"Health and wellness among those who work in correctional agencies is an issue that has always existed, but is just starting to get the increasing attention that it deserves. One of the greatest threats to correctional officer (CO) wellness involves the stress they encounter as a result of their occupation. This document reviews the body of literature on the causes and effects of stress for COs, and describes the available research on CO wellness programs and their effectiveness" (p. 1). Sections cover: sources of correctional officer stress-inmate-related stressors, occupational stressors, organizational and administrative stressors, psycho-social stressors, and stressors unique to supervisors and female correctional officers; the effects of stress-impact on work environment and the correctional agency, impact on the physical and mental health of Cos, and the impact on their home life; and correctional officer wellness programs and their effectiveness-gaps in CO wellness programs, Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), peer support programs, and wellness programs designed specifically for COs.
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