Ever since the arrival of my niece, my family and I started living again in the same household, so much more often I began frequenting my older sister Isabella. Growing up, we both had a close only brother and only sister relationship until she departed into her correctional officer career after high school and moved out of our home. Six years is what separates us both in age, she was born first and she always made sure I discerned that around her. Now that we were again under the same roof, we started chatting how we usually did back in the days before she graduated high school. Things have changed much from then; she now is a happy single mother who's made a nice living from corrections the past five years. During most of our talks, curiosity of her workplace mostly pivots the conversation at times. “In a very tense and toxic environment, you never know when everything can get violent,” I noticed the distress in her when she said this to me. She then explained to me something that had really startled her recently, it was about a recent fateful killing of one of her lieutenants at work which seemed to be agitating her. It appeared to me she was beholding the uncertainty of her staggering work environment, nothing she was not aware about already, but she now was hung up by it because of how nearby a calamity felt. Lately I’ve noticed a preeminent hostile demeanor she always handles herself around with. Presumably, I suppose it's a response from her preventative conduct at work that outside the prison walls is translating into a sense of prepotency. Unfavorably impacting development in her interpersonal relations due to her deleterious work environment. Officers despair impacts entirely the prison environment, striking the well-being of officers, inmates and that of the prison institution.
How could we enhance our correctional facilities outcomes for officers and prisoners? Away from inmate flout and constant fights that have a crucial negative influence on the administration and firmness of the institute. Lack of order certainly also impacts the reformation of prisoners awaiting their reincorporation back into society. Ultimately, shattering the purpose of prison institutions and incarceration because of lack of efficacy. Samuel Gregory Vickovic holds that, “officers are the most important resource necessary for accomplishing the goals and objectives of the institution” in his article, “Correctional Officer Job Stress.” Assuredly, officers are the core of our prison system and their control within facilities is vital for the effectiveness of contributing to the community. However, the coercive nature of the position due to dealing with the scornful progeny of society implies much struggle and endurance which can become stressful when overwhelming. Increased levels of job stress are known to result in decreased level of job satisfaction and organizational commitment, which increases the possibilities of job burnout (Vickovic). This is what strikes the stability of our officers and our incarceration system, affecting the soundness of officers and that of the communities. For correctional officers to feel safe and valued in their job position, there must be a way to induce improvements in officers' security and prestige to therefore have an irrefutable and stable prison system.
In the article, “Correctional Officer Job Stress,” Samuel Gregory, the author, explicates the inconveniences derived from scenarios regarding the correctional officer occupation. Inherently, due to the coercive nature of the occupation, much strain is involved in the employment of the same. Thereby affecting arduous sequels of stress to those devoted to this mandating profession. “Any organization that is responsible for containing an unwilling population will be an organization under stress,” specifies Vickovic, portraying the burden the correctional officer assignment conveys. He accounts this burden to the inconsistent responsibility of coercing a will-less population, i.e., to the friction the task itself endures. Thus, the complication of job stress. Job stress has been associated with negative medical, psychological, and behavioral conditions such as hypertension, depression, and turnover intent. Additionally, it has also been linked to increased levels of job burnout, and decreased levels of job satisfaction and organizational commitment. Imperatively, these issues harm the solely resource prison institutions count on to fulfill the aim of the organization, the officer. Vickovic indicates the strongest predictors of job-stress among correctional staff to be role conflict, role ambiguity, perceptions of danger, work-family conflict, organizational support, quality of supervision, daily demands of contact with inmates, low pay and promotional opportunities, lack of job autonomy, conflict between security and treatment orientations, negative perceptions of inmates, officers perceived level of professionalism, organizational innovation, adequacy of training, questions of distributive and procedural justice, and the environment they are subject to. Furthermore, there appears to be an absence of social support that also develops job stress. Supervisory support, co-worker support, and organizational support are subjects mulled among correctional officer stress studies, indicates Vickovic. “But there has been much less attention concerning support from outside the work environment on officer stress levels” he adds, referring to the influence family and community support plays on job stressors. Lack of support induces a negative public image that originates from perceived low levels of occupational prestige. Occupational prestige is a perceptual value an occupation withholds based on the relative beliefs of that occupation’s worthiness to the public. Often stereotyped, correctional officers are often also stigmatized; associated with the position's work environment being depicted as a place of dirty, and unfavorable conditions. These negative qualities of their line of work are irrationally projected onto them by the public. Consequently, deducing this negative image and weak perception of occupational prestige that subsequently behaves as a stressor.
Officers in our criminal justice system are the faculty for a hopeful disbandment of recidivism. Hence, they are the vital resource for the fulfillment of prison institution's goals. Strenuously, the environment of their occupation inherently possesses many challenges, drawn by the coerciveness of the duty. In consequence, stress strains become ubiquitous issues among prison facilities that impact the overall soundness of the institution. Entangling the organizations efficacy and affecting officers’ well-being. “Any organization that is responsible for containing an unwilling population will be an organization under stress” (Vickovic), explains Samuel Vickovic in his article "Correctional Officer Job Stress.” Associating this matter to a greater issue, he reflects integrating, “increased job stress results in decreased level of job satisfaction and organizational commitment, and increased job burnout” (Vickovic). Friction in the workplace is a vital threat to the objective of the institution.
Occupational prestige is ingrained in society. As all Individuals fabricate opinions about each other's positions, conceptions derive “low“or “high” prestige rankings among all societies duties (Vickovic). A concept that pertains to social behaviors. Occupational prestige has nothing to do with the opulence or derived wealth of an occupation but is rather the honor and reputation an occupation holds (Vickovic). Occupational prestige can serve as a benefactor or a detractor for an occupation. Contributing to an occupation's elaboration when a high occupational prestige is discerned. But hindering the elaboration when a low occupational prestige is correlated to the job. It prompts and influences how duties are performed. All jobs' prestige can be measured high or low, grounded on social evaluations of an occupation. From correctional officers to field workers, everyone holds a position others have an opinion on. For Instance, the popular belief of instant superiority when wearing or owning the latest products in trend. It's a belief people with the same grounds advocate and therefore creates and enforces the belief around in their social circle. Similarly, in the case of society, where every individual holds a purpose for the wellbeing and sustainability of society. Opinions start roaming around about the importance of each other's positions. Consequently, creating stigmas in the social complexion of individuals. It applies with family also, which can in turn affect the perception of oneself if a negative prestige is associated with one’s dedication. Thus, affecting crucially how the individual goes about performing his duties if he also perceives these as low because society perceives it as low.
Isabella usually gets home late in the afternoons every of her workdays. Most of the time she seems tense when she arrives but immediately has a smile on her face the moment she sees her baby daughter. Quickly, the first thing she does when arriving is run into her bedroom to put her vest away and switch off her work uniform clothes. Ultimately eluding and stripping away from any of her job worries to embark on her journey as a mother. I picture it is her function as a mother now that’s abetted her to cope with the conditions of her work place she usually talks to me about. “The most difficult aspect of this line of work has been the uncertainty of the job site,” Isabella was telling me while we sat in our living room and her little baby girl played on the floor. She explained to me that one’s safety is never assured in this duty, prisoners' demeanor is knowingly characterized for misconducts; and confinement at times isn’t enough for convicts to abide by the rules. Absorbed in our talk, I asked her what’s the most surprising thing she’s experienced in her career. I was surprised too when she said, “Correlations between staff and imprisoned inmates.” Apparently, it’s more common than what I thought and it’s an issue that cripples the boundaries of inmate and officer. These breaching’s impact the impartial order of the prison institute due to biased favorable pacts and overall, an inequitable facility administration. Apart from these occurrences within the prison environment, Isabella also tells me about significant matters that burden oneself. “Disrespect and humiliation attempt by inmates is part of the job,” she holds, it's something one must just get used to. Constant fights and impudence are something she witnesses repeatedly, influencing critically officers’ temperaments. Thereupon, my question to her was what she would change if she had the chance of making rearrangements to the career. “With means of combating inmates' entitlement, I would shift the environment to a much stricter ground,” Isabella assured, making clear that inmates are placed in these institutions as a means of punishment and therefore the institute must be despotic. To not allow any subjugated offenders to keep offending. It seems to her that the lack of rigorous management extrapolates a common misconception among inmates that officers are their sitters. “A misconception of self-entitlement that us officers in duty are their sitters,” Isabella said, explicating the misbelief of most captives. From her experience in such a tense industry, the most important thing she’s learned is great self-awareness and control of emotions. “In this line of work, alertness and not losing composure are necessary,” she says this has assisted very much her caution. Ultimately, Isabella believes people should understand the complexities of this line of work; mostly those close to officers subject to their job place because it is difficult to not let the characteristics of this job hinder one’s disposition.
As a correctional officer, the job position has very much challenged Isabella and critically influenced her demeanor. Her occupation's threatening and violent work environment has impelled a noticeable rigid conduct in her. A rigid conduct that seems relatively unnoticed by her or has rather been habituated because it’s become an innate conduct inside her job place. Calamities like the one that occurred in Isabella’s administration agitate the stability of officers, inmates and overall, the jurisdictions of the prison facility. Bringing about hostility that aggravates officers' demeanor and the already coerced situation among prison environments. Similarly, how officers' environment inside prison walls is aggravated, the same goes on in their environment outside the prison walls. Accustomed to adversarial conduct in duty, that same hostile behavior can convey into officers' family and social relations. Amending the situation for officers inside prisons, assists with efficiency towards the best possible prison system that could be operated. With means of avoiding recidivism for inmates expecting reincorporation back into society and support for officers with implements for a safely controlled work environment to aid brutality and job preoccupations. Inmates' best denouement can be accomplished restraining the scornful behaviors complicating and entangling prison systems. Measures like solitary confinement are useful for adamant persecutors to submit and clearly inform the incarcerated what system they are being subjugated to. Perhaps discipline may impart order; and order may impart steadiness for the institute. Availing officers with more settled work conditions and a clear-cut effectual institution. Despite the hard-handed work conditions, Isabella for several years has grappled her way around this wearying industry. Officers apart from peacekeeping, also pertain to other social roles in their lives. Social roles that are held liable to situations of harsh work conditions like that of prisons, since work occupations also play a crucial part in individual's personas. Burnout in stressful conditions grasps stress all throughout an individual's facets. Affecting how individuals' approach their other life complexes in a stressful tautening and impulsive behavior. Among my family and I, we notice Isabella’s work aspects she manages herself around with. She is on track of becoming the best mother she can be to her upraising baby child; and I hope her job position does not become an obstacle towards that aspiration.
Works Cited
Alvarez, Isabella. Personal Interview. Conducted by Sebastian Alvarez, 16 Sep. 2024
Carter, TaLisa J., and Tanya N. Whittle. "THE IMPACT OF CORRECTIONAL OFFICER GENDER ON PRISON SUICIDE." Health & Justice, vol. 11, no. 1, 2023, pp. 10. ProQuest, https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/impact-correctional-officer-gender-on-prison/docview/2778490023/se-2 . Accessed: 3 Sept. 2024
Graham, Amanda. “CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS’ STRESS IN THE WORKPLACE,” Argosy University/Sarasota, United States -- Florida, 2011. ProQuest, https://www.proquest.com/dissertations-theses/correctional-officers-stress-workplace/docview/1197300167/se-2. Accessed: 3 Sept.2024
Laidler, John. "WORKING TO BRING STRESS RELIEF TO CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS: LOWELL PROFESSOR HELPS EARN GRANT." Boston Globe, Jan 10, 2021. ProQuest, https://www.proquest.com/newspapers/working-bring-stress-relief-correctional-officers/docview/2476386551/se-2. Accessed: 4 Sept. 2024
Paul, Dwayne D. "PRISON LABOR MEETS MARKETPLACE." Sojourners Magazine, vol. 53, no. 6, 07, 2024, pp. 12-13. ProQuest, https://www.proquest.com/magazines/prison-labor-meets-marketplace/docview/3072832650/se-2. Accessed: 2 Sept. 2024
Vickovic, Samuel G. Correctional Officer Job Stress the Influence of Perceived Occupational Prestige, Arizona State University, United States -- Arizona, 2015. ProQuest, https://www.proquest.com/dissertations-theses/correctional-officer-job-stress-influence/docview/1680592528/se-2. Accessed: 27 Aug. 2024
Comments