What are common problems encountered by the detainees or prisoners inside jail?

Some common conditions include depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Recent research by the Bureau of Justice Statistics shows that more than half of all people in prison have mental health issues. In fact, around 1.25 million inmates live with mental health conditions.

Do prison guards become friends with prisoners?

They invariably preferred the latter, although they were physically more unpleasant. The guards, however, were absolutely incorruptible and fair, and gave the impression that they genuinely wanted prisoners to be rehabilitated and return to society. There was respect all around.

What challenges do correctional officers face?

Work conflicts, fatigue, heavy workload and inadequate resources all contribute to stress among correctional officers. The stress you’ll experience on a daily basis can affect your work as well as your personal relationships and family life.

Do correctional officers suffer from PTSD?

Corrections Officers and PTSD Guards are exhausted, traumatized, and often ignored or shunned if they express any weariness or misgivings about the work they are required to do. As a result, COs have rates of post-traumatic stress disorder that are more than double the rate that military veterans experience.

What is the saddest thing you’ve witnessed in the correctional field?

One of the saddest things I’ve witnessed over the course of my career were those occasions where a correctional officer became compromised by an inmate or inmates. It’s highly unlikely anyone enters the correctional field with the goal of being terminated or charged with a crime, or moving from officer to inmate—yet, it happens.

Can a compromised officer help an inmate out of trouble?

A compromised officer will have a vested interest in keeping the inmate who compromised him or her happy and out of trouble. A quick example: A year after I retired from a large jail system in South Florida, I was hired as a shift commander by a privately operated male prison.

Are there people in Corrections who shouldn’t be working in corrections?

As in any profession, there are people in corrections who should not be working in our field, or who probably shouldn’t have been hired at all. For the most part, however, we are good at screening the people who will be working in our jails. We run background investigations, check criminal history databases and fingerprint our applicants.

Why do inmates call police officers by their first name?

What about those instances when inmates are heard calling an officer by his or her first name or a nickname? An officer who seems to take too much of an interest in an inmate or group of inmates is a sign of trouble. A compromised officer will have a vested interest in keeping the inmate who compromised him or her happy and out of trouble.