Annotated Bibliography
Introduction
The correctional system in the United States is a complex and overcrowded problem in recent times. The staff in these facilities is often undertrained and overworked. They lack the professional experience and due to heavy attrition rates, are unable to operate any reliable mentoring programs. This gap increases the stress which exceeds the paradigm of work and invades the private lives of the correctional staff. This paper unlocks the psychological problems that fester correctional staff in the United States.
Annotated Bibliography
1. Lambert, E. G., Minor, K. I., Gordon, J., Wells, J. B., and Hogan, N. L. (2016). Exploring the Correlates of Perceived Job Dangerousness Among Correctional Staff at a Maximum Security Prison. Criminal Justice Policy Review. 00 (0). DOI: 10.1177/0887403415623618.
2. Lambert, E. G., Minor, K. I., Wells, J. B., and Hogan, N. L. (2015). Leave Your Job at Work The Possible Antecedents of Work–Family Conflict Among Correctional Staff. The Prison Journal. 95 (1). Pp. 114-134. DOI: 10.1177/0032885514563284.
3. Finney, C., Stergiopoulos, E., Jennifer Hensel, Bonato, S., and Dewa, C. S. (2013). Organizational stressors associated with job stress and burnout in correctional officers: a systematic review. BMC Public Health. 82 (13). Pp. 1 – 11. DOI: 10.1186/1471-2458-13-82.
4. Oehme, K., Donnelly, A. E., and Martin, A. (2013). Alcohol Abuse, PTSD, and Officer Committed Domestic Violence. Florida State University Libraries.
5. Manchak, S. M., Skeem, J. L., Kennealy, P. J., and Louden, J. E. (2014). High-Fidelity Specialty Mental Health Probation Improves Officer Practices, Treatment Access, and Rule Compliance. Law and Human Behavior. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/lhb0000076.
6. Valentine, C. L., Oehme, K., and Martin, A. (2012). Correctional Officers and Domestic Violence: Experiences and Attitudes. Florida State University Libraries.
7. Ghaddar, A., Mateo, I., Sanchez, P. (2008). Occupational stress and mental health among correctional officers: a cross-sectional study. J Occup Health. 50 (1). Pp. 92 – 98.
8. Lisitsina, D. (2015). Prison guards can never be weak': the hidden PTSD crisis in America's jails. Retrieved from: http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/may/20/corrections-officers-ptsd-american-prisons
This news article outlines the psychological mindset of any correctional officer today. The author conducts interviews with several correctional staff who reveal deep emotional scars which have the potential to impair the person permanently. The article refers to other research papers which will find use in this project. The suicide rate among correctional officers is the highest in law enforcement and in comparison to the general public. The alarm bells should be ringing for quite a while now and yet, there are continued budget cuts for correctional facilities. This article will provide ammunition to the project on emphasizing the importance of working strategies to reduce the stress for correctional officers. The article will also feature in the response part of the project for the counterargument.
9. Psychalive Staff (2016). Working Behind the Wall: Mental Health of Correctional-Based Staff. Retrieved from: http://www.psychalive.org/working-behind-the-wall-mental-health-of-correctional-based-staff/
This web article emphasizes the importance of paying adequate attention to the mental health issues of correctional officers across the United States. The article refers to studies from different years that point out the increasing number of correctional officers who suffer from PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome Disorder). Although this disorder is usually common only for personnel serving in the armed forces, the levels of violence behind prison walls is catching up swiftly to imitate the horrors of a battlefield. Unlike the police or any other law enforcement agency, correctional officers deal with violence on a daily basis. Their exposure to violent crimes is probably the highest in any domestic agency. This article will form the midsection of the project while discussing the problems faced by the correctional officers on the job.
10. Lopez, O. (2014). U.S. Prison Officers Need Help, But They Won’t Ask For It. Retrieved from: http://www.newsweek.com/2014/06/06/prison-officers-need-help-they-wont-ask-it-252439.html
The web article summarizes the PTSD issues faced by correctional officers throughout the nation. The article captures the mindset of each officer when starting work every day; preparing for a war zone. The article also focuses on the reasons why these officers are unable to ask for help despite knowing the problem. The policies and procedures within the correctional system do not accommodate staff from being forthcoming of their mental care needs openly. The article also points to a few examples of the repercussions faced by those officers who did come forward. The article will exhibit the attitude of denial within the Department of Corrections in several states. The article will feature in the response to the counterargument for the project.
11. ToersBijns, Carl (2013). Correctional Officers’ Mental Health. Retrieved from: http://www.corrections.com/news/article/33670-correctional-officers-mental-health.
