Exposures to correctional-specific potentially psychologically traumatic events among Ontario provincial correctional workers.

OBJECTIVE: Correctional work involves exposures to correctional-specific potentially psychologically traumatic events (PPTEs); however, the frequency and impact of such PPTEs on the mental health of correctional workers remain unclear. We analyzed the prevalence and frequency of 13 different occupational-specific PPTE exposures among correctional workers (n = 980; 50.7% female) and estimated associations with mental health symptoms. METHOD: The survey data used are from the Provincial Ontario Correctional Worker Mental Health Prevalence Study in Canada. Cross-tabulations, Chi-square tests, ANOVAs, and logistic regression are used to examine the following: (a) the distribution of correctional-specific PPTEs across correctional worker occupational categories; (b) the frequencies of correctional-specific PPTE exposures; and (c) the association between correctional-specific PPTEs and mental disorders. Population-attributable fractions (PAFs) are used to estimate the proportion of mental disorders that may be attributable to PPTE exposures. RESULTS: Most correctional workers reported exposures to most types of PPTEs, including being directly threatened or subject to abusive language (94.6%), de-escalating a prison/client in mental health crisis (92.2%), and using force or suit up and resort to "use of force" in a nontraining situation (70.6%). The mean number of lifetime PPTE exposures was 7.79 (SD = 3.33). There were statistically significant differences in PPTE exposure patterns across correctional worker categories. PPTEs were positively associated with mental disorder symptoms for all participants. PAFs indicated that mental disorders among correctional workers could reduce by 66%-80% with the elimination of all PPTEs among correctional workers. CONCLUSIONS: Eliminating PPTE exposures is unlikely in the correctional environment; nevertheless, the results indicate that mitigating PPTEs may drastically improve the mental health of correctional workers. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Longitudinal study of Canadian correctional workers' wellbeing, organizations, roles and knowledge (CCWORK): Baseline demographics and prevalence of mental health disorders.

Background: Researchers and practitioners have begun to recognize and empirically examine the mental health challenges facing public safety personnel (PSP). Empirical results from longitudinal data collection among PSP remains extremely scant, particularly for institutional correctional workers. We designed the current study to assess the mental health of Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) correctional officer recruits (CORs) across time to help clarify potential challenges to or protective factors for mental health across correctional officer (CO) careers. Methods: The current study uses data from the Canadian Correctional Workers' Wellbeing, Organizations, Roles, and Knowledge (CCWORK) study. The study uses a longitudinal design with self-report surveys administered online prior to CORs beginning the CSC Correctional Training Program. Initial baseline survey data were used to assess demographic information and mental health symptoms endorsed at the outset of the training program. Results: Participating CORs (n = 265; 40% female; age = 32.8, SD = 9.1) began training between August 2018 and July 2021. Participants were less likely to screen positive for one or more current mental health disorders (i.e., 4.9%) than previously published rates for serving correctional officers (i.e., 54.6%), including reporting lower rates of posttraumatic stress disorder (i.e., 2.4 vs. 29.1%) and major depressive disorder (i.e., 1.9 vs. 31.1%). Conclusion/Impact: Prevalence of positive screens for current mental health disorders in CORs appears lower than for the general population, and significantly lower than for serving correctional officers. The current results suggest an important causal relationship may exist between correctional work and detrimental mental health outcomes. Maintaining the mental health of correctional officers may require institutionally-supported proactive and responsive multimodal activities.

Exposures to Potentially Psychologically Traumatic Events Among Provincial Correctional Workers in Ontario, Canada.

We know little about potentially psychologically traumatic events (PPTE) exposures among provincial correctional workers in diverse occupational positions and even less regarding how exposure to events are associated with mental health disorders. We designed the current study to unpack and quantify estimates of the frequencies that correctional workers, across occupational roles, experience exposure to diverse incidents. We categorized 1,338 of our 1,487 participants into six occupational categories and our measures included established self-report items measuring PPTE exposure and mental disorder symptoms. Almost all correctional workers reported exposures to most PPTE types. Correctional workers collectively report exposures to physical assault (90.2%) and sudden violent death (81.8%), with many (3.1%-46%) reporting 11+ exposures (M = 10.01, SD = 4.29). We found significant differences in exposure patterns across correctional worker categories; specifically, we found a higher prevalence of exposure to toxic substances, physical assault, assault with a weapon, severe human suffering, sudden accidental or sudden violent death, among those working in institutional correctional services (e.g., governance, correctional officers). PPTE exposure and all assessed mental health disorder symptom profiles were closely related, as correctional workers report high exposure to PPTE. Population attributable fractions indicated that the burden of mental disorders among provincial correction workers might be reduced by between 38%-70% if PPTE exposures were eliminated from the population. We conclude with recommendations for mental health related policies, such as investing in peer and psychologically support, as well as interventions for exposure to PPTE and readiness to inform strategies for employee mental health and well-being.

