2026/07/29 by Margarita Parker, Bryce E. Peterson, Brittany Cunningham +1
Psychology · Social Sciences · #Crime Patterns and Interventions #Criminal Justice and Corrections Analysis #Psychopathy, Forensic Psychiatry, Sexual Offending
paper · doi:10.1177/00938548261467874
openalex publication_date 2026/07/29 · openalex created_date 2026/07/30 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/30
Correctional staff face workplace stressors that can have significant and enduring impacts on their mental, physical, and professional well-being. Using staff survey data from five Minnesota prisons ( n = 585), we explore differences in professional and personal wellness among correctional officers and non-security employees. Data were self-reported and represent a 29.2% response rate. We examined how key individual characteristics, work environment, and organizational factors predict several wellness outcomes, including health indicators, burnout, life outlook, job satisfaction, and perceptions of safety. Although results were mixed across outcomes, we found that female, non-white, older, and more educated employees had higher levels of some wellness indicators. Greater staffing levels and lower rates of misconduct also made employees feel safer. Notably, having positive perceptions of the organization’s policies and practices was the strongest predictor across models. Results highlight key stressors and how different staff groups experience the demands of working in correctional settings.