12. Sam Houston State University Staff (2014). Correctional officer stress studied: Conflicts between work, family life common. Retrieved from: www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/02/140220112511.htm
This article offers a clear view on the effects of work-life balance on the stress levels on any individual. The article provides the basis for all the repercussions which family members of correctional officers face. The article can find its use in two areas of the project. It can fit into the background, introduction, or the midsection while providing inputs for the counterargument also.
13. Denhof, M. D., Spinaris, C.G., and Morton, G.R. (2014). Occupational Stressors in Corrections Organizations: Types, Effects, and Solutions. Retrieved from: http://info.nicic.gov/virt/sites/info.nicic.gov.virt/files/03OccupationalStressors.pdf
14. Curran, K. (2015). Concerns rise over corrections officers' stress, depression. Retrieved from: http://www.wcvb.com/news/concerns-rise-over-corrections-officers-stress-depression/36557958
This news article focusses on the increasing number of suicides among correctional officers in recent years. The reporter uncovers critical inside information from correctional officers who came close to killing themselves and the administrative management of correctional facilities. The reporter speaks about a suicide prevention program along with a stress release training recently made available to the correctional staff. The article will enhance the closing stages of the project while providing inputs on increasing the life expectancy of correctional officers.
15. Steele, D. W. (2016). Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in the Correction Officer’s Life. Retrieved from: http://www.fodcop.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=_AAUSel4WjE%3D&tabid=744&mid=2099
16. Brower, J. (2013). Correctional Officer Wellness And Safety Literature Review. Retrieved from: https://www.ojpdiagnosticcenter.org/sites/default/files/spotlight/download/NDC_CorrectionalOfficerWellnessSafety_LitReview.pdf
This document is a property of the US Department of Corrections. It is a manual for correctional officers both in training and active duty. The document provides information on managing stress effectively on the job. The document also includes information on how to handle certain situations. This data will be in use for comparison on adherence and comparison of rates in stress related burnouts for gauging the efficiency of the initiative. This document is a property of the US Department of Justice and in the project, it will face scrutiny from other studies conducted during the same period for accuracy and reliability.
17. Denhof, M. D., Spinaris, C.G., and Kellaway, A. J. (2013). Post-traumatic Stress Disorder in United States Corrections. Desert Waters Correctional Outreach.
This paper will provide the project with all the information to make a case for the prevalence of PTSD among the US Correctional Department. This research contains data pertaining specifically to the correctional officers in the United States. This research paper will be in use to scrutinize government-released documents. The project will use the comparative data to conclude on whether the US Department of Corrections is accurate and willing to create genuine programs for the rehabilitation of all affected personnel as well as former personnel.
The annotated bibliography listed above is the alphabetic list of resources reviewed as relevant to the topic of research, “Mental health issues of correctional staff”. The research portrays the PTSD issue. The research recommends solutions on how to provide adequate training and counseling.
Revised Thesis Statement
The job description of correctional officers on paper is to expedite the rehabilitation process of inmate within a correctional facility along with providing security and administrative work. There is nothing on paper regarding the type of violence they will witness or even become a part of during their shifts (ToersBijns, 2013). The stress for correctional staff is exceptionally high especially due to overcrowded prisons (Psychalive, 2016). Experienced staff seldom stays at the same facility when there is a sudden spike in the population. They know of the horrors to follow and do not believe that a forty-five thousand per year salary is adequate reason to risk everything (Lopez, 2014). All job related stress takes their toll on families and correctional staff families are no different (Oehme, Donnelly, and Martin, 2013). The chances for domestic violence, child abuse, and suicide are significantly higher when compared to the other divisions of law enforcement (Denhof, Spinaris, and Kellaway, 2013).
Background
Criminal laws in the United States increased the number of mandatory years in prison drastically whenever a high profile case hit the news. New laws with extended jail time for drug related crimes and repeat offenders became a common practice. This practice however, had a predictable outcome; overcrowded prisons. In addition, several states continuously reduced correctional budgets throughout the 1990s and the 2000s. This resulted in violence over vacant spaces inside correctional facilities. Gang violence, radicalization, and sexual abuse are rampant throughout the correctional facilities in the nation (Steele, 2016). As a result, experienced correctional officers quit before sustaining any serious harm (Lambert, Minor, Gordon, Wells, and Hogan, 2016). The outcome was the hiring of inexperienced officers who had neither adequate training nor the professional maturity to handle the stress (Finney, Stergiopoulos, Hensel, J., Bonato, S., and Dewa, 2013).
Counterargument
Work-life balance is always the key to a stress free work atmosphere (Sam Houston State University, 2014). There are several correctional officers who can lead perfectly normal lives despite exposure to extreme violence at the workplace (Lambert, Minor, Wells, and Hogan, 2015). Only a percentage of the correctional guards experience PTSD and even they have the opportunity to take help from facility based health care services (Valentine, Oehme, and Martin, 2012). Furthermore, prison guards use brutal tactics at work. Hence, it is not certain whether they are violent individuals by nature. This is a case for proper recruitment policies. The first set of the reforms will become official in August 2017 at Rikers prison facility.
Response
There are adequate studies in the area of correctional officers and their work stress levels to indicate severe mental health issues (Ghaddar, Mateo, and Sanchez, 2008). Studies and reports indicate that while each facility has some level of mental healthcare, none of them caters to the needs of correctional staff (Manchak, Skeem, Kennealy, and Louden, 2014). Moreover, correctional officers who came forward with problems faced administrative problems within the system (Denhof, Spinaris, and Morton, 2014). The rate of suicide is the highest in almost all states for correctional officers in comparison to the rest of the population (Lisitsina, 2015). They have symptoms of PTSD in regular intervals and over forty percent of them suffer from depression (Curran, 2015). Hence, this is a real issue which requires immediate attention from the Department of Corrections (Brower, 2013).
References
Brower, J. (2013). Correctional Officer Wellness And Safety Literature Review. Retrieved from: https://www.ojpdiagnosticcenter.org/sites/default/files/spotlight/download/NDC_CorrectionalOfficerWellnessSafety_LitReview.pdf
Curran, K. (2015). Concerns rise over corrections officers' stress, depression. Retrieved from: http://www.wcvb.com/news/concerns-rise-over-corrections-officers-stress-depression/36557958
Denhof, M. D., Spinaris, C.G., and Kellaway, A. J. (2013). Post-traumatic Stress Disorder in United States Corrections. Desert Waters Correctional Outreach.
Denhof, M. D., Spinaris, C.G., and Morton, G.R. (2014). Occupational Stressors in Corrections Organizations: Types, Effects, and Solutions. Retrieved from: http://info.nicic.gov/virt/sites/info.nicic.gov.virt/files/03OccupationalStressors.pdf
Finney, C., Stergiopoulos, E., Jennifer Hensel, Bonato, S., and Dewa, C. S. (2013). Organizational stressors associated with job stress and burnout in correctional officers: a systematic review. BMC Public Health. 82 (13). Pp. 1 – 11. DOI: 10.1186/1471-2458-13-82.
Ghaddar, A., Mateo, I., Sanchez, P. (2008). Occupational stress and mental health among correctional officers: a cross-sectional study. J Occup Health. 50 (1). Pp. 92 – 98.
Lambert, E. G., Minor, K. I., Gordon, J., Wells, J. B., and Hogan, N. L. (2016). Exploring the Correlates of Perceived Job Dangerousness Among Correctional Staff at a Maximum Security Prison. Criminal Justice Policy Review. 00 (0). DOI: 10.1177/0887403415623618.
Lambert, E. G., Minor, K. I., Wells, J. B., and Hogan, N. L. (2015). Leave Your Job at Work The Possible Antecedents of Work–Family Conflict Among Correctional Staff. The Prison Journal. 95 (1). Pp. 114-134. DOI: 10.1177/0032885514563284.
Lisitsina, D. (2015). Prison guards can never be weak': the hidden PTSD crisis in America's jails. Retrieved from: http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/may/20/corrections-officers-ptsd-american-prisons
Lopez, O. (2014). U.S. Prison Officers Need Help, But They Won’t Ask For It. Retrieved from: http://www.newsweek.com/2014/06/06/prison-officers-need-help-they-wont-ask-it-252439.html
Manchak, S. M., Skeem, J. L., Kennealy, P. J., and Louden, J. E. (2014). High-Fidelity Specialty Mental Health Probation Improves Officer Practices, Treatment Access, and Rule Compliance. Law and Human Behavior. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/lhb0000076.
Oehme, K., Donnelly, A. E., and Martin, A. (2013). Alcohol Abuse, PTSD, and Officer Committed Domestic Violence. Florida State University Libraries.
Psychalive Staff (2016). Working Behind the Wall: Mental Health of Correctional-Based Staff. Retrieved from: http://www.psychalive.org/working-behind-the-wall-mental-health-of-correctional-based-staff/
Sam Houston State University Staff (2014). Correctional officer stress studied: Conflicts between work, family life common. Retrieved from: www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/02/140220112511.htm
Steele, D. W. (2016). Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in the Correction Officer’s Life. Retrieved from: http://www.fodcop.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=_AAUSel4WjE%3D&tabid=744&mid=2099
ToersBijns, C (2013). Correctional Officers’ Mental Health. Retrieved from: http://www.corrections.com/news/article/33670-correctional-officers-mental-health.
Valentine, C. L., Oehme, K., and Martin, A. (2012). Correctional Officers and Domestic Violence: Experiences and Attitudes. Florida State University Libraries.
