versus female, and those older employees, as well as those who have had long-term exposure to high security prisons. Results conclude that the average male correctional officer from the four high security institutions studied is less stressed than his correctional worker counterpart and that of the female correctional officer. Additionally, as the age of the correctional officer increased and as their seniority increased their stress decreased. It is recommended that further analysis and research be conducted on stress in a correctional environment. High security prisons are on the rise in the United States. The prison subculture in a high security prison is violent, deadly, repressive, and manipulative. Being subjected to this violent subculture environment can be stressful in the career and life of a correctional officer. To better understand how stress affects the correctional officer and worker and his/her personal and social relationships, this study used quantitative data, obtained through using a dataset from a 2005 survey conducted by a large correctional agency in the United States. Tables and references