Corrections_Today_March_April_2021_Vol.83_No.2

nEWS&vIEWS

NIJ Update

The Importance of Addressing Organizational Stress Among Corrections Officers Eric Martin, Social Science Analyst, National Institute of Justice

The urgent need to address the impact of organizational stress on staff has begun to gain traction in corrections and other justice system sectors. In the law enforcement com- munity, for example, practitioners have advocated in favor of the devel- opment of officer skills to mitigate the stress of toxic office politics. 2 Recent research supported by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) suggests a similar movement exists in the corrections environment. Emerging Recognition of Agency Relationships as Major Source of Corrections Staff Stress Research conducted by North- eastern University found that organizational stress among cor- rections officers, particularly in relationships between supervisors and front-line officers, along with long shifts or mandatory overtime, substantially contributed to a high- stress work environment that can interfere with a positive work-life balance. 3

istock/mevans

Authors’ Note: Findings and conclu- sions reported in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice. S upervising inmates in prisons or jails is a pressure-packed profession. One might assume that the strain is primarily a func- tion of correctional officers’ acute episodic and traumatic interactions with inmates, including frequent

emergencies. Another significant and often-overlooked source of staff stress, however, is organiza- tional stress driven by dysfunctional relationships within the agency and an unhealthy overall professional climate. Interpersonal conflicts and lack of trust between supervisory and line staff, coupled with long shifts exacerbated by a lack of ad- equate staffing, may be particularly debilitating. 1

14 — March/April 2021 Corrections Today