Improving the Mental Health of Correctional Workers: Perspectives From the Field

• DOI: 10.1177/00938548221081468
• Author: Matthew S. Johnston,Laura McKendy,Rosemary Ricciardelli
• Date: 01 July 2022
• Published date: 01 July 2022
• Subject Matter: Articles

CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND BEHAVIOR, 2022, Vol. 49, No. 7, July 2022, 951 –970.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/00938548221081468

Article reuse guidelines: sagepub.com/journals-permissions

© 2022 International Association for Correctional and Forensic Psychology

951

IMPROVING THE MENTAL HEALTH OF

CORRECTIONAL WORKERS

Perspectives From the Field

MATTHEW S. JOHNSTON

ROSEMARY RICCIARDELLI

LAURA MCKENDY

Memorial University of Newfoundland

Researchers illuminate the mental health plight of correctional workers by demonstrating a high prevalence of mental health

disorders among the group. Yet, structural barriers persist in preventing correctional staff from accessing treatment and

support—barriers that may result in more prolonged and pronounced symptoms. We consider correctional staff perspectives

on how mental health policies at the organizational level can foster better well-being outcomes for employees. Data are

drawn from open-ended survey responses from provincial and territorial correctional employees (N = 870) in Canada.

Responses collectively highlight the need for a correctional staff mental health paradigm that reflects the sources of stress

among correctional workers, including access to specialized mental health services that are easily accessible, immediately

available, and comprehensive in nature. Additional aspects of the work environment were identified as venues for important

change, including improvements in work and schedule structures, improved manager–staff relations, and changes to the

physical environment.

Keywords: occupational mental health; correctional worker mental health; mental health solutions; correctional organizations

INTRODUCTION

Mounting research across diverse contexts documents the adverse mental health out-

comes associated with correctional work. Studies focusing on burnout (Kim et al., 2017;

Useche et al., 2019), mental health disorders (e.g., posttraumatic stress disorder [PTSD],

major depressive disorder, general anxiety disorder; Denhof & Spinaris, 2016; Carleton

et al., 2018; Regehr et al., 2019), and other factors tied to well-being and life quality (e.g.,

work–life conflict; Higgins et al., 2021) shed light on the toll of correctional work on staff.

Yet, the literature on correctional worker well-being appears to consistently illuminate poor

outcomes, regardless of the operational context.

AUTHORS’ NOTE: Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Rosemary Ricciardelli,

Department of Sociology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, AA-4066, 230 Elizabeth Avenue, St John’s,

Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada A1C 5S7. e-mail: rricciardell@mun.ca

1081468CJBXXX10.1177/00938548221081468Criminal Justice and BehaviorJohnston et al. / Improving Mental Health of Correctional Workers

research-article2022

952 CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND BEHAVIOR

Although growing measures are in place to improve mental health and well-being among

correctional workers, gaps in service and barriers to treatment persist (Brower, 2013; Gurda,

2019). As a result of barriers operating at the individual, social, and organizational levels,

there remains much room for improving the mental health interventions and programs

available to correctional staff. Recognizing that those directly or indirectly experiencing the

mental health impacts associated with correctional work are ideally positioned to identify

how interventions can be improved, the current study draws on the perspectives of provin-

cial and territorial correctional staff in Canada to identify mental health initiatives that

promote staff well-being.

LITERATURE REVIEW

CONTEXTUALIZING THE PROBLEM AND CRISIS OF CORRECTIONAL WORKER MENTAL

HEALTH

Research on correctional workers has blossomed in recent years, with studies focusing

on different facets of mental health and well-being. One subset of research focuses on rates

of mental health disorders, with findings consistently indicating higher prevalence rates

among correctional workers relative to the general public and other public safety groups

(Jaegers et al., 2019; Lerman et al., 2021; Regehr et al., 2019; Stadnyk, 2003). In the state

of Washington, James and Todak (2018) found correctional workers have a PTSD preva-

lence equal to Iraq and Afghanistan veterans and more than police. In the Canadian context,

Carleton, Ricciardelli, et al. (2020) have recently found that well over half of correctional

workers in the Ontario provincial correctional service screened positive for mental health

disorders, most frequently PTSD and major depressive disorder. Researchers also indicate

correctional workers are at a higher risk of death by suicide (Stack & Tsoudis, 1997).

Why, exactly, does correctional work take such a toll on mental health? Operational

stressors in correctional work, for example, factors related to carrying out one’s job (Denhof

et al., 2014), are complex and varied. Over the course of their career, the majority of cor-

rectional workers will encounter potentially psychologically traumatic events, including

violent incidents, death, self-injury, and other situations involving harm (Barry, 2017;

Boudoukha et al., 2011; Viotti, 2016; Walker et al., 2017). Illustratively, James et al. (2017)

found that approximately one quarter of correctional workers regularly experienced serious

threats to themselves or their families, nearly half witnessed their colleagues endure a seri-

ous injury via assault by an incarcerated person, and over half witnessed an incarcerated

person die. Following incidents, correctional workers may be involved with all the admin-

istrative procedures and/or inquiries that ensue, and must often continue to work in the very

atmospheres where they have experienced traumatic incidents (Barry, 2017). If not treated

effectively, to withstand these potentially psychologically traumatic stressors and working

realities, correctional workers may become desensitized or hypervigilant and alert to danger

at all times (Ricciardelli et al., 2018).

WHAT EXACERBATES OR REMEDIES WORKPLACE MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS?

The effects of correctional work are not temporally or spatially bound to work environ-

ments. In addition to studies noting the high prevalence of compromised mental health

among correctional workers, a sizable body of research points to how correctional work is