Prison Visitation and Concerns about Reentry: Variations in Frequency and Quality of Visits are Associated with Reentry Concerns among People Incarcerated in Prison.

Prior studies suggest that visitation may have an impact on successful reentry. At the same time, the impact of visitation on incarcerated people's concerns about reentry has received little empirical attention. Understanding how factors such as visitation affect concerns about reentry can provide correctional officials with policy directions on how to reduce strains and enhance successful reintegration. Further, while some studies have evaluated frequency of visitation far fewer have examined the impact of quality of visitation. Using a sample of males and females incarcerated in five correctional facilities (n = 3,084), this study examines how frequency and quality of visitation impact incarcerated people's concerns about employment, housing, debt, and recidivism upon reentry. Findings suggest that more visits reduce concerns, while negative visits increase concerns about reentry.

CCWORK protocol: a longitudinal study of Canadian Correctional Workers' Well-being, Organizations, Roles and Knowledge.

INTRODUCTION: Knowledge about the factors that contribute to the correctional officer's (CO) mental health and well-being, or best practices for improving the mental health and well-being of COs, have been hampered by the dearth of rigorous longitudinal studies. In the current protocol, we share the approach used in the Canadian Correctional Workers' Well-being, Organizations, Roles and Knowledge study (CCWORK), designed to investigate several determinants of health and well-being among COs working in Canada's federal prison system. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: CCWORK is a multiyear longitudinal cohort design (2018-2023, with a 5-year renewal) to study 500 COs working in 43 Canadian federal prisons. We use quantitative and qualitative data collection instruments (ie, surveys, interviews and clinical assessments) to assess participants' mental health, correctional work experiences, correctional training experiences, views and perceptions of prison and prisoners, and career aspirations. Our baseline instruments comprise two surveys, one interview and a clinical assessment, which we administer when participants are still recruits in training. Our follow-up instruments refer to a survey, an interview and a clinical assessment, which are conducted yearly when participants have become COs, that is, in annual 'waves'. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: CCWORK has received approval from the Research Ethics Board of the Memorial University of Newfoundland (File No. 20190481). Participation is voluntary, and we will keep all responses confidential. We will disseminate our research findings through presentations, meetings and publications (e.g., journal articles and reports). Among CCWORK's expected scientific contributions, we highlight a detailed view of the operational, organizational and environmental stressors impacting CO mental health and well-being, and recommendations to prison administrators for improving CO well-being.

What if They Are All High-Risk for Attrition? Correlates of Retention in a Longitudinal Study of Reentry from Prison.

Longitudinal data are essential to research in criminology and criminal justice. Despite attrition's implications for validity, understanding its sources is underexplored empirically. We examine the correlates of retention using covariates organized into domains of prediction, prevention, and projection. Data from the LoneStar Project, a three-wave longitudinal reentry study of 802 males recently released from prisoners in Texas, were analyzed to examine the correlates of proximal, distal, and any study retention. The best correlates of study retention are prevention techniques used by researchers to reduce attrition. In contrast, only a few covariates traditionally associated with attrition and no covariates used for attrition projection were related to retention. What researchers do matters more for retention than the characteristics of individuals they are trying to retain. The findings underscore how researchers can improve study retention in longitudinal research while also correcting for non-random attrition in current longitudinal data sources.

Provincial Correctional Service Workers: The Prevalence of Mental Disorders.

Correctional service employees in Ontario, Canada (n = 1487) began an online survey available from 2017 to 2018 designed to assess the prevalence and correlates of mental health challenges. Participants who provided data for the current study (n = 1032) included provincial staff working in institutional wellness (e.g., nurses) (n = 71), training (e.g., program officers) (n = 26), governance (e.g., wardens) (n = 82), correctional officers (n = 553), administration (e.g., record keeping) (n = 25), and probation officers (n = 144). Correctional officers, workers in institutional administration and governance positions, and probation officers reported elevated risk for mental disorders, most notably posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depressive disorder. Among institutional correctional staff, 61.0% of governance employees, 59.0% of correctional officers, 43.7% of wellness staff, 50.0% of training staff, and 52.0% of administrative staff screened positive for one or more mental disorders. In addition, 63.2% of probation officers screened positive for one or more mental disorders. Women working as correctional officers were more likely to screen positive than men (p < 0.05). Across all correctional occupational categories positive screens for each disorder were: 30.7% for PTSD, 37.0% for major depressive disorder, 30.5% for generalized anxiety disorder, and 58.2% for one or more mental disorders. Participants between ages 40 and 49 years, working in institutional governance, as an institutional correctional officer, or as a probational officer, separated or divorced, were all associated (p < 0.05) with screening positive for one or more mental disorders. The prevalence of mental health challenges for provincial correctional workers appears to be higher than federal correctional workers in Canada and further supports the need for evidence-based mental health solutions.