Corrections_Today_March_April_2021_Vol.83_No.2

NIJ Update

3 Frost, N., Monteiro, N.C., and Stowell, J. (2020). The Impact of Correctional Officer Suicide on the Institutional Environment and on the Wellbeing of Correctional Employees . Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice. See also Liberman, A. et al. (2002). “Routine Occupational Stress and Psychological Distress in Police,” Policing: An Internal Journal of Police Strategies & Management 25(2): 421-439. 4 See Pope, L. and Bibiana, J. (2019). A Sentinel Events Approach to Jail Suicide and Self-Harm . Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice. Although there are some inherently stressful and traumatic aspects of the correctional officer’s job, there are strategies and practices to mitigate this source of stress as well. Addressing inmate self-harm is obviously critical to protecting the mental and physical health of inmates, but it also improves the operating environment for both staff and inmates. 5 Based on discussions at an NIJ-hosted panel at the American Correctional Association annual meeting, August 2019. 6 National Institute of Justice fiscal year 2017 award to Oregon Health and Science University (2017- R2-CX-0036): “Defining the Impact of Stress and Traumatic Events on Corrections Officers.”

levels and work to overcome them. This promising program is officer- led, and the sessions are short enough to occur at the start of each shift.

a growing number of options that allow them to be more supportive of officers, to promote a work-life balance, and to improve the over- all quality of life for correctional officers. Importantly, it seems clear that many agencies are willing to put in the hard work to improve officer health and wellness. Endnotes 1 See Johnson, R. (2015). “Police Organizational Commitment: The Influence of Supervisor Feedback and Support,” Crime and Delinquency 61: 1155-1180; and Maguen, S. et al. (2009). “Routine Work Environment Stress and PTSD Symptoms in Police Officers,” Journal of Nervous and Mental Diseases 197(10): 754 -760. 2 Gove, T. (2011). “Perspective: Strategies for Curbing Organizational Politics.” Law Enforcement Bulletin . Washington, DC: Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Conclusion

The new NIJ-supported re- search will give correctional and law enforcement policymakers and practitioners a better understanding of how the internal characteristics of their agencies, coupled with the normal demands of an officer’s job, can place extreme stress on officers. NIJ is encouraged by the high level of interest from researchers and their agency partners in finding strategies to reduce and mitigate these sources of stress. Correctional agencies have